No income statement,  no balance sheet, nothing that can give you correct financial picture. 

Exploring other options like Appfolio or Apartments.com which might offer the balance of support and functionality you need, is a sensible approach.

The company making the offering must take reasonable steps to verify that an investor is accredited, which may include checking financial statements, tax returns, or receiving confirmation from a broker-dealer, attorney, or certified public accountant.These regulations reflect a balance between making capital more accessible for businesses and protecting investors from risks associated with unregistered securities.

Here it would be 25% down ($275k)A balance of $825k at 7% (or higher) $5,490/mo, figure $250/mo insurance, $500/mo property taxes $6,250/mo. 

I agree on the professional partnership with my parents and I’m looking to discuss more with them to find the right balance!

How do you balance these considerations when choosing a location? 

Days on market is about 2 months, slightly better than earlier this year but relatively speaking, it's still a more balanced market compared to rest of the Bay Area.

Prices did seem better than DFW, but about 5 years ago when it was on my radar, I never found an area where I thought there was good balance. 

Good balance of affordability and rental potential.

Definitely recommend the seller financed buydown as if you refinance whatever the remaining balance from the buydown is can be used to pay down the principal balance of your loan.