As an RE Agent and an investor primarily in Los Angeles and Orange County,  I just recently went through this process myself! 

(Orange County).

But if someone is giving a false impression of their experience by putting on their website projects that they do not own as their companies experience in an attempt for raising money then there is typically an orange jumpsuit waiting for them down the road.

It's apples to oranges, not a great comparison. 

I am in orange county, specifically Santa Ana and could not find a bar or coffee shop where real estate, escrow and mortgage professionals meet to network.

Last time I checked, their pricing (for the large 2-sided full-color PC) was still pretty competitive:Postcard printing .14 (for 7 DAY turnaround)Processing for mailing .07 ($175 fee divided by 2,500 pieces)Standard postage .28-------------------------------------------------------------------.49 per piece total (Does not include mailing list)So, that's comparing old-school static printing to the new-tech variable printing (apples to oranges comparison), but you get the idea.P.S.

I'm living in Orange County, CA and looking to get started by purchasing our first property in the next 9-12 months.

They are building, essentially, another old town "like" area on Orange grove between Lincoln and Los  Robles!

I recognize comparing ratios of LTR and STR is comparing apples to oranges, but a property that was purchased for $375K had STR rent in 2019 of ~$160K (no matter that it is an apples to oranges comparison, the numbers make it clear this was a homerun purchase).Learn your options on how to acquire RE in CA for little out of pocket.BTW my initial protege I believe started in 2015. 

Orange County.