It is a true real life fruition of Bigger Pockets networking.

He claims that is none of my business since the city owns it.While it is true the city does control the first 25 ft of property I am the one who will have to replace and repair any lawn damage, and i would be responsible to keep it mowed. 

Aside from the other very true comments here I'd start watching the ongoing news from Inman and the local clubs where you intend to land.  

Was home not to long ago to visit and there were still homes in shambles, true not as bad as the day after the storm, but some still linger.

This is especially true with the local "big boys" like ELS, HTA and Carefree.

@James DeRoest  burned out landlords remain one of the mainstay's of acquiring new inventory... that's for sure.. and its true at virtually every price point..

Obviously, to a beginner investor this sounds to good to be true.

I have an idea for a real estate investing deal that seems a bit too good to be true. 

If you can find a way to stand out from the crowd and show a true benefit of working with you versus your competition, you'll be ahead of the game!

I'm not sure they will cash flow positively, but you do have high demand in southern cal, so depending on area it may be a good investment for holding for a shorter period of time - say 1-5 years.Without knowing anything else about your situation, such as your true experience in construction, knowledge of surrounding areas, the assets you have available to use or your local team, I would just say that you may be able to do both.Lastly, if a company makes things sound super easy - like you have no work to do as an investor and sit back in your easy chair waiting for the rent check to come in - you need to slow down before buying.