We're willing to live almost anywhere in the greater Sacramento area based on what we can afford, provided of course that the property is in a decent neighborhood that has a good chance of attracting responsible tenants.As for budget, I believe we could get a conventional loan for properties up to $600k, but my strong preference is to find a distressed property (or seller!)

Preferably May-September.

Is there a certain direct mail service they prefer?  

If there is a choice to be made, it comes down to what an investor "likes" or prefers about one over the other? 

Having lived there a year it is a foreign country and many things are different and culture etc plus you have the native peoples that own huge amounts of real estate and They dont pay income tax and they get food and gas for way cheaper etc etc..

Over the course of a weekend—and fueled by beer, food, and sledgehammers—we completely cleared out the space.

Since my current strategy is BRRRR, I'm looking for a location where I can implement it successfully within my budget.I’d prefer to target the best neighborhoods or subdivisions I can afford, ideally with favorable eviction laws and other key factors.That said, I started wondering if there might be a better strategy to achieve my goals.

First, banks do not prefer W2 income over 1099 income at all.

I haven't worked with anything but hardwood and tile in recent years but would prefer a cheaper, waterproof option if it looks decent. 

The question is mostly a personal financial planning question and it depends on your preference and what balance of risk and access you'd like and would be comfortable with.