Maybe Im just lazy, but I’d rather the apple fall out of the tree than risk climbing it and falling out myself.

Grew up in SD, but lived in Bakersfield & LA awhile.Have you thought of looking in Ventura, Tehachapi, Palmdale or Victorville/Apple Valley?  

You must compare apples to apples - I would never remotely compare my real estate experience to that of a full time real estate agent/broker/investor/developer/contractor. 

Almost none of it apples to me or my goals.

So, while I can not speak to what goes on in the so-called “hood” I can say we have some bad apples up here in the ‘burbs.

I liked the quick multiple quoting process and the detailed question the app asked so you get some apples to apples pricing.I would caution that a few vendors "quote" an on-call visit that they will waive if they get the job so it may appear they only cost $50 or $90 for a $300 job.  

It’s always wise to collect data from multiple sources - just make sure your making apples to apples comparisons (bedrooms, lot size , school districts etc.)

If you get a bad apple the housing authority will make it hard for you to get them out.

You mentioned Charlotte, Orlando, and Vegas as being popular, but with these being so different FROM each other, I don't feel these are apple to apple comparisons.

Even before the pandemic, less burdensome taxes in Texas drew huge tech companies like Tesla, Oracle, Facebook, Apple and Google — and their employees — to Austin, Texas.