I'm looking to try to make some extra money in order to get some to use, but it will probably take a couple years to get to that point.Really the main reason for my interest is to be able to have one house per child eventually (3 or 4, we currently have one child that's 8 months old but planning on more).

Until about 1.5 years ago when we had our first child, we were renting our 2nd bedroom. 

@Chudney WesleyBasically one quick way to check your DTI on your own is to divide your monthly debt services (car payment, property taxes, insurance, rent, child support, student loans, etc..) by your monthly take home pay (not including your rentals since you haven’t had them for 2+ years)  Alternatively, take your monthly take home * 40% then subtract your monthly debt services.

Three kids had to sleep on the floor with the exception of the youngest child who got to sleep on the bed with mom & dad. 

How much monthly *pre-tax* income you make (job, SSI, child support, food stamps, alimony, retirement are some examples of income).5.

Very good J Martin... and for all of those that thought they could not get cash flow in the Bay Area your the poster child that it can be done is being done and should be done by many !!

What mother is going to side with a stranger over her own husband and child?

Like you stated, it was in their best interest because they mainly rented to low income people who eventually were conveniently evicted due to loss of employment, welfare reduction, lack of child support (I could tell a horror story about my neighbor regarding this that involved missing cs checks....but that's something I cannot prove, only a bad feeling.)Regardless, it definately was a bad experience and I refuse to rent ever again.

And, I've never regretted it (for example, in 2014 we paid off $39,000 in student loan principal, and we did so even though we had our second child that year).  

The short story is my girlfriend relies on child support for making ends meet.