We have an amazing, creative and patient agent from Sotheby's we have worked with for years.

That would be the key element + no rental restrictions Ramsey,Do not forget there are a ton of REI properties in areas not close to the beach or in a flood zone in Florida. 

The reason i have not purchased lately is I do not want to be that patient to wait for a good return, even though I am confident it will be a good return 10 years after purchase.  

Things they did bad which I wish I had asked more information about:Never involved in the screening of tenantsThey recommended keys for cash by waiving the rent amount buy only collecting fees which they would get not meThe cost to evict is 750-950 yet other companies told me they will include eviction in the priceThe tenant didnt pay in full last month and I was the one calling out to them and asking questions then a few days later I get an email saying something happened with the tenant and they are investigating.You get passed from person to person every week or so.No one told me when the construction was complete and so the house was ready for a week and the post to zillow and other sites was not done.It took them another week to take pictures and then another week to upload it.I was paying 200 dollar a month electric bills while the house was vacant because they left the AC running in the empty property.

Either lower your expectations regarding 2% or be very patient when looking for deals.

The key difference, though, was he spent months carefully getting to know the local architecs, reputable builders, and even a couple of niche design firms that specialize in modern builds for mid- to high-end buyers.

And what is your price point and are you looking for turn-key properties or something along the lines of a "fixer upper"?

Real estate prospecting is a numbers game, so the key is to keep reaching out, tracking your progress, and refining your process along the way.Let me know if you’d like to brainstorm more ideas or chat about prospecting strategies!

Be patient with your husband, but you may have to take on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd projects on your own before you see any support from him.

The lessons you learned the hard way in 2008 will be invaluable now, and it’s great that you’re aiming to stay small-scale and within your comfort zone of Sacramento, which gives you an advantage of knowledge in that market.Given your experience, I'd say start by focusing on three key areas to build confidence and minimize risks:Budget Control: Over-renovating was one of the big mistakes you mentioned.