@Alicia McElroy I'd borrow as much as I can for as long as I can especially when starting out in re investing.My first 11 properties are all essentially 100% financed. 

Persistence is essential to attracting money.

Your most expensive areas will most likely be ADA/Handicap access, Fire safety/prevention, and electrical (is this aluminum wiring and are the panels Federal Pacific?).  

Contingencies and "subject to" are safety nets for you, but to a bank it means "not a sure thing."

I don't know how appropriate his training is for mortgage (vs trust deed states) however he's a great resource and an essential guy to know.Or, you can read endless comments from people here on BP, however this is not going to provide you a step-by-step, detailed instruction as to how you should go about finding and working the deal types you seek.

I'm likely getting a premium of at least $25-50/month for my property over my competitors (for this reason and a couple others), so the appliances pay for themselves if they last at least a year or two.Most importantly, many of the flips I do have some leftover appliances from the previous owners, so I can take the appliances from my flips and move them to my rentals at essentially no cost.

You cant always SEE the leaks and resulting damage till it gets costly.Buy a safety harness, shingle gun and a hammer and fix it when the sun is shining.

And not just the convenience, but the cost...Many of buyers are putting down much -- if not all -- of their free cash for the downpayment and closing costs of the purchase, and if they have to spend another thousand or two on essentials, they may not be able to afford the property.

For where I'm at in Socal, right now home values are below replacement value, which essentially means it's better to flip than to build new.

The fact is that the numbers are not favorable and property prices are high so you'd have to come up with large down-payments just to get into a property.Your investment capital can go much further in other (better) markets with higher rates of return.I strongly believe, as I advise all our clients, that good property management is essential.