I had names of some family, friends, people who have been customers of my construction company where we do a lot of work on higher end homes and vacation homes, people I was in civic clubs with and the like.

One of the most popular ways to invest in real estate is to own a collection of rental properties.

Fresno also seems to be a popular destination.

It seems to be popular with those that have read it.

He works in customer service, he is not a professional painter.

I'll go first, with what may not be a popular opinion...We say no, for two reasons.

Also, property is located in a popular area with long term appeal and rental prices that have steadily increased over a long period of time.

your inside track on nursing and nurses could give you a major leg up on designing and outfitting rental units with those clients and customers in mind.  

The good news is ADUs are supposed to be a streamlined process and the county even has pre-approved plans: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov...There are also lots of companies out there that will handle the whole process for you, since ADUs are so popular.

For someone with no RE experience and no experience managing rentals starting a property management company is not the first step if you want to win a customer's business.