To indicate an investor can find a better ROI on average in the Midwest is simply misleading for they have not (you can run the numbers - the numbers do not lie (pick from the years indicated and take the best Midwest locale and run the numbers against the worst of the 3 CA cities listed). 

Pick up the phone and call the guy .

That run ended last december as I picked up 4 houses in 6 weeks - some really solid deals.This last year, I didn't hit on a thing though until a month ago.

Sellers calling and telling you to drive by you do and then never picking up the phone again.

Don't forget to figure in annual expense for trash pick up or lawn care.

I have been doing real estate for just over a year now and have been picked up by a local reselling firm that can deal hold and flip up to 15 properties at once. 

Let them know you're a plumber and maybe you can even pick up side jobs for an investor in return he helps mentor you etc...Check meetup.com for meet ups tooUse biggerpockets as well.....you have 1,000's of people at the touch of your finger on here.

And hopefully you can pick up a thing or two from my presentation.

I personally would never pay a $6k flat fee to a realtor on a $60k property nor is that common here.10% is ridiculous and I'd suggest finding a different realtor who doesn't pick their fees out of thin air.

Where im getting stuck now is I am mid flip on a SFH I just picked up last month and it wont be done/able to do the refi/cash out for about 2 more months.