We looked into rentals in southern Maryland south of DC.

I also have a Nest thermostat, Rachio sprinkler system and MyQ Garage door opener so everything in Southern California can be monitored and controlled from our diggs in Portland.Vacation rentals can be lucrative if you think it through.  

I'm in Southern Ca and recently joined BP (after blowing thousands on a guru program) in hopes of learning what steps to take in REI to change the second half of my life.

I live and invest in Southern CA, up until recently I've been wholesaling and rehabbing part time.

Not to mention just the daily costs of taking care of such a large family on Southern California.

I have been in the rental property owner/management business since 1989 and I am always looking for a good investment.  My first investment had a very slight positive cash flow, which soon became a big loser when I le...

I look forward to connecting more people here, BTW if there is anybody on here in the southern Indiana area I would love to meet up and share ideas. 

I'm a new investor and would love to hear your opinion on my 1st rental property purchase attempt in Southern California.The good:1. 4/2/2 1600 sf SFH with big yard;2. flipped house so everything is new;3. comps with smaller square footage or not so good condition are all over $100k (ARV is around $120k-130k), and seller countered for $75k;4. it can rent for $1000/month;5. it's a relatively safe and quiet area.The bad: 1. vacancy rate is like 20%-30% in average for that area because it's rural and has lots of rental properties;2. roof is in very bad shape and will need to be replaced in a year or 2, which will cost about $5000-$8000;3. no dishwasher, will cost about $1000-$1500 to alter kitchen cabinets and add dishwasher;4. only has vinyl siding, not a good choice for high heat area and will stretch and sag, cost $5000+ to replace with stucco;5. no separate garage door connecting main house, will cost about $1000 to add it;6. house is about 2.5 hours away from where I live;7. almost no appreciation.Expenses: property tax: $1541insurance: $570property management: 10%maintenance: 5%tenant replacement: one month rentI understand how hard it is to find cash flow properties in SoCal, so I'm struggling on whether to proceed with this deal even though cash flow is only about $100/month, not to mention cash on cash ROI is less than 5% considering all the capital expenses in the near future.I welcome any input.  

My wife and I are both Realtors in Southern California and we have moved away from the large brokers and joined a small boutique broker.

Hello from Southern California.