One suggestion, go to your states housing page and find the inspection sheet they use and keep a copy of it when you walk your home.

With now being a weekend, and going on Christmas week, what would you suggest i do?

This is after all construction in Los Angeles, if you've never done it before add 50k.If you have $500,000 in cash I suggest you use it elsewhere, this years long headache is likely not worth the 1000's of man hours you will also have to put into it running your very own team of scientists.

Narrowing down the options will probably come down to comps and city/neighborhood specifics; things like permits.Any good suggestions for finding out how long permits are taking in certain areas?

It's still a good market for long term rentals but the returns are not what they were 10 years ago - but if you can get past overly optimistic suggested ROI, it's a really solid market.

I will suggest you plan to House Hack a Duplex or Triplex or Fourplex every year for the next 4 to 5 years and you will thank me later.Goodluck man and keep us posted on your progress!

Philly has a ton of opportunity, but since you are new to the area, I would suggest waiting six months before you buy anything there so you can really understand the block construction of the area.

Let me know if you’d like specific product suggestions—I’d be happy to help! 

Quote from @Nicole Heasley Beitenman: When I was starting, I found a resource in FF that suggested pricing $300-500 above LTR rates.

But if your budget is tight or your home only needs minor updates, your real estate agent can help you think outside of the box by suggesting simple DIY staging tips to help your home look its best.Bottom LineStaging your house properly can make it much more attractive to buyers, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, and every home shines differently.