The best argument for RE over stocks, if you have to have an argument, is that you can have a significant influence over the performance of your real estate, whereas you are guaranteed to have no influence over the performance of your stock portfolio (not even the richest/most powerful investors avoid losing money sometimes in stock).

Just wondering how you manage your sphere of influence and further. 

If it's not in the contract, it won't happen.No drugs, smoking, or alcohol on-site in the contract - I've fired contractors in the past due to workers being under the influence.

You also don't want it to be unduly influenced by a property that someone overpaid for finishes that were not required in that neighborhood.The only way to get MLS access is to be a licensed realtor or get a realtor to give you access to one of their non-agent MLS accounts.  

Redlands is a bit farther out but it is really nice for the most part, but you don't really get that OC influence to bump up prices a bit.

Run the numbers and let the economics of each option influence your decision.Reference some of your other questions:How does the personal conversion work as far as if we will be reporting a huge loss for the property?  

Cash flows and ROI seems strong, and I would imagine the military and university influences bring consistent renters.

@Fradel Barber here to help and share my sphere of influence. 

I read somewhere that the amount you get approved for also influences the impact to your credit score.

As tech is very influenced by interest rate, so the movement of your investment is also affected so much by interest rate3.