The quality of people in his community is exceptional - yes there are world class experts, yes they hustle and are brilliant.

I have seen REI Hub recommended on here, but I am unsure of their ability to work with local banks, so if anyone has any experience they can speak of that would be greatly appreciated.  

They can't assess all the subjective data like overall layout, view from the living room window, the dogs next door that bark all day, the width of doorways, size of individual rooms, quality of kitchen cabinets and appliances, etc.The best thing to do is study your market regularly.

Since we're speaking CA, what do you guys think of the idea of purchasing a home in the 600s and then adding a detached ADU to rent both units out and refinancing?

If they don't have time to get on the phone and speak with you to explain how they work, then they will be even more difficult to get ahold of once they already have your business.

Hey @Ian Russell, I'd recommend speaking with @Whitney Nash, she's a fantastic QI and can help you out.

Apparently there are significant differences in tenant "quality" from one street to the next.

If not ask to speak with a manager.

As you already know, the quality of the investor agent will speed up your learning curve, and save you money, time, and headaches. 

The license doesn't cost more, the service and quality does.And a note on that cost, in my experience hiring contractors, only a small percentage of the cost savings was due to finding the right guy who is willing to work for less.