My issue is finding the right opportunity being that I'm in a high COL area.

There's a good chance the issue(s) you face has already been discussed and answered.Ask questions in the appropriate forum.

In court, I produced text messages between myself and the tenant showing I was attempting to fix the issue, but since she said she was without heat for 3 months during the winter, it looked really bad.

Living With Tenants Can Be ChallengingSharing your property with tenants sounds great—until you’re dealing with late-night noise, maintenance issues, or awkward run-ins in shared spaces.

Hey @Benjamin Blunt do you have a website that says that you help people with their real estate issues??

Partnering with your sister’s wholesale business or working in a real estate-related role can also give you valuable hands-on experience.

The conversation covers issues like the impact on property values, tenant rights, and the broader effects on the real estate market. 

As someone living in Southern California, I can definitely relate to the challenges of navigating expensive markets.

I find that the best deals on the market are usually newly listed (less than a week on the market) and usually the deals that haven't sold have significant issues with them.What are the reasons that you think homes sit on the market for a long time and how do you navigate the issues to make a deal that works for you? 

Then there were some issues with the inspection report that ruined 3 contracts prior to me getting involved.