For a few important reasons, I've honed in on finding flips as the as my primary focus... 

Oakland has strict rent control laws, like San Francisco, Berkeley, and many other cities, however there is an exemption for both duplexes and triplexes when the owner lives there as their primary residence.  

I was able obtain a traditional loan with a $1,200 mortgage payment, while I rented out the three rooms I had available for a total of $1,450.

These contracts are facilitated through what is called "double deposit escrow", as opposed to a traditional escrow company. 

Hi all, I have been a real estate investor on accident for 15 years in SF Bay Area having turned a string of primary residences into rentals when I moved out.

Not sure if l have to wait for prices to go down before l jump in.Your primary went up 50k? 

Time will tell, but seeing as this isn't Zillow's primary business, it doesn't have to stand alone and can complement the company's other businesses. 

Get preapproved with a traditional lender if possible, if that doesn't work out come back and ask again.

You need to save more if you are planning on not using an FHA, for reserves at the very least,  You can try owner financing but it will be difficult to find and often will be more expensive than traditional financing especially in the long term.

@Drew Dahlbergyes you are able to house hack as your primary residence and also put the prop in your personal name