Just like @Jason Wray said, finding a good agent or already knowing one is your best bet.

As I am re-reading this post from yesterday, I think I need to focus on being ready for when the good deal arises, versus trying to make something a good deal. 

The rents are on the lower side, but I am also not looking to raise them significantly as the best thing about these properties IMO are the very long-term tenants.When I do the math, I'd have a lower monthly payment and pay less interest over time even at that premium price versus a lower price and lower rates in the next year or so, but I likely wouldn't be able to sell any of the properties at that value for quite a while.Is there anything I should be thinking about that I am not?

I run a call center for Real Estate where we call for investors and I can tell ya, your best bet with such limited time is cold calling targeted lists (high equity within your buy box) for 3-4 hrs every day.

You bet!

Your best bet right now is to live in it and enjoy it as your primary.

Perhaps unprecedented back to back hurricanes will mean that all bets are off and the demand metrics will change moving forward...

Additionally, Stockton is currently experiencing a slight shift towards a buyer’s market, which could impact your decision to rent out versus sell.

They overall cost to have a service agreement versus just paying for the 2 services a year was the same, they just charged up front rather than paying separately for the maintenance services.   

That being said, there are some significant benefits to building versus buying and rehabbing.1) If you're building, you should be able to come in at 80% LTV or better assuming you're acting as the GC.