So yes, local market trends and cashflow are also very important.  

For northern California, you should understand the massive migration trend we have heading out of the Bay Area and into the Central Valley.

@Caleb Heimsoth Yeah I agree there is a major trend right now as people are not just renting our of necessity they are choosing to do so because of the benefits.

Property is in high demand (rent or buy), the trend continues with people moving back to the city, millennials flock to the marketplace more and more each year, and the demand for property doesn't have any end in sight. 

It's apparently more popular in England, but I've heard the term more recently here, too.https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?

I am thinking that I may sit on my cash till later this fall unless I find a smoking deal and then try to find a fix and flip house. does this fit with the market trends down here?

I wish I could have kept up that trend but I didn't have any more money.

Keeping up with the trends and marketing strategies is key.

You could easily take $500K and get yourself in 3 - 5 solid deals.  3) Syndication + Niche Diversification (+MPH/SS) - Do 1, 2 above and add a third component by diversifying into a few alternative niches w/very solid histories and strong future trends by investing in pools of mobile home parks (MPH) and self-storage (SS).I would not advise taking $1.5m by yourself and say I'm going to go into MF and learn the ropes.

So I wouldn't foresee any major trends starting to take shape for at least 10-20 years.2.