Basics: two income household, no kids, late 40s - eventually want to have a few properties generating income at full steam when I retire in 20yrs.  

I was raised in a single parent household with a section 8 voucher.

Household income is about 200k and after the first step listed above we would have a 350k current mortgage (450k house) for our primary residence, 150k on the 2 rentals and a 60k student loan if this is at all possible.

(2) In addition, each Eligible Tenant who is 60 years of age or older or who is disabled within the meaning of Section 12955.3 of the California Government Code, and each household with at least one Eligible Tenant and at least one child under the age of 18 years, shall be entitled to receive an additional payment of $3,000.00, $1,500.00 of which shall be paid within fifteen (15) calendar days of the landlord's receipt of written notice from the Eligible Tenant of entitlement to the relocation payment along with supporting evidence, and $1,500 of which shall be paid when the Eligible Tenant vacates the unit.

The limit of 10 people per household will also probably be challenged in court. 

I paid the mortgage initially for four years and she covered all remaining household costs.

This doesn't mean your property needs a hot tub, but it does mean you need to add the thoughtful touches that make it feel like home: a well stocked kitchen with all the cooking essentials, more than just a stingy supply of "starter" household products (don't be the guy who leaves a couple of Tide pods, one dishwasher tab and one roll of toilet paper in each bathroom).

“One way to assess the difficulties in purchasing a home in California or Texas is to compute the ratio of the median household income to the median home value in each state.”According to the 2021 American Community 1-Year Estimates, the value of homes was $7.63 for every $1 of household income in California in 2021 compared to $3.55 per $1 in Texas.

Household formation growthWhat else?

I’m a high earning W2 household ($400k), and I also have around $75k 1099 income annually.