I have nonetheless interviewed for work and just signed an offer in Greenville SC.

Thanks again, and will be grateful for any more info you offer.   

Craig Curelop's "House Hacking Strategy" and Brandon Turner's "The Multifamily Millionaire" offer strategies for owner-occupied investments.Good luck!

It has been my path to financial independence, but I mostly am not looking in San Diego currently and I get many off market offerings daily (so even below retail the hold is cash negative).  

They offer interest-only loans, don't charge for appraisals unless the deal actually closes, and have great customer service (they actually close on time unlike some of the lenders my clients have chosen against my advice over the years who ask for my time for underwriting the day before closing).

Most serious and qualified tenants are searching on the major 3rd party platforms you mentioned + realtor.com, redfin, and a few others.Apartments.com & homes.com are owned by the same company and may offer some additional marketing options.Another strategy to consider here is social media - video marketing.

I know nothing about the above firm you mention, but a quick look on their website shows they are likely offering you DSCR, so just general things to look out for in that world. 

I’m making a few assumptions: 1) at least some buyers and sellers will accept much less agent handholding than commonly assumed, 2) the primary value that agents add is a) pricing guidance and b) advising clients on offers and counter-offers, and 3) there’s no truly compelling reason why North America has the highest average commissions in the rich world.

Again they only signed the one year lease back in 2017 and have opted to keep month to month after offering a lease at each of the two rent increase intervals. 

I really appreciate the offer and I am sure I will have plenty of questions in the near future.