I wanted to go on record as saying I just had my first networking coffee meeting with someone I connected with on BP: @Kyle PotswaldKyle was kind enough to sit with me, give his insights into lending (his business) and other aspects of RE investing.

You probably need to follow Ramsey's advice - put your dog on eBay and your cat on Craigslist, eat rice and beans then switch it up to beans and rice, don't be caught in a restaurant unless you are working there.

By that logic, if I wanted to stop mowing the grass at my rental and have my tenant start doing it, it would be considered a rent increase because he might have to go out and buy a mower (which would be an increased cost to him). 

Remember, you don't have to be an expert at everything in order to start.

From what I can read in my pre-coffee stupor, you're returns are better with real estate.

I would be more than happy to jump on a call or even meet up for a cup of coffee if you are in the local area. 

Muy recommendation is to be an agent, learn the ropes for a few years, see what a good broker does for you (leads, training, administrative requirements) and then see if that is the direction you want to go. 

In CA age of a neighborhood seems to be an irrelevant factor for how much something will be worth in the future, Redlands is a great example of this the most expensive areas are fairly old homes whereas some of the most affordable are tile roof 80s built homes.3.

Wholesaling/assigning should not be an option if you have any ethical, moral standards and any regard for the law.

But if I put on my "investor" hat, overlooked areas are often much more profitable.Unless I'm missing some crucial details about path-of-progress or something, this appears to be an average purchase for an owner-occupant, but a poor purchase for an investor.