Being totally new to this, I enlisted the help of a local realtor.

Being totally new to this, I enlisted the help of a local realtor.

We have a local credit union at 1% origination and 7.25% rate, plenty of good locals at a point and prime plus one, and some good local private lenders. 

If you want to meet some great local folks investing in real estate too, check out the meetups forum section for some upcoming real estate gatherings.

Purchase price: $400,000 This was an off-market seller financed deal with a local investor who had owned the property for over 30 years!

Does anyone know of any people who have successfully navigated building an ADU on their property locally? 

Again, talk to the locals—cops, hotel personnel, and restaurant employees—to obtain the inside scoop about the neighborhood.Real estate investing necessitates rigorous attention to detail, which is why property tours are essential for acquiring critical information.

So, try some local real estate meetup groups.

The stream bed in question is small/ephermeral, and the properties haven't flood in 12 years, even when the local area has seen some massive flooding in the last decade.  

California, to my pleasant surprise passed a new law that went into effect January 1 that allows property owners to file a Letter of Agency with local law enforcement which notifies them that the property is vacant.