Yes, that does take effort and if you were to think that money can be earned without putting-in even that much effort, I would tend to disagree with you. A small amount of effort can really make a difference of thousands of dollars in terms of the California real estate deal that you get. Another good idea is to inform your friends in California that you are looking to buy a piece of California real estate and, in fact, let everyone know that you are looking for a piece of California real estate. A very good California real estate deal might come to you through one of your contacts, you never know.
So with the California real estate prices rising (as always), investing in California real estate does seem like a great idea.