Not sure how much this applies in Cali but a huge one on our list is buried oil tanks in the yard. 

Is this due to the fall season or is this an impact on the oil price and people are trying to just rent out their home instead of letting it go into foreclosure?

They could do that because the local oil field market had sucked up all available labor talent.Moral of the story for me, stay close to home and do what I know.

In the past year I graduated, began working as a petroleum engineer, moved to New Mexico, got married, and now my wife and I are expecting our first child in July.I have been fortunate enough to avoid the layoffs in the oil & gas industry thus far, and will be transferred to Oklahoma City soon.

I'm a 23yo resident of my hometown of Lafayette, LA, where I work full-time in engineering for the upstream oil & gas sector.I am a novice in the world of real estate with particular interest in SFR and/or multi-family rental properties.

The macro-trends of Houston certainly support the notion that is a good place to invest in rental properties - oil prices have recovered, no state income tax, net migration into the city.

Then my wife and I happened to run into a great mentor (yes paid a fee) who explained how MF syndications work and who maintains a network of Sponsors and Passive Investors that works like a well oiled machine. 

Like my son's lesson about what happens if you don't put oil in your car.

Luckily, I fell into an awesome job working for the nations largest producer of oil and gas where I make a decent buck.

For instance, a four unit is selling for 150,000 – each unit is renting for $550, landlord pays oil, they pay their own electric.