As to the buddy I mentioned in Washington state it was the same scenario; he converted tax-free up to their standard deduction but above that he kept within the lowest tax bracket and paid the smallest amount of tax possible.Thank you @Basit Siddiqi for calling me out on this and giving me a chance to address my mistake; it's important people have the correct information.  

• Resources for Learning: We’re working on improving our deal analysis skills and would love recommendations for tools, books, courses, or calculators tailored for beginners.• Networking and Connections: Are there local Bay Area meetups or forums for new investors?

There’s also a small chance this means “not done/not attempted”. 

The Gator method is apparently one technique that may have some flaws that have been exposed here but may also be just the motivator for some people who would not otherwise even have taken a chance to get involved in real estate "investment."

I am not looking to make major improvements, but I am looking to enter and secure it.

That’s the best chance we have at potentially recovering from this.

First you need to learn to separate the following:Maintenance: usually things related to wear & tear or tenant damage.Repairs: usually broken items like doors & windows, caused by tenant or nature.Capital Improvements: usually expensive things that wear out: hot water tanks, furnaces, roofs, etc.The seller is correct that Repairs & Capital Improvement items should not be a factor for awhile (ALWAYS get your own inspection to confirm).

It's all about the location, you might be able to buy a cheap house, but if it's in an area with nothing but other cheap houses and in an area that is "not desirable" you're not going to make much money on it, either in improvements or rent.

My property manager I don't think has a chance to relax, but she does have systems built around her to free up the time when it comes to regular maintenance and rent collection. 

However, after seeing what we could offer in terms of amenities, location and service, they happily paid the premium rent associated with renting from us.I am not a natural salesman, but reading books on marketing, sales and hospitality has greatly improved my ability to convert a lead.