Hey @Beau Wollens, late to the party, but curious to know what you ended up doing here.

Here's an example of the landlord laws I'm referring to ("Justice for Renters Act"  - this is coming up on CA's November ballot). 

I’m looking to invest in nearby areas, focusing on fix-and-flip projects and new ground-up construction.

The best thing you can do is plan that the first year will be on the lean side.

It took up a lot of logistical time too.

Using the equity I built up in that property I got a HELOC and started investing remotely out of state.

If this job popped up out of the blue, your intent was not to move within the 1st year, so you may be ok.If you are planning on building a portfolio of homes, it is safest to stick in your home for 12 months to reduce the appearance of potential fraud. 

@Desiree Board For your mix of long-term rentals (LTRs), short-term rentals (STRs), and house flipping, an LLC is ideal for liability protection and pass-through taxation.

As soon as the year membership is up, I'm leaving.

Having a partner who has done larger deals will get you through the door many times.