I've research and followed articles on rent to own, as a way to unload my rental properties when I fully retire.

However, being in Los Angeles I have read numerous times that due to the RE climate here that it can be very difficult.  

You could also search the blog posts because I think there are a number of articles out there about house hacking too that you might find really helpful!

An article by Realty Trac last week  http://www.realtytrac.com/news/real-estate-investi... gives some good insight (and neat 'heat maps' to show gross rental yield by county). 

But when it is time to wonder about the LLC, check out this article and the comments, lots of info-https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2013/08/1...2.

HI Everyone,I just wanted to introduce myself because like many others I was reading articles on Bigger Pockets months ago and finally took the 2 minutes to create an account...

Obviously, I have a great deal of knowledge about our systems, curriculum, and business processes because I helped create them over the past 14+ years.I can also introduce you to numerous students of ours in Los Angeles who have been through our coaching program and are successful investing there locally.I know they will give you a lot of insight into the program and our events.

I've been lurking here on Bigger Pockets for a while now reading articles and listening to the Podcasts.  

@ jay hinrichs - you don't know that the collapse in Vegas and Phx was caused solely because construction worker leaving... that is simply not true...Having a tons of OOS investors was another contributors.... there are many many studies/articles supporting that...When resession hits next, those OOS that can't find a tenant will bail... that was what caused the collapse of Phex and Vegas, at least partially....

It has put many small operators out the type of operation you are describing.There is also the issue of being in Compliance with numerous state and federal laws and the only way to do that in a manner that regulatory agencies will find acceptable is to have a formal Compliance Management System in place and actually in use.