Los Angeles ADU values are significantly higher than San Diego per the NAR data.Here is a list of why adding a single ADU in single family zoned areas in my CA market (San Diego) is typically a poor RE investment:1) The value added by the ADU addition is often significantly less than the cost of adding the ADU.

You can scroll through it to see other jobs posted and won to see what works and get a feel for what you could expect to pay for some common jobs.I haven't had a chance to try it yet but the guy who runs it is in my REIA group and he is totally dedicated to making it work.Maybe try it for a couple of small jobs and see if it works for you.

Structuring under an LLC is common, too.

Learn the neighborhood market, local rents, common or most popular or highest NOI rent style STR, LTR, MTR - Co-living etc. 

Suppose I understand your post and additional comments correctly.

Properties in the $80K–$125K range are very common here, both SFRs and small multis, so it really comes down to what makes you feel most confident about pulling the trigger.If Memphis ever makes your shortlist, I’d be glad to share what’s working here and walk through examples of both options.

It's common to feel overwhelmed by mortgage terms, down payments, and housing market fluctuations.

@Senda GopalakrishnanHere's some common strategies: 1.

I’ve been learning how real estate notes can be a great addition to a portfolio—providing steady payments without being a landlord.For those of you who invest in notes:👉 How do you decide which notes are worth buying?

Common structures I’ve seen:Convertible preferred equity – early investors get a premium return or the option to roll into project equity.Promote kicker – pursuit investors might get a small piece of GP upside once the deal goes vertical.High single-digit to mid-teens pref – depending on risk profile and timeline.Family offices and hospitality-focused private equity groups can sometimes write these smaller early checks, but often want strong reporting and transparency since pre-entitlement risk is real.If you already have a pipeline of 20–90 key projects, building a repeatable structure for pursuit capital can help you scale.Curious—are you targeting more institutional-style equity partners, or open to smaller JV groups / family offices who want a seat early in the process?