Every state tax return is different but ultimately you will only be taxed on your rental income.You may or may not pay tax on the rental business depending on if you are in an income or loss position.You will file a California resident tax return because you are a resident in the state.You will report your "world-wide" income on your california return which includes all the income you earned such as from your W-2, 1099 and even includes the income from your out-of-state rentals.To avoid double taxation - California will provide you a credit for taxes that you pay to other states.

The answers will vary widely, but I'll speak from my experience as a property owner and as an accountant to real estate investors.First, my own situation.

@Ryan Ellis and @Nicole W...... the Lifeproof LVT is luxury vinyl planks/tile.... looks like real wood or tile...you can get in "click together" or "peel and stick"....it made of vinyl...no wood in it at all....you can soak it in water and nothing happens...it plastic...Nicole...I think what you  are thinking of is vinyl sheets... the big rolls or squares that get glued down...like back in the 70's :) The LVT are planks that are between 12 mm thick....come in boxes of planks that are usually 6-8 inches wide..... 48-60 inches long etcWhen most people talk about "laminate" they are usually referring to a product with a thin synthetic material bonded to a wood backing....the synthetic part has a printed image of the wood grain etc...the vast majority of them have some wood backing, so if they get wet, they soak up water and buckle/warp etc....the surface it very durable, but the backing is not water proof in most of them...usually "click together" etc....That's the nice thing about LVT/LVP..... if you buy the decent stuff it looks and act just like laminate but is 100% water proof....and the surface is just as durable if not more so then laminateTile is a great choice too, but not as DIY friendly to the average landlord

The land owned by somebody else was not sold at tax sale only the former improvement.I saw a property sold at tax sale that was at the bottom of a man made lake.I saw a property sold multiple times at tax sale that was a bombing range for the Army.I saw a country house sell at tax sale that was a gas station site in the 1930s and still had leaking under ground tanks on the property, and there was an existing lawsuit by a neighbor claiming health damage and birth defects from gasoline tainted wells.I saw a property sell at tax sale that was five acres with road frontage except the road frontage was a fifty foot cliff.I saw a property sell at tax sale that was 2 ft wide, residual from a highway expansion project that took the rest of the property.Properties have sold at tax sale that were no existent due to mapping error, title errors, surveying errors, or some other issue. 

If there are any other recommendations for home insurance companies that are Canada wide then that would be greatly appreciated as well!

comps vary widely. 

Shop around... title companies' fees can vary widely.  

@Caleb Heimsoth I have a short Intro to Note Investing E-book and a new longer book called Real Estate Note Investing that covers a wide spectrum of note and real estate investing strategies. 

I'll send you my contact info in PM.Down payments can vary widely depending on the deal. 

Looking for a wide range of investment real estate podcasts, all niches and general investment real estate.