I am highly debating taking a job offer to teach in the San Diego area. 

Based on my research, the greater Phoenix area is not much better than Calif when it comes to the cap rate.I would like to stay within a 2 hour flight distance if I would ever need to make a visit to take care of business being that I still have a day job and time will be a limited resource.

For my day job I work as an Actuary and my primary experiences is in Risk Management, Asset-Liability Management, and Model development - which I hope to translate most of these skills into my real estate investment plan.I am interested in growing long-term wealth through acquiring a portfolio of cash-flowing rentals. 

All of my Mansfield (and surrounding areas) properties are with Alpha & Omega and they do a great job for me.

My largest was financed based off of a helicopter maintenance job I took in Croatia for 7 months which I bought as a beach vacation rental.

Your lady losing job. 

I want to pull some of that equity out but have a 1099 job (real estate agent).  

I currently have my funds ready (hardmoney).My goal for the first flip is to simply find a property that only needs upgrades in the kitchen, bathroom, paint job, flooring and any other" small" items that will add value.

I'm trying to raise them with an eye on financial freedom as opposed to the old "get a good job and work hard" path. 

Things like population growth, job growth, and nearby amenities, school availability and goodness, public transportation, and retail development are all important.