It's getting extremely expensive for my mother out here in san jose,ca (bay area).

and I told him, "No, she's just a single mother in a neighborhood that occasionally has some nuisance crime."

What about a townhome with an extra room or two that you rent to traveling nurses (mostly women).

For new investors, esp those looking OOS, I suggest sticking to B/B+ properties and neighborhoods (ie not just the best house in a bad area, find a solid house in a solid area where folks like nurses, teachers, and skilled laborers live).

My mother in law also runs a Title company.

Unless you are claiming your mothers payment as rent (which you legally should do), but if you are not doing that, then as far as they are concerned you have two residence.

For the last 9yrs, everyone and their mamas have been saying just BTMFD (buy the mother F dip) That tells me they have forgotten and they are fully vested into the market.    

Folks move in who don't need space anyway and benefit from an on-premises on-call nursing stationI've researched shipping containers only slightly but feel that or assisted living could be a draw for this type of housing community.

We got it for $12,500 did nothing to it & sold it to a neighbor (for her mother), $25k ($3k down held the note @ 10% for 15 years). 

My mother bought her home 18 year ago, it was a new build- down to the foundation.