It is great to see your drive and determination to get started in the investing world.

To answer your question, if your plan is to rehab the property, I would recommend doing it within driving distance so you can keep an eye on it.  

Newbie looking to House hack and BRRRR currently driving for dollars 2 hours per day but need more pocket listings.

You'll start to be able to tell the good deals from the bad ones and if you start driving the areas you'll quickly realize which areas are nice and which ones are not. 

If you are wanting to stay within a 30 minute drive of Sorrento Valley I would suggest looking into Mira Mesa, Oceanside, Clairemont, San Carlos, Allied Gardens, and La Mesa.I would be happy to send you the spreadsheet I use to analyze deals if you would like.

@Chris Collins I am in the Culver City area but don't mind driving to a meetup 30-45 mins away 

Hello BP, in the past year I have been driving a lot for my W2 job and decided to make the best out of my driving time.

You spend hours or days looking at floor plans, checking out the neighborhood, and driving by to see if there are any other houses on the block that look like they're in worse shape than this one.

They focused on the deal and what really drives REI.

#2: You are driving for dollars, and see a rundown house, so you knock on the door.