Saving your info

My ultimate goal is to develop a passive income and become financially independent so I have more time doing important things like...saving the world and searching for long lost treasures and civilizations.  

It sounds like you did a ton of work to it, and saved tens of thousands in labour costs by doing it yourself.Congrats on the sale and the profit!

Real estate is how I want to retire early.

I would think that replacing the hardwood is easier and cheaper when you factor in all the time to remove the wood, sand/treat the wood, and the fact that you have to save each piece and remember where it went. 

When I started to prepare to buy rentals for a long term real estate portfolio for my retirement, I checked the weather maps first.

Start saving for a downpayment, it doesn't have to be 20%.

Mostly consists of Millennials entering their prime "settle-down" years who are realizing they'll never afford a home for their family in the Bay Area, and Boomers and Gen X'ers who just sold Grandpa's house in San Jose for over a million and can come out here and buy something all-cash and still have plenty of money left over to retire with.I have written more about this migration pattern here if you want to know more:https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/621/topics/396725-millennial-migration-to-sacramento-2017---here-comes-the-rushFor some B class neighborhoods, I would recommend that you try looking in North Oak Park, Arden-Arcade, Carmichael, and the area South of 50, East of 99, and North of Fruitridge Rd.

As long as you always do your own due diligence and make an informed decision, wholesalers can and do bring a lot of value and savings to the table.

Keep saving!