Some mid-western cities also seem to be good for people who buy very cheap homes and then rent them for very good cash flows, although it is not clear what the long-term trends are for those cash flows.

Personally i think that florida beaches are more beautiful than the califorinia beaches.The western florida coast is absolutely gorgeous along siesta key beach, sarasota, up to clear water beach.

For example, this has hurt the demand for commodities and the once red hot real estate markets in Western Australia, which is a source for those commodities, are starting to suffer.  

It is pocketed...some areas are war zones, some are pretty middle class and some areas (such as some of the western suburbs) are bonkers hot sub markets...multiple offers within days of listing on SFRs.

This is the experience that acted as a catalyst for me to get back into the RE game: build passive income so I can travel the world, volunteer, and do as I please. 2017: In Fall 2017 we took a 45-day road trip to see the eclipse and to visit many western National Parks.

I reside in Western NY and I've had similar problems to you....not just on one project but on a laundry list of projects.

I bought my first house hack in Western MA 9 months ago - It has allowed me to live for cheap, get some investing experience, and set myself up for a cash flowing rental when I move out.

I'm doing this in the Western U.S. in trust deed non-judicial foreclosure states.   

If I were a betting man, I would point the area south of USC - west of the 110 freeway.The boundaries would be JEFFERSON BLVD to the north, SLAUSON to the south and stretching westward all the way to BALDWIN HILLS and ending at La Cienega on the western border of this rectangle of speculation.I've personally seen "in love" yuppies taking a sunday morning stroll at Central and MLK blvd.

Their furniture and appliances are designed to be tiny compared to western sizes.