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). 

If they are telling you 2.5+ in origination fees, you can probably find cheaper money elsewhere.   3.

With the lower LTVs offered by senior lenders these days, it may be tempting to look at preferred equity and it may make sense since technically it is cheaper than LP equity, but also keep in mind they have a higher liquidation preference (obviously) but will often want all the cashflow (or a majority of it) to come to them before the LP investors and will also want large reserves, so make sure you model out the cashflows and understand the end-to-end deal with the preferred equity investors.We have some institutional investors with whom we did a combination of a pref and JV deal and it worked quite well for everyone including them and the LP investors.

Renting will be cheaper in the short-term, but long-term there is no comparison.

Why add an ADU if it can be purchased cheaper?

I have never chose them as I found similar coverage cheaper. 

We do fine, especially when we rent off- seasonat a much cheaper rate for MTR. 

Lead Safe certificates have a lower standard and the tests are cheaper, however the certificate and registration needs to be renewed regularly.

Pool stays heated all winter as it is cheaper from a utilities standpoint.

The other "economical" areas are going to be more management heavy (think cheaper houses that are expensive in the long run) and the A/A+ neighborhoods will be very difficult to get cash flow (think Elmwood Village or Hertel Ave duplexes that are $350-400K but gross $3600/mo on the top end).