You can also buy lists from companies like list source and there are some REI software companies that have a cash buyer search feature.Best way to find motivated sellers is to purchase lists and compile lists from city and county for 60-90-120 days late on mortgage, pre-foreclosure, delinquent taxes, water cutoff, code violation, probate, divorce, high equity, etc. and mail or cold call.Other methods are driving for dollars, door knocking, wholesalers, craigslist, Realtors, FSBO sites, expired listings, foreclosure sites, put out bandit signs, billboards, newspapers, other offline publications.You can use pay per click/adwords, facebook, Linkedin, Youtube, and other forms of online and social media marketing.Once you have a large enough budget you can do TV and radio as well.You could letter up or wrap your vehicle.

It will cash flow, you'll have very little of your own money in the deal, it will have some equity spread to cushion a market pull-back, and the rent-to-investment ratio will be strong enough to cash flow about $100 after all expenses and accounting for repairs/maint. 

Secondly, How long should I wait or do I have options to leverage my newest property to buy more without spreading myself too thin?

You can do it via social media blogs, videos or in person by presenting at REI events or hosting your own.

Taxes in Chicago are cheaper and there are great neighborhoods despite what the media portrays.

That's up to you to report at the end of the year.I hope this is just some disgusting california law and not something that's going to spread to other areas.   

But, I also don’t want to rush into anything and make a poor decision or over leverage myself leaving things spread too thin.

This provides you with a spread of $33k forced equity.

Not sure why you think your assignment should be “18% of the spread”....sounds like some random number you heard somewhere....$30 something K is not realistic. 

If you are looking for cash flow the longer your can spread it out and under 4% I’d be all over it.