But if you are looking to build wealth through a rental portfolio, you'll get better results in markets outside CA.I work mostly with foreign investors who want to invest in the DFW market, sourcing off-market properties, rehabbing them and then property managing them.

From the windows, I saw there was a big mess inside the house: very dirty carpet; old and dirty furniture randomly stacked on each other; all kitchen cabinet drawers were pulled out; no clothes, dishes or food, no any sign that someone lives there.

Buying raw lists out of any source, listsource.com, lacks the key; motivation.Investors can get at raw land via delinquent real estate tax lists some times available from the county tax commissioners office.  

In order to drill down a little further and find out if they are the best potential people to source and manage property for you, I would ask the following questions:How long have you been a property manager?

2- are there other sources that are more reliable?

I see money management at the foundation of many problems with rent but I would suggest that even when funds are tight if there is an income source someone is getting paid.  

Also, there are more experienced financiers on BP than I am (for example, @Jerry Padilla), but I know you can get 10 conventional mortgages in your name and your husband can have 10 in his name (so you've got a long way to go before you have to find alternative lending sources). 

I see higher rates and less sources for rural areas.Mark

.- Avoid agents that have been doing it a while, but that aren't sourced via referral.

I'm guessing Zillow sources census data in addition to their own data or is it all completely in-house data that they use?