I'm new here. I want to invest in real estate. I don't have a lot of money, and I live in Southern California. I think my location is important because houses are ridiculously expensive here, even the bad ones in bad neighborhoods.

I have read about 30 real estate books, including some of the most popular ones, but I've walked away with only a slight gain in knowledge.

What's the next step? I want to dive right in, but I'm afraid I have insufficient credit history, knowledge, or money.

Thanks in advance!