I also practice as a Realtor because I enjoy it and it is extra income.So as an investor, your options are to get your RE license and have access to a lot of tools and do the research yourself (therefore you're paying with time, energy and a little money) or you work with a great realtor/investor in the specific market you're looking into.

Off market deals usually have nonrefundable deposits and a clunkier process that isn't as suited for out of state people until they have good contacts in the area to evaluate the property (mostly contractors that feel comfortable evaluating projects for you).

The only creative way I can see (obviously not knowing enough details) is an owner carry with you as the operator and a JV partner as the financial backing.

For me a good SFH is going to be $300K now (which doesn’t make sense) and a 4-6 unit is between $375K-450K.

I only have a single rental (at the moment) and a simple W2 job.

This kind of community is designed to attract certain individuals that share the same values for the outdoors, smaller living, and a healthy community. 

If your properties are all located in CA I would advise looking in states like IN, OH, FL, TN, OR, GA and a few other states depending on comfort zone.

If anyone could include what to look out for in a good deal and a bad deal

I'm imagining something more like add a wall, turn a bedroom into a kitchen-living on one side and a formal dining room into a bedroom on the other side, maybe add a half bath in each unit.

So one tenant pays their 50% in RentRedi and the other pays 50% in RentRedi and as long as it equals 100% at the end of the month, everything is good.