We are new to the game and have been looking at potential flip and or BRRRR opportunities in the Stockton Lodi area of Northern California.

They are just doing their job responding to the complaints, so treat them with respect.You hit the nail on the head.  

If you are north of Boston you might be better off in New Hampshire but Providence and points in northern RI should not be a stretch for you.

One realtor in Northern Virginia finally told me, "Sugar, if any MFH come up for sale and have positive cash flow, we (realtors/brokers) will buy it before YOU ever hear of it".I'm thinking of SFH in Florida.chris

They had major issues with lead times and hitting their deliveries which was annoying, but we have also experienced an issue with the large sliding window in our master bedroom (seems a seal exposure/draft issue) already within a year or so.So I won't be buying Crestline again, maybe not fair but that's my data point...

We did get the property remodeled and turned around just in time for the oil boom to hit, which nobody saw coming.

Once you have what hits your goals towards your vision you can work on a debt reduction plan.  

This will provide the cash flow without the penalties and all-at-once tax hit, and I can still invest it in more properties and/or mortgage paydown, and hopefully arrive at a similar early retirement.

We made an offer and it "hit the mark" for an offer that would cancel the "call for offers."

There's a few out of state guys hitting the area right now.You might could get a 30yr.