I do not believe that any city in the midwest would have the cash flow of a San Diego purchase from 20 years ago (excluding having extracted out equity via a refi - every investor probably has extracted value).It is important to distinguish initial cash flow from actual cash flow. 

You make a good point and distinguish between the quality and those who will not last (or do not add value).

We aren't able to distinguish where the disconnect is.

However, those decisions are the business of the individuals entering into voluntary agreements.There surely is a strong trend to legislate away the ability to make decisions for oneself.

Given those elements, you can quickly distinguish the difference of what your investing needs are with your clients. 

Drive around the Valley today and you’ll see lots of blue “community signs’” proudly designating dreamed up names for sub-neighborhoods that want to distinguish themselves from Los Angeles’s older established neighborhoods.

DONT put yourself in a situation ripe for disaster, step 1 in success is setting oneself up FOR success to happen.

Does one just simply knock on the door, introduce oneself and say "By the way you gotta change name in the check" or is it a little more involved than that?

I took one self-learning corse in accounting, but stopped half way the course because I didn't feel like doing it anymore.

The distinguishing point here is occupancy. 99% of HMLs will not lend on Primary Residences or Owner Occupied because they don’t have the licensing to do these Consumer loans.