the foreclosure process can be a long process but if you finding the house in the very latter stage it will likely be a challenge and you'll be rushing through things to try and make it work.  

Just looking for some fresh ideas and what you moves you make or  purchases you would make if you had similar finances. ( and to make this more clear, this is a long term play ( 20-30 year buy and hold): Ideas must be centered to sacramento/ bay area region: What cities to you feel are still the most undervalued in the bay area/ sac region:?

If you're looking for rentability, check Spring Branch, Energy Corridor, Memorial, Heights, Sugarland, Pearland, Jersey Village, Montrose, Medical Center.

There are obviously a few stages to the BRRR model, so look at each one and evaluate how "good" are you at that particular stage.

I started my journey last year as a "Young" investor but the family business growing up was centered around it so I was fairly comfortable.

Right now, I am in the beginning stages of real estate investment spending a lot of my time educating myself.

Some might be cryptic when it comes to openly spilling trade secrets but New York where it seems you are located is a major financial center.

Do a flip, wholesale some deals, go out of state, or wait for a different stage in the market cycle.

They focus on one area of Indianapolis called Center Township where they manage 300+ properties.  

Just a little bit of TLC and staging (with my own furnishing) went a long way!