If so you'd probably be better off going to some local REIA events to meet people in your market.

I get opposing advice like that one should work on leads to find distressed properties, get it under contract, and then finding a buyer; and then im told to find the buyer first, to find a local buy and flip investor and find distressed properties according to the buyers criteria.

Some people will oppose you just because they hate progress others because they hate themselves.Know this,  the more successful you become the bigger the target on your back and remember this, “You can’t fight with stupid and never take counsel without fools.”Keep up the good work and what you know is right for you and your family and the community you are trying to serve.

I listen to the pods, I read the books, I try my best to make it to events.

By multi-family, I'm referring more to duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes, as opposed to larger apartment-style propertiesMy understanding is that 8-12% cash on cash is considered standard or good, but is this more for SF or MF, or does it include both?

Also, due to high costs in these areas, I am not opposed to looking into the Inland Empire. 

For what its worth most deals I deem meeting minimal IRR standards is 13-15% but you have to dig a little deeper to uncover the real placements of cashflows and capitalization events... and then dig even deeper to verify the assumptions such as occupancy, rent increases per year, and what reversion cap rate was used.Again I don't look for IRR cause its manipulated a lot instead I look at total return on a 5 year basis.

@Lisa Casey - Sorry to hear about your series of unfortunate events. 

Also, due to high costs in these areas, I am not opposed to looking into the Inland Empire.

@Kevin Sabatino @Nathan Olds @Jason Etheridge it looks like there are a ton of meetups in your area: https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/521-events-and-happenings?