Of course reviews are important but they won't make you a bestseller.If you have built a following here's how you achieve high sales velocity when selling a book: Offer a 'buy the kindle version and get a physical copy for free' promotion.

There's no substitute for physically driving/walking a neighborhood and personally seeing it's housing inventory when it comes to really learning a place. 

Do you have a property checklist that you use when going over the physical aspects? 

Given Richmond's proximity to everything, it's going to be ground zero for the next wave of gentrification.  

Up front, without taking anything about the physical property iteself, I'd want to know:Exactly what liens are on the property and for how much.How much are they behind on their payments.How much time do they have before the place is foreclosed on.Their motivation to do anything about it.You can't lose anything by contacting them!

@Khaled Ejaz ,I'm with @Sorab Gakhar on the long-term appreciation potential for both Pittsburg and Antioch due to proximity to various employment centers, BART/freeways (& extension eventually out to Brentwood I believe..), on top of being one of the most affordable places in the Bay Area.

You probably won't have to go that often, but just in case, you don't want it to be something you resent or physically can't do. 

If there are a lot of other similar properties in close proximity- I'd stay away.

I've been doing the hardcore physical labor for about 20 years now, and honestly, I don't think my back will give me many more. 

Renting it out is Plan B and I would then rent an apartment in close proximity to work for roughly 1850/month.