We're frequent visitors to the Bay Area (dad went to Berkeley, sister/brother-in-law work in Silicon Valley) and know the area. 

These areas propose a very good reverse commute for silicon valley which is always going to be the anchor to SF real estate.There are many different ways to look at it!

The next closest thing would be if the world was devoid of silicon and couldn't make microchips. 

We have 2 br condo builders here in Silicon Valley do not even provide a.c. for condo at 1.8M, 1.7M 3 br, 2 bath 1400sf with no balcony or ac(extra) under high voltage power tower.

I saw this first hand in Silicon Valley in 2001 and then again in 2008 to 2010.

I gave him 3 tunes of silicone to go around the bathtube.

I currently live in San Diego, Born & Raised in the Silicon Valley (San Jose, Ca). 

@Jonathan Roszkowski Yeah with your skill set in IT you might look at the "Silicon Slopes" in Utah, or even some cities in Texas like Austin, but because it would be your primary residence as well you have to pick a city that you would be comfortable living in.

One landlord with 40 units in Silicon Valley, offered a rent reduction of 5% to encourage long term tenants to stay; where offered they took him up on it.

@Sam Shueh yes if i plan to go that far (Sacramento/Monterey) from Silicon valley, i would need property managers; no much (local) leverage.