Make sure to listen to all the BP podcasts, read the articles on the main blog and be active in these forums to learn a ton very quickly about any topic in real estate you want to know more about.This is also a great place to meet people that can be assets to your business.

Bill Gulley   News paper ads are dead and basically worthless in my mind.

Read the articles, listen to the podcasts, jump into conversations and ask questions.

Just saw an article on LA Times about how bad LA is zoning-wise. 

They are both great at learning the fundamentals.Also - here's a couple articles you might enjoy:The 21 Best Real Estate Investing Books Ever How to Rent Your House: The Definitive Step by Step GuideHow to Be a Landlord: Ten Tips for SuccessOh - and don't forget to set up your Keyword Alerts!

The good news is that you could still get a good or better deal on a property provided you did your homework.

Brandon's article about CMA's is awesome.

:0)Below is a recent article discussing where are the best cash-flow markets.

They are both great at learning the fundamentals.Also - here's a couple articles you might enjoy:The 21 Best Real Estate Investing Books Ever How to Rent Your House: The Definitive Step by Step GuideHow to Be a Landlord: Ten Tips for SuccessOh - and don't forget to set up your Keyword Alerts!

Don't miss The BiggerPockets Podcast - they are great for learning how others are finding success.Oh - and here are my favorite articles on Wholesaling: 9 Reasons You Couldn’t Find A Buyer For Your Wholesale DealDon’t Start Wholesaling Until You Read This: Wholesale Advice from a Fix and FlipperHow to Start Wholesaling: Getting Past The Education and Into the FieldOh - and be sure to set up some Keyword Alerts- especially for "Simi Valley" so you'll be notified when people mention it here in the forums.Thanks again for introducing yourself!