Looking forward to learning from you all and of course becoming a millionaire real estate mogul and eventually President of the Universe.Welcome Chris: I’ve been a landlord for over 25 years now and I know some good local resources I use to make life easier too! 

How should I think about purchasing  our primary residence vs using our money to invest somewhere else when living in the Bay area (San Jose area)?

If you can reasonably throw up a new wall and closet, turning a 3 bed into a 4 bed, that is a great place to start, but only if it works for the property and you have at least 2 full bathrooms.  

Your agent should have the experience to navigate this.

Best advice either save some money or use a DPA.

(Some have argued that the actions of the Obama administration were illegal taking.)The main problem with having it controlled by the government is that it has been, and will continue to be used for political purposes, right or left, depending on the administration.I'd rather see it outside government control.

.- Be Transparent in Your DealsHonesty goes a long way in this business.

There’s also a small chance this means “not done/not attempted”. 

Congratulations on your journey into real estate investing (REI) and your upcoming transition to the U.S.

It's better than it used to be but they don't make it easy.