Well obviously my market is much different than you, mine being much lower priced than Cali..if we were to build for you here it would be $375-400k for the building.

The housing affordability crisis means that lower paying jobs are having a hard time keeping employees.

The properties on the west side of mopac near far west tend to be priced in the $400k-700k and there are pockets on the east side of mopac that tend to be lower priced in the 300's.

The more motivated the seller is tends to take a lower price. 

Rehab budgets are non-negotiable and should not be lowered lackadaisically.

I have learned that I have to offer strageticaly lower prices than the offered price. 

I'd recommend drastically lowering your expectations as to how responsible the tenants "should" be.

That's not the landlord's job.Unless the landlord is the guys attorney and knows all the intricacies of the case, the landlord doesn't know whether there is a restraining order, the conditions, time frames, etc.

I am willing to accept a lower dollar return in exchange for a lower equity requirement and lower risk due to maintenance.  

Most sellers are best off listing their home and selling it for more (closer to the price they wanted) than lowering it to sell to an investor or wholesaler.