Wife says no, but I can tell she is debating it in her mind, I would like to do it to try and help start/continue developing the area.  

It's located in a low income area, but a new developer is trying to turn the neighborhood around and bring new business in.  

You've developed an outstanding resource for learning, collaborating and doing smart business in RE investing.

My wife and I are considering purchasing some land to develop a rental up near the Yosemite area (Oakhurst, CA, Bass Lake, etc) and we often encounter other friends / clients who are interested in doing the same. 

I spent about 30 years defending homeowners, business people, real estate developers, contractors, law enforcement individuals, and others, in lawsuits brought here in the wilds of California, and have to agree with his cautions--and not just here.  

From your new member Shaw development 

Some big commercial developers have also planned large mixed use projects in the area.  

In addition, for almost a year I have been working as a residential construction manager which has significantly stretched my knowledge on dealing with contractors, scheduling projects, managing job sites, and learning every step there is in new construction. 2 years ago (when I was 21) I made the decision that I wanted to develop a future in real estate, and every step since then has been building towards that goal.

It's a really interesting read and my far the biggest wholesale deal I've ever heard of.http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-02/zuckerberg-s-neighbors-dive-into-backyard-brawl-with-developer

Being new to the world of real estate, I often spend most of my time looking for more and new information, instead of developing relationships with people.