Better cash flow for sure. Hands down! Don’t know about appreciation potential, but already won big with the $400k below market value!!! Of course that number is with caveat (fixer with problems to fix), but still…
Anyhow, you know how I feel about Austin… I would rather buy some land in the remote parts of the Bay Area than doing that.
I can save some money for you ! No need of notary !!
In few days, my check flies to the lender to pay off my rental mortgage, this is mandatory for me to financially free 5% cap rate SFH, and initiate similar to two other lenders to reduce the mortgage principal, strategically dividing my cash so that I can get max benefit savings on interest.
If that happens, clearly, I am not in the race.
Here you go, another good flipping location for San Mateo seekers, excellent lot, just few blocks away from my Son’s location. Neighborhood is too good to grab this home !
https://www.redfin.com/CA/San-Mateo/330-27th-Ave-94403/home/735487
That’s absolutely the worst thing to do. DON’T DO IT! Unless you are already in your 60s and wanted to enjoy the rest of your life in peace. But you seemed like a young person still full of energy. Don’t cave in to the temptation!
Yes, I like this Positive cash flow and definitely prefer BA locations, wherever near by locations.
Nice!!! You should revive the old mortgage burning party!!!
http://www.realtor.com/advice/finance/celebrate-last-mortgage-payment/
As of this morning, YTD stock returns are appx 10% taxable Account ! Yes, you are right, I am in mid 50s that is the reason ! Otherwise, I would not even think about it.
Any advise(short term & long term) as far as Real Estate is concerned for people in their 30s from the RE gurus here? 
on me! in advance
Easier said than done, but try to do a lot of networking with the right kind of folks, especially with experienced realtors who have long reaching tentacles. They may know of something off market or inhouse that might be easier to buy before it hits the MLS. My Big Bro is pretty established in SV and of course knows a lot of people with properties and such. That’s how I bought the last Fremont home off market. When you are dealing with folks with money sometimes they can be reasonable with pricing when it comes to the convenience factor. That means you have to have your money and loans ready to go in case a deal comes up. Nobody is going to wait too long for you.
aah bottomline, need lot of cash. 
I think the checklist is like this:
1.Have down payment 25% (live frugaly)
2.Have great credit (pay your bills on time, keep total credit in use low)
3.Have loan for leverage (see 1 and 2)
4.Keep learning (be on this forum)
What really helps is staying totally abreast of the areas you are interested in or think may have potential. For example, here in the Bay Area, understanding what happens when say a new Bart station goes online. Obviously, Tesla was BIG for Fremont. So, since everything is so expensive you may have to really go look for the diamonds in the rough that are about to turn. So that may mean your Oaklands, Newarks, Union Citys of the world. Helps to be handy yourself to save on costs too. Can’t be paying everyone to do things when you can do some yourself.
If you can’t do it yourself, I suppose partnering up is a way to break in as long as your partner(s) bring as much to the table as you do. Maybe you are the one with more money but your partner is more the contractor type. That would be a killer combination actually.
I’m very used to hot weather 
, plan to retire there if I’m not back home. Is one of the reason why I buy there, can stay in one of them 
, actually I have already decided which one, just need to do some remodeling before moving in, hopefully, by then, plenty of good Asian grocery stores, Dim Sum restaurants and Sushi outlets.
Learn, but most importantly learn about yourself. Then go get some on the job training.
There is no ready made answer. If there was you are about to be fleeced.
What! That means the only person older than me is elt1. Obviously I belong to those who should be lying on the beach and investing in the young.
Interesting that you feel that way. My wifey obviously is from the same part of the world as you and she absolutely will not live anywhere that is hot. She says the Fab 7x7 fog and cold is perfect. Unfortunately, I can’t trade her in at this point…
staying totally abreast of the areas you are interested in.
This mandatory to know the deals ! Rarely one comes, just take it ! I got one deal during 2015, got it with premium 50k (unfortunately !). Still I am able to get 20% ROI in 18 months
Have down payment 25%, When you hold more mortgaged properties,like 3 or 4, lender may ask 35%.
Have loan for leverage
Both are mandatory, have this handy. True, Nobody is going to wait too long for you.
With all this, watch out for deals ALWAYS, I have never stopped looking since 2008, except few months. Walk in open house, try to estimate the work.
When you decide to offer, do not just try and offer, carefully evaluate and bid. Whatever bids I gave, I used to be always in the top either one or two position on price, but lost competition with minimum down payment like 25% etc.
I am still not convinced about “Oaklands, Newarks, Union City”, but others may be right on this side. I do not want to take risk on this purchases, but I would rather wait for next opportunity where I am good at it.
This is my take, do not keep the money idle in checking or savings more than 3 months. Keep it in investment account, let it grow.
Do not hate stocks, it is a way to grow other than real estate. Any excess money, I used to keep in stocks and every year I made minimum 10% return. This is an extra cash flow. Use Merrill edge if you have more then $25000 (for commission free) or use Robinhood (commission free) if you invest less than 25k.
Come on, @Jil, if you ain’t got the moola, you ain’t got the moola. We all would love to dabble in PA and SV like you cats do but think about it, at minimum of say 25% to be even invited to the Ball that means you have to have say 400k in cash ready to throw down. You gotta start somewhere, is the point.
How do you know?
Yes it’s better to buy 6 homes in the east bay, all cash flow positive, than one home in Palo Alto, burdened with the negative cash flow and unsure about the appreciation aspect of it.
Give me those 6 homes! Say no to Palo Alto and unsustainable living!
Now, if you already have those 6 homes and plenty of good positive cash flow, then the next step might be different…