You can also rent the property and refinance the loan with a conventional at 75-80% if you don't have more than 10 properties on your credit, otherwise you will have to go with a commercial loan.

I have a strong desire to be successful in real estate investing, however I need a place to start.

I've been doing research about this for about a month now and now with a change of thought, I believe buying rental properties and having my money work for me is the way to go. 

you dont have to go out of state if you don't want to.. there are plenty of moderately priced areas in CA. 

Taking a page out of the @Brandon Turner playbook and house hacking is a fantastic way to go about it.

Networking here will help you learn, build relationships and meet other investors who share your dreams and desires.

my four year old daughter fell down our front steps we told the ll 2 times about it within 6 months they put wood shims under steps their removeable temp steps then my daughter fell we told the landlord to fix them they said what do u expect a new set of steps said that would be nice he laughed we said fix the dam steps he said he would look at them do any landlords agree cause im friends with hos mother and we are never later then 2 days late on rent and always tell them when that happens he has over 30 mobile homes they said owned free and clear and 27 are always rented so its not a money issue I told him my daughter had to go to a neurological trauma unit and he said rents due today do you have my money i I told him thats the last on my mind but hes getting hismoneyy and he said expect an eviction and he  I told him i told him im hiring an attorney and he flipped he told me telling him about it 2 times within 3 hrs is too much and ordering him to do something is un acceptable what would you say whos in the right

I set the value of my time based on my experience, knowledge and my ability to complete the project on time, on budget and at the level of quality you desire.

I know there are many variables and specifics involved but should I expect the dues to go back down to a lower level once the reserves are met.

If you choose to go it alone, refer back to BP podcasts where people talk about how they manage their own properties and check the show notes for links to the software, resources etc. that they use to be professional, organized and ultimately successful.