My preliminary research on Zak has not shown much negative things yet.

This book introduced me to financial concepts and made me look at money and investing in a completely different way.

.- in this higher rate market, i find BRRRRs to be challenging because after a high LTV refinance the units have negative cash flow.  

It's a balance of cashflow and wealth accumulation.One of the goals is to have tenants pay as much of your cost-of-ownership as possible (loans, taxes, insurance, etc.)In high-cost areas, any Class A or B property you buy will usually negative cashflow for the first 3-5 years, until rents rise enough to cover the negative cashflow + rising taxes & insurance.Investing OOS increases your risks because you may not know the market and you can't check on everything/everyone all the time.If you move forward with your buddies, HIGHLY recommend creating a solid Partnership Agreement!

If so maybe research who financed those deals since they're likely already comfortable with that concept in your market.

Seems like most of them never got the RISK / REWARD concept.

Just remember: most negative reviews are written by problematic tenants.

Most replies seem to be to negative factors which is why I go by the value I can see and use today because tomorrow it could be bad like a land fill...or it could be something the blows the value up.

If you stayed with your parents for $0, then you have say, negative cash flow of $1,750. 

Despite all the negativity people still want to live in CA.