Buying first investment property in San Francisco

[Tahir Em]

Hi,

I am looking to buy my first investment property in SF, ideally a SFH, budget is ~ 1.5M. Looking to buy something that would attract white collar professionals as tenants, and is likely to appreciate (timeline is a few decades and long term appreciation is more important than short term cash flow). I live (own primary residence) in the Bay Area so visit SF once in a while but not very knowledgeable about the different neighborhoods.

- What are some neighborhoods in the city that I should focus my search on?

- Should I look exclusively for SFH, or also be open to townhouses and condos with HOA fees?

- What are some rent control or other tenant laws that I should be mindful of when searching for a property?

- I am looking for a minimum of 2BR / 2BA, should I revise this upwards / downwards?

- Is lack of dedicated parking a deal breaker in the city?

- Given that I live one hour drive from the city, should I self-manage or get a property manager?

- Any other online resources on or off BP that I should look at?

Thanks!

[Alex Bekeza]

@Tahir Em, I'd recommend reaching out to @Heather Wilkerson.  She's acutely aware of all the nuance regarding investment property selection in the various submarkets of SF.