I've been investing since 1989, and PR investing is harder than anything I could have imagined. 

I want to invest in two properties in California.

Loan officers with 25 years of experience typically are more experienced, and have less time per file, because they have an abundance of files.Loan officers with 25 months of experience typically are less experienced, but have more time to devote to you.I can't write my own loans, so when I'm getting a loan I prefer working with less busy people when I'm doing my own real estate investment, they're more responsive and dedicated it feels like.

I save a lot more money than I would if I was renting in Fairfax VA.

You need a firm estimate for the remainder of the work as your funds are limited (like most people who don't have an endless amount of money). 

A 0% APR credit card is a smart move for materials, but for labor costs, you might explore a private or hard money lender, especially since your loan term is only 3-4 months.

That being said, there’s nothing wrong with investing in blue collar areas but I prefer to invest in the ones that have a higher degree of owner occupancy because the residents of those areas care about where they live and have deeper roots.  

@Michael Klick Congrats on getting things moving in your investing journey. 

Investment Info:Large multi-family (5+ units) buy & hold investment.

I enjoy the challenges of earning money.