Going out to Alabama means you’ll have to file state income tax there—pain in the butt for $200/mo.A buy box that makes sense for your investment goals.

Florida has been painful because of the insurance.

I do need to look closer to the airport since that is near where my husband's job will be and would love to reduce his commute which is currently a pain in the butt here in CA.

It pains me to say this since I have been an appraiser for a long time. 

if you're willing to put up with the pain and inconvenience - moving every 1-3 years, living in the smaller / worse units, DIYing things - you could have a portfolio of 5-20 units in 10 years, just by using your house payment.maybe the house you have would be an OK rental. 

Yes rent control is a pain in *** and there are tenants who haven't paid.

(after several more painful back and forths about her not having one, I tell her where there is a plunger she says I don't know how to use one........ my landlord used to come over at my last rental..... so basically you are telling me your last landlord helped you use a plunger and you still don't know how...   

I feel your pain :( 

The bad experiences are painful but pretty much all real estate investors that make it over the long haul go through them all so good to knock them out early!

I definitely feel your pain.