As a flipper it wasn't about portfolio size it was about deal flow. 

Community banks who are doing portfolio lending will be your best bet if you don't have millions to fund purchase of a large pool.

I had started planning to do a consignment store online for plus size women but that fell to the wayside a few months back.

Your best bet is to find off-market properties that need some work. 

Your best bet is to bring out a good contractor without telling them that you have any expectations of cost and that you don't know anything.

I am willing to bet I will do business with some of them some day just from having that connection.

Multi-family properties are the best for buy and hold in Bakersfield because the price per square foot is lower then a comparable single family home (so they are cheaper to purchase) but you end up getting a lot more rental income because instead of collecting $1000/month on an average sized house, you collect three monthly rents of $700/month for an average sized unit in a triplex.  

Best bet would be to contact all the brokers in you're area and let them know what you're looking to do. 

You're going to encounter more drama and crackhead wannabe contractors going the Craigslist route but it's also a good bet at beating down the many times ridiculous prices about 90% of companies charge when the company they work for is more than likely only paying them 15 to 20 bucks an hour anyway and offering meager benefits.

For your 6k per 4 unit capex what is the upgrade level and size of your property?