I am also fortunate to have $80k+ in savings that I could put forward but had no intention to do so.

I am a new investor ready to put in a cash offer on a property in new jersey with the intent to BRRRR.

So there's no chance that the realtor representing the owner could be lying to me regarding the mortgage payoff with the intentions of 360k being my lowest offer?

Give some thought to staying a W2 employee and let your wife get her license for now, and then buying a home with the intention to rent it out after you've lived in it for a year.

My 90 day goal when I first began using the 90 Days of Intention Journal from @Brandon Turner in May was to get my first multifamily deal in Cleveland, OH.

When trying to whole sell a home would you ever consider telling the home owner your full intentions ?

Depending on the location there are definitely numerous investors that buy property in California with the intention of renting it out whether it's for short term or long term.Depending on where you're looking in California the first step is to reach out to specific people in that location to ask their experiences of investing and what type of investments are the best. 

(I'm not from the Cali market, but I do know there are meetup groups formed in Cali with the intent to build awareness of how to invest outside of your market in Cali.

I have done a number of them and while the offer is always with the intention to close in 3-4 weeks it's typically closer to a 6-8 timeline. 

Your plans should have been stamped with "not for construction", and your contract should have explicitly said "drawings are included for reference only, drawings are NOT issued for construction, should owner wish to use drawings for construction they may be purchased for $x plus any changes at our standard hourly rates" (something along theses lines that makes it very clear your intent).I would probably play chicken with them a little just to see if they back down, but no way would I show up and burn time/money in mediation/court in this case.