Hi Michael,It's a bit of a drive for you, but you might want to check out this event that @Mark J. is putting together tomorrow evening:https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/521/topics/26...I'll be there and I'm hoping to learn a bit more about the Tampa area foreclosure process and finding potential flip deals as well.  

I trust my skills in due diligence and analysis, I check with my gut and if there is value and I believe in it then I go for it.   128 Chestnut (drive by shooting death on chestnut couple months ago) is an example.. on top 5 worst problem homes in Medford. 10 years+ with no power to the building. 

My main purpose on BiggerPockets is to invest in my first property in the surrounding LA area with the help/resources from experienced investors and agents.

First, learn all you can about marketing since that is what drives leads...something you will need in order to kick start your investing career again.

Are you within a 1-1.5 hr drive of a major job source?

I suggest 1 - Starting with Craigslist and rentometer.com to get a good background2 - Driving around and eyeballing the properties on the higher end of what you want3 - Adjusting your mindset to talk to potential tenants about the value of what you're offering.

Then either wholesale it for $105K or rehab and flip it for $174,900 to start driving up the ARV of surrounding houses...once again this is just my opinion.

Will you be ok to drive by your home and see the grass is dead, the window screens gone and torn and a bunch of crap in the yard?  

I'm a bit of a perfectionist and the thought of not being able to see a home during a remodeling process would drive me crazy.

IMO, you have more risk driving your car than in owning single family homes!