California is the most populous state in the nation, has the highest gross domestic product and covers more area than any other in the lower 48 states other than Texas. As such, the state of California has a vibrant and remarkably diverse real estate market. In fact, the National Association of Realtors Realtor Magazine just forecast the biggest home price increase (5 to 7 percent) in the state of California. For investment property, the potential profits will be even greater. Below are the key areas that will drive that increase:

While private or “hard” money lending companies may seem like one of the last places where an inexperienced investor should look, they actually provide a neutral and non-threatening platform where borrowers and lenders can meet each other and appraise their mutual needs. Still, many of the same questions that arise in a traditional investment setting are applicable. Here are just a few that every investor should ask:

Flipping homes can be a quick way to build up equity. While short holding periods don't always qualify you for the same tax deductions for investment property as a buy-and-hold strategy, the write offs that you do get are still valuable. It's also good to remember that you generally only pay tax when you earn a profit -- so having to pay tax is a sign of success. Nevertheless, the less of it the better. Here are three ways to cut your taxes:

For years, the continually rising real estate market in the state of California was the envy of the rest of the United States, if not the entire world. While a dose of reality was introduced in the mid-2000s and brought the market back down to earth, it still left plenty of opportunity for the practical investor using hard money.

Whether you're looking for real estate for sale by owner or bank-owned properties, off market deals are frequently the best ones. Here are some strategies that can help you find them:

There's more to effectively doing real estate deals than just having hard money lenders in your pocket. To get the most out of your real estate activities, there are three key tools that can help you to make better investments and better decisions.

For the inexperienced, entering the world of residential or commercial real estate investment is definitely a process fraught with risk. Not only are there bad deals but also unscrupulous dealers. For this reason, the novice real estate investor should build a strong team around them to advise on a deal and help evaluate it. Here are some tips on finding the most important team members:

While every successful investor understands the tenet to “buy low and sell high,” the world of real estate investing offers a few more salient reasons to negotiate the very best (i.e. lowest) price. Here are four of the most important.

If you're doing the kind of real estate investments that traditional lenders don't touch, you eventually have to decide between hard money vs. cash. Investing with cash is simple and inexpensive, but it limits your returns and your scope while also increasing your risk. If any of these situations apply to you, you should consider taking the hard money side of the hard money vs. cash debate.