If you are having a hard time finding a property where the numbers work try asking questions like: is there a basement I can finish to have another unit?

Everything is more expensive in CA, so take that into consideration.If you gave me an agreement to look over, and it was a basic form, maybe 0.3-0.6 hours.

Any annualized return above and beyond 20% is decent with 20% being a base hit in my estimation.

I took his application which showed his wife as VP of the local utility with a base salary of $120K, besides his salary.

But a basic 3/2 in a decent neighborhood is a million dollars nowadays. 

I have a detached garage with a loft that it unused as of now other than for storage (not even vehicles) and a basement that I had been converting into an office/gym space anyway.

I have a home in DC I inherited and will renovate it and include a basement apartment.  

As far as lease writing goes, you can find a basic one at a stationary store (or online), but you will want to have a local lawyer go through it. 

If you have space to add onto the side of your house maybe you make that area a basement and attached it to the existing basement.

All of these courses are available at the college, i feel like this would be a great more as every certification is a basic element needed in the real estate process anyway, thinking of it as a way to cut out the "middle" man.