We used to live in SoCal and are fond of the area but most coastal areas are not a good fit in terms of value, so perhaps some of the areas around Palm Springs (e.g.

I've lived in Chicago my entire life and have worked in all the neighborhoods and many of the suburbs, so I love talking about local info with anyone who will listen!

I live in CA and plan to invest into a RE rental property in Florida incorporating business entities for an assets protection. 

Co-ops are setup to be anti-landlord and they want whoever is buying a unit to want to live in the unit as a primary residence. 

Many now getting back to live events.

My goal is to cover monthly housing expenses and then eventually to cover cost of living expenses beyond that by purchasing a few mid term rental properties.

STRs require a lot more cash up front so you just want to make sure you have a good idea of what you're getting into first :) I own STRs and love it but I also wish I had learned a little more about the analysis and management prior to going live - I did some of that on the back end and could have been successful faster.Another idea is to talk with some owners 1:1 to see what advice they would have for someone starting out.

@Suzy Farman my market is so hot I typically only need 2-3 weeks because many people are either living with family or already have a replacement tenant ready for their current unit upon move out.

I have living arrangements covered so I can rent out the 3 bed when I'm done.

It helps you get into real estate with minimal down and allows you to reduce your living expenses.