I put subway tile in my rentals, porch swings, central air, upgraded electric, stain the porches.

I also had a challenging life growing up - at 5 years old I was given to a wonderful family to raise me, my mother always worked (as a dancer on the Block in Baltimore) and had no time for me.At 12 years old I would ride the streetcars in Baltimore (Greenmount Avenue to North Avenue) selling newspapers, worked on a golf course carrying heavy golf bags and as a delivery boy for a restaurant during breakfast and lunch delivering food and washing dishes in the afternoon.

The large swings you see across the effect the towns less.

Time: swing a hammer, Knowledge: write a book, Money: fund a deal.For me, it was worth the risk (and will continue to be).

Not every swing of the bat will result in a home run, however, if you don't swing, you will never hit the ball. 

Never hurts to swing for the fences though!

We haven't had the swings in home values up here in Alaska (no crash in 08-09 - and no real run up since either) - so for us - 10-20 years has been a steady increase in values - and I am sure - over the course of 10-20 years - the same is true down where y'all are!

In your case, if you're in Costa Mesa, look to move to the Inland Empire ... or better yet, if you can swing it, move out of SoCal (Phoenix?

Until I started driving for dollars, walking properties, connecting with contractors, and swinging hammers I wasn't doing very much.

Probably a couple months away from starting that hunt in full swing and trying to get a handle on the market and what people are finding.