Decide which game you want to play.

I know I've got a long road ahead of me but I have a strong feeling everything will play out well on the end.

Condition and location play too much of a rule. 

I agree with Taz that TX is a good market for the capital appreciation play, however, you are not going to get the monthly cash flow you are seeking as the property taxes are 1.6%, the 7th highest in the nation. 

I am 21 years old and currently playing baseball at a D1 college.

Is it an appreciation driven play?

I  would be looking for something near one of the many creek revitalization projects personally (I am hopefully playing a long game).

We want to play long <buy and keep forever and rent long term>, and were looking at homes across the bay area. 

Mario,They will know what to look at believe me and will understand what role depreciation plays when it comes to taxes.

However, I would appreciate further clarification on what you mean by having a Plan B, C, and D.In my experience playing the BRRRR game on a smaller scale, typically with homes valued around $200,000, I have found that it can be challenging to generate significant monthly income, Instead, the focus is often on building a portfolio without having to make substantial out-of-pocket investments, which is indeed advantageous.