When evaluating rental properties, aside from school districts and convenience, consider factors like neighborhood amenities (parks, restaurants, shopping), rental demand, job market trends, property condition, potential for appreciation, and rental income compared to expenses (including taxes, insurance, and maintenance).

I also stopped once I got to 13 or 14 homes for a couple reasons. 1) I don’t like paying interest for rent, or owing “people” money, so I wanted to start paying them off. 2) I live a retry basic/low cost life.

How about a contract for deed where the seller financing has low/no down payment?

Also, cap rates are so low it's impossible to BRRRR.I have a big advantage in LA area because I have a contractor partner who can build at cost, however, I am wondering if there is any interesting markets 1-2 hours from Los Angeles that can be more realistic to start.Would love to start with a project under 1M.

This will keep your low interest rate and allow you to deploy your equity on the next deal. 

did the appraiser mess up and go too low or did the realtor list it too high?

You can do short term little risk EMD loans and generally just work with the title companies who you wire and get wires from OR go all in and be one the title with short to medium low risk but still risky loans.

And we like the idea that maintenance shouldn’t be too much of an issue for the first couple of years. 

Now my house has many comparable comps in the area but they dont know what there doing (bad pictures, low occupancy) I undercut all of them in the slow season and was 88% booked when the average in my small area was 14% i was charging $100 a night while my comp was charging $140 a night but not getting booked. 

Unfortunately, real estate is often messy so I can't say I'm too surprised, so I'll do what I can to talk through each thing.The rate float is not uncommon, as we've seen the 10 year treasury fluctuate a bit the last month or so, so I wouldn't be surprised if they had originally quoted something (guessing low 7s?)