It wasn't fun living an hour and a half from work and play, but absolutely worth it.If one is starting with relatively low living expenses, cash flow can be extremely powerful towards reaching financial freedom.

I am putting in a link to something that may be help, a cost of living comparison calculator (https://www.bankrate.com/real-estate/cost-of-living-calculat...). 

I live in San Diego and am trying to purchase my first investment property I have about 150K to put down but am struggling to find deals that meet my price point. 

It always seems the people that don't live in CA or have ever lived in CA are always the one leading the bandwagon of "why would anyone live in CA?".

I am new to real estate investing and got into it because of the book The House Hacking Strategy.I live in San Diego; the rent is just crazy.

Quote from @Roxanne Whitaker: Please be aware if you buy an investment property and do not live in MD, when you go to sell it you will pay an 8% tax at settlement. 

If I were investing in eastern WA, or where my extended family lives in Pennsylvania, those 100k houses in good condition are a real thing there.  

Where are you living at this point?

Unless you have the rentals paid for by the time you retire, they aren't going to be enough to live off of. 

When you sign almost all mortgage closing packages, you are signing an Occupancy Clause that states you are intending to live in the home for 12 months.