Or do Flight School (this wasn't around when I started) for an accelerated college classroom type experience, where you would work in teams all the way through the business with others learning the business just like you.

You will be fighting cash sometimes.Let me know when your flight is

I had gone to flight training in 1999-2003, and my plans were to get my certificates and ratings, and a college degree, and then go to the airlines.

We bought our first house in Virginia Beach at 23 right out of graduate and flight school .

I am headed to Rucker for flight training.

An acrid smoke smell on Christmas,  no hot water when boarding an overseas flight... it happens.

Of course, the other potential hiccup here is that if one member of your team misses a deadline or just falls down on the job, you're stuck trying to jerry-rig things back together at a distance (or paying for a last minute flight) in order to limit vacancy time. 

At any rate, I would invest in Northern California as you are an hour flight or an 6 hour drive away from your rental.

We are trying to get a pulse on people's opinions about the market before buying our first round flights to visit, and ultimately rent, etc. 

@Joel Cohen I second Robert's suggestions, and to follow up, I would highly recommend taking a flight to the area and meeting with the short list of potential team members you have narrowed it down to and tour properties and neighborhoods.