You can substitute experience for market knowledge by spouting off a bunch of accurate data about absorption rates, comparable sales in a neighborhood, finish levels of renovations, etc. 

., 70/30) and the partner would co-sign on the mortgage to ensure that we secure the FHA.

You'll also want to ensure you have a good property manager to look after the upkeep of the property if you are not there to notice anything deteriorating or which may need attention.California is a sort of beastly state when it comes to taxes and filings.

I'm about to start getting property owner lists from a local title agent and would like to be able to start off on the right foot with managing the data and lead generation. 

One benefit of using its site is the close relationship realtors have with the Multiple Listing System (MLS) that provides data feeds used by most sites on this list.

It offers a good amount of accurate data but it’s not always current.

What do you do to ensure that the tenant is responsible for security deposit disputes since that is the largest reason for owner lawsuitsHow familiar are you with the newly changed laws that can affect you the owner if they are not used correctly?

I don't have any data but my gut feeling is that it's because there's a lot of $ available to borrow for a mortgage. 

I think you should look at other things in terms of your negotiation, a washer/dryer is minuscule in comparison to an inspection report, comps in the area, recent sales data etc.

If I was not an agent that is how I would get my Data.