It would also be painful to move all my units to another platform that syndicates with Zillow, without removing the risk that Zillow may decide at any time to drop any given platform .

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.

I'd also like to share some of the extra informative women on BP that I've been following over the years, in case you find them as helpful in the future as I have:@Brie Schmidthas been inspiring to me, as another young investor breaking free with RE to travel and enjoy life :)  @Elizabeth Colegroveis a super sharp landlord with a BP blog I got to see again in person recently :) @Marcia Maynardwas nice enough to come out to speak at my Summit in SF as a great landlord (and person) and one of the prolific female landlord contributors to BP.

(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 :(