While specific rental data might be scarce on platforms like Rentometer, local real estate agents, property managers, and online rental listings can provide more accurate rent rates and market trends.

I'm a local and would be more than happy to assist with your multi-family search. - Troy 

I would love to speak with local investors, agents, and lenders in Sacramento.

As far as financing - I personally like the local banks.

Unfortunately this is not a strategy that rallies the base for many politicians running for local office, so getting this impemented widespread is easier said than done. 

In fact, you'll probably get better terms on the refinance if you are living there, I know my local bank will let me do 85%LTV loans without mortgage insurance if owner occupied, but I can only get 75% LTV on investment properties and the interest rate is better by about 0.5% on owner occupied.

She lives outside of Charleston SC and wants something more local so that is why I started looking there and realized that there are many apartment buildings for sale in those states that look to be decent deals... at least much better deals than in NE. 

I would try to avoid Berkeley and Oakland because the laws heavily favor tenants and who knows what local regulations could be passed. 

Your local S8 Housing Commission should have an info sheet on their website that shows their deductions if landlord chooses not to include electric, gas & water.Even more critical, your $680 mortgage amount, that you appear to be comparing to the S8 rent, should include ALL the other housing ownership costs: property taxes, insurance, vacancy/tenant nonperformance (S8 tenant may have to pay part of rent), maintenance & miscellaneous.Suggest you use the BP Calculator for this.

Local guy who some other investors use. 8.