The capital stack especially in CA is VERY complex and typically involves everything and more that you mentioned.

It is crazy how similar my process has gone.

I will be quick to admit I have only had experiences with small rentals (6 units and smaller) so if you are looking for help on larger apartment complexes I would not be a great resource.

While Treasuries are often viewed as "risk-free" investments, certain real estate deals in today’s market offer a compelling alternative—especially when purchased at a deep discount.Take, for example, a 1,000+ unit apartment complex in a suburb near Michigan.

Condo's are usually on the cheaper end of cost for appraisal reports, typically not $750 (but if it's a high end condo or in an area with there's some complexity, the fee can reflect that). 

I heard a story today of a condo owner whose entire complex was lost.

Anyone can buy a stable senior income fund like FLBL with the click of a mouse and no liquidity or complexity issues. 

My main goals with these initial projects are:1.Gaining valuable insights into the local market.2.Getting hands-on experience with out-of-state investing, particularly when it comes to remodels and managing from afar.3.Testing the entire BRRRR process to see if it’s the right strategy for me long-term.If all goes well, I’d love to scale up and explore multi-family projects.

Any capital improvements on a not owned yet property would involve a complex 1031 you’d want someone like @Dave Foster involved in. 

Shopify might feel restrictive because it's not built for the complexities of managing properties or handling booking systems efficiently.