The other piece of advice I have is that you need to lower your price point to a place where you can compete on a more equal footing.

But your average realtor isn't an investor, and will most likely sign on with a big player, higher commission split brokerage.

@Marcus Robinson No competent agent agent is going to advise their seller to let you tie up their property, take it off the market, for you to try and go find a buyer.  

Or if you buy something with an FHA loan you are competing against all of the first time home buyers who this apparently is their time to shine and they have more cash then you and are willing to pay more for emotional reasons, not investment reasons... 

Because, in a down cycle, you have to basically buy, renovate, and flip, or buy and flip very quickly so that you don't get in a situation where you are competing with a whole bunch of foreclosure properties.

My first house hack here in Denver was a 4-unit, and I used a FHA loan, so I know sellers do take those offers, you just need a good broker and lender that understand how to write and compete for those types of properties. 

I know dozens of investors that have and continue to find reasonably priced rental units that provide good cash flow and even better appreciation, something out of state markets just can't compete with.

Most locals/companies can’t compete and find California unaffordable, needing to move to another state.

You will find yourself competing with numerous cash buyers on every investment property and single family residence.

Maybe if you find a real fixer-upper that none of the non-investment buyers want to touch you could find something that makes sense, but then you'll probably be competing with the flippers.