I have a 3 bedroom 3 bath single family home that has been rented to a single lady for almost two years now. 

A lady was looking right back at me.

Just to give you an example of why my market is nearing the top is this;Lady was selling an old mobile home on a rented pad.

Much appreciated gents and ladies!

However, the lady (Section 8) had been living in that unit for 8 years and been a great tenant for the two years I've had the place.  

Rates on HELOC's do also vary wildly from bank to bank, but I would recommend going to the bank where you hold most of your assets - you are more likely to get the best rate. 

I am a short, blond, OLD lady. with plenty of experience.

It can be scary to invest outside your comfort zone, but California is known for wild ups and downs. 

One example.A lady I know is paid really well.

But now the cap rates and ROI are so low on both single family and small multiunits (as well as apartment complexes) that there is really no point in sinking your limited capital into a property that is going to cost you money each month.All that said, you could look to Olympia (prices much lower) and even out to Aberdeen/Hoquiam area where cash flow is solid (even though the market has gotten wildly hot out there, too in the past 4 years).