Concerning owning a rental property: Have you read the discussions concerning the 2% and 50% rule to use as a guide?

Brentwood and Oakley are great suburbs that are growing fast.https://www.movoto.com/guide/san-jose-ca/san-jose-real-estat...If you do a search on Zillow, look at the school rankings no matter what city you're looking at and a Google map search (may not always be current).

A good agent will be a guide and a resource for you.

Most attorneys will guide you away from them, but there are a few more sophisticated investing attorneys that understand the process.

Start by reading the Ultimate Real Estate Investing Guide: https://www.biggerpockets.com/guides/ultimate-real-estate-investing-guide/introduction2.

I think we need a bit more information to help guide you.

Start by reading the Ultimate Real Estate Investing Guide: https://www.biggerpockets.com/guides/ultimate-real-estate-investing-guide/introduction2.

Here's a detailed guide on how to screen applicants: Application Screening GuideIt's better to take a reduced rent rate than to sit empty for a long period of time.

I also have a close connection with an experienced developer and is willing to help mentor/guide me through looking at homes and answering my questions. 

But would I feel competent performing surgery on someone without an expert's guiding hand?