I own 30 properties and manage about 300 in the Tampa Bay area—nothing major affected here, so we’re grateful.

.- Mobile has the twelfth largest port in the U.S. which provides ample different job opportunities such as the Coast Guard, which has a base housed right on the bay, and provides over 1,000 jobs.

I live in the SF Bay Area and have decided to buy my first single-family home.I fully acknowledge and recognize that the SF Bay Area and California (in general) may have some of the worst cash flow numbers in the entire country.I've already traveled to cheaper Midwestern states to look at real estate opportunities, but have decided to invest here in the SF Bay Area as I'm purchasing with the intention of living in it first and foremost, and then renting it out sometime in the near future when I move overseas.I'm looking for anywhere in the Greater Bay Area/Northern California region (even Sacramento & Central Valley is okay) with better than average purchase price to rent ratio, and some appreciation (if possible). 

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Not sure if you have networked with local REIA groups but having discussions with LA investors are buying locally or OOS would be helpful - this is what I did in the Bay Area. 

Pete) and have narrowed it down to finding a single family home with a pool in the unincorporated Bay Pines area or Indian Rocks Beach (note, it took a long time for me to get over my beach view condo dream in a popular area but HOA fees and restrictions helped!).

I am trying to house hack (3.5% down, owner-occupied, rent other rooms) in the Bay Area (driving distance about an hour from Redwood City and SF).

@Scott Scoville Would you also pm me with the name of your insurance guy for Greater Bay Area residential rental units too?

Hey Gil,I'm an experienced investor and realtor specializing in the South Bay area.

Still close to the Bay Area but get the benefits of landlord/tenant laws, low property taxes, still high appreciation, job growth, population growth, etc.