I'm not familiar with the laws in Cali but they would need to be in violation of the lease for you to evict them. 

Our attorney told us the average judge doens't have the time to research all laws and will just go with the flow and award deposits to the tenant.Better off calling it a nonrefundable Holding/Reservation FEE:)- Fees are understood to be nonrefundable.

I think your big difference will be in local rental laws which vary by city.

You clearly have never own rental properties in NYS, sir.Every tenant gets a pro bono attorney for landlord/tenant matters, and there are TONS of these young law school grads working for United Tenants or other such orgs that are more than willing to make a case out of nothing, throwing it on the legal wall and see if any of it sticks.But, I digress...Here's an angle no one has yet taken on this one. 

The Utah State Legislator passed a law last year overriding all HOA's allowing Primary Residences to have rentable ADU's.

I wanted to be close to the Bay Area but have better landlord tenant/laws, strong appreciation, low property taxes, diversified job growth, population growth, etc. 

Regulations:Given that New Orleans has strict rules for short-term rentals, make sure to fully understand the local zoning laws, STR permits, and licensing requirements for B&Bs.

Another caveat: there are a lot of STRs out there that are breaking HOA/local government/state/federal laws or strongly bending the rules, and I'm looking for people who did not do that or who mitigated risk there. 

Here's some guidance on buying your first investment property in Southern California or Columbus, Ohio:Down payment:For investment properties, lenders typically require 15-30% down payment on your first investment15% down is possible with excellent credit (700+ score)20-25% down is more common, especially for multi-unit propertiesSection 8 considerations:Pros:Guaranteed portion of rent from governmentPotential for longer-term tenantsMay be easier to fill vacancies in some areasCons:More paperwork and inspections requiredRent amounts set by local housing authorityPotential property damage concernsOther tips:Research local markets carefully - price trends, rental rates, etc.Factor in all costs - taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacanciesConsider starting with a single-family home or small multi-unitBuild a team - real estate agent, property manager, contractorsHave cash reserves beyond just the down paymentUnderstand landlord-tenant laws in your chosen locationI'd recommend talking to local real estate agents in both areas to get more specific market insights.

Less supply + higher rent is what tenants really get with these new laws.