With the fires in CA, you can expect materials and contractors to become even more expensive. 

I currently have about 50,000 saved and want to start putting it to use, knowing real estate is one of if not the safest investments.

I would start with the bank that you have with checking and savings with

Any tips for how to even get started with collecting?

@Andy Ptak when jumping into the industry you have a few choices:1) Start at the bottom2) Leverage your experience to convince someone to give you a chance3) Decide between:--- Big companies who will usually start you at the bottom--- Small companies that will more like to a chance on hiring you for an above entry level position.

If I would have bought a sustained portfolio with multiple units rather than starting with a single purchase I truly believe I would have lost a lot of money while my systems flailed rapidly attempting to catch up. 

As I start down one path, I have more questions which leads me down other paths with even more questions. 

If you feel bad and want to save people money, start with a free pre-screening.

I want to start investing in real estate in America in the near future, since I am not in America, I live in Europe, more precisely in Serbia, any advice and contact will mean a lot to me.

Airbnb started out by renting couches, airbeds and rooms.