There is no “hard money” purchase option in the realtor offer forms, so cash kinda makes sense, but there is a spot for “other,” which maybe is a better spot?

I'd love if the property would cash-flow after we move out, but the neighborhood and appreciation potential is the biggest concern for me.

For a lot of things you can just look up material costs and assume the same for labor. 50% material and 50% labor holds roughly true for the entire project, at least for me here in Milwaukee, your labor cost will probably be higher in the Bay Area.100-125k spread would be tight, even for me here in Milwaukee.

Ideally, I would love to buy a multi-family property and rent it out, I would consider house hacking but I mainly want to my first property to be one that I can improve on and have it generate income for me.

They do all of that for me. 

This has worked for me numerous times over the years.  

For me personally, I chose Reno because I wanted to be close to Northern CA (where I have family), I love the outdoors and being close to Lake Tahoe, and all of the underlying tech and manufacturing jobs coming into the area, coupled with land constraints juicing appreciation here. 

I think it depends on the strategy right , I am still a beginner and wanted something more turnkey rather than BRRRR.How would you think of something form that perspective ?

In California, is it required that you use the C.A.R. purchase and sale form specifically?

If I can get someone to take over for me they are going to have a much easier time bc of it, but even the lady who has been part time helping me acts so stressed beyond belief w/everything I teach her that it is insane to me.