That's just the nature of this business. 

Any recommendations on real estate investing course or classes? 

One of the other factors that kept me from pulling the trigger is that the city has never passed any real STR regulation.

Working this backwards, what I see is a 3rd party trying to benefit from another’s house via rental cashflow, My only business is 30+ years as probate estate and trust lending in CA.

The other is a smaller operation which does a lot of business in the specific neighborhood the house is in.

Everyone says to find properties and build a buyer's list, but neither matter if you can't calculate the repair costs and also get access to a friend or colleague who has MLS so you can do a proper and real ARV (the other part where all wholesalers fail).

Have you found them to be genuinely helpful in advancing your real estate goals?

Is is subjective by real estate agents?

My only reply here is to say to simply focus on the business objectives.

Probably this. california department of Real estate has already nailed two agents for raising rents above price gouging thresholds.. 10k fine plus who knows what kind of license discipline.