A typical "cheap" litigator in my neck of woods costs $300/hour. 

I'm in the midst myself of paying off our duplex in the next 3 years and then using the cash flow and my w-2 income to quickly save up another large down payment to buy more properties that aren't overpriced as they are now in my neck of the woods.  

In my neck of the woods we can operate as transaction coordinators, which are basically just glorified paper pushers and make sure all the i's get dotted and the t's crossed for a nominal fee.

On a landlording thread a guy advocates for illegal things, has no clue muscle isnt proper.

The problem is that your insurance policy may cover you, but it won't cover the landlord, too, and if someone's kid breaks their neck on your trampoline, they're going to sue you and the landlord. 

There's a multifamily operator in my neck of the woods that offers to paint an "accent wall" in the bedroom or living room for an additional $10/month. 

It's unfortunate to read comments from so many people who have swallowed the leverage-to-your-neck sales pitch so completely that they've become convinced it's the only way.

Down in your neck of the woods I would reach out to Impressa modular to have a chat with them and see what options you have. 

These are all relatively simple projects that don't involve much capitol; just a good planning session and lot of sweaty, dirty, muscle-building work. 

I am not sure about California but in my neck of woods in Seattle, there are some companies whose main business is to help investors bid on foreclosure auctions.