(if you need specific color suggestions, let me know)2.

I am doing a flip right now and we have the same color schemes (gray walls, white kitchen, hardwood floors, gray carpets, white baseboards....) 

And, although during the downturn jobs here got hit, they were not merely hit as bad as some of the other areas in the country.I really like the Placer County area and think the barriers to entry for the Sacramento market tend to be a lot easier than Palo Alto.The trick to any investing where you are not personally going to manage (and if you are going to personally manage you need to remember that your management may be more of a road block than hiring out the management) is trust and checking in.The reason almost everyone always recommends investing in your back yard is that you know that area like the back of your hand.

Its a great house - problem is the seller (renovator) has the home priced over $20.00/sq ft above other recent comparable renovations on the block and in the neighborhood (the neighborhood has a lot of recent renovations - its one of those rejuvenated historic neighborhoods).

I use Quicken for home, but I love using Microsoft Excel for my rentals.I have a tab for each property.I keep up with my insurance policy, who the tenants are, Magistrate for evictions, trash pickup day for each property.I keep track of who has paid on what date.I will add up all my receipts and I can find things in an instance.It makes it very easy to get my tax info to my accountant at the end of the year.I can color things to make it easy to find also.Just my 2 cents.John

I really wanted a certain color of them since I had done a deck and back porch in that color. 

This allows us to offer our buyers custom colors and or floor options.

@Chris C. nice work on that.I would like to add that for rentals, documenting the paint colors, tiles style color, cabinet pulls, etc. is very worth it.  

Higher cash flow than anywhere AND higher appreciation, i just don't recommend Turn Key type of investing as there is a big disparity in prices.I'm buying properties for $2000 that on the same block the Turn Keys are trying to sell for $45,000.One of my favorite plays is buying after TK investors give up.  

Write to them or do a reverse look up and get their phone number, then call.Worst they can say is no (or colorful variations thereof)!!