You can also contact local Realtors for assistance; for example, here in Charlotte, I work with clients who are not ready to buy or rent.

Its also more cost efficient compared to NY in terms of fee's and overall costs to set up LLC.When I set my LLC up in Fl it took literally 15 minutes and you will need to get your Tax ID/IEN set up so you can get your business checking account set up with a local FL bank. 

My aim is to not only profit financially but to gain in the process some intangible assets, such as project management skills, getting to know reliable professionals (i.e. realtors, contractors, designers, etc.) for the long-term, getting acquainted with the local market's promises and pitfalls, and basically adding some entrepreneurial muscle going into my next project.My strategy is to go small: find a second-hand apartment in a good location (I don't have enough funds for a GREAT location...); no more than 60-70 m2 (that's about 650-750 f2) to, among other things, lower renovation costs; 1-2 bedrooms, street facing and with a lift (if said apartment is above the second floor); with good bones, i.e., needs only partial renovation.

Fly out there, drive the streets, meet with potential team members, talk with local investors, etc. - Not to mention you'll avoid the headaches of California Tenant friendly laws!

Disclaimer: I have not taken the Epic Pro Academy course, but I attended Matt's 2 day workshop last year.Matt Theriault's 2 day events, which they are somewhat different than the Epic Pro Academy, I believe, since the information is compressed in only 2 days.Nevertheless, lots of practical information is offered, besides instructions and information about the industry, the insights that Matt provides and how they relate to one's approach to business relationships in general, they have value on their own.What I can say about him and his team is that you truly get what they offer, but like with any course, the course is as good as you are by implementing what is been taught.

I also recommend attending local REI networking groups and meetups to connect with fellow real estate investors.

However, I do manage for foreign investors and I (the PM) file all of their state and local taxes for them. 

Utilize online platforms, real e­state listings, and work with local real estate­ agents to search for potential prope­rties.

I would recommend that you join local meetups if you haven't already.

I am a local investor myself and a Realtor, if you want to bounce anything off me feel free to reach out.