As a fellow west coaster, I understand how difficult it can be to find local returns that compare to some of those found in other parts of the country.My favorite part of your whole strategy ... training up your boys and teaching the next generation ... those memories and lessons are worth more than the paint and plywood. 

Looks similar where it has huge 'swings' compared to the other times it went down a bit.

@Dean Letfus I would say both markets are pretty comparable in the types of neighborhoods etc...

The assessor looks at comparable sales to come up with the value of your property, they don't actually look at what's been done to it unless there is an addition.

Should we be more aggressive in purchasing SFH for better tax advantages compared to passive MF investing?

Real estate and stock market investing are not comparable..nor are they alternatives for one set of goals. 

I'm not unhappy at all with the guys I used, just thought the price was steep as compared to other trades.

@Joseph J Deza Midwest would be your best bet.Because you can still find cheap and cash flowing properties as compared to rest of the country.

Total debts come to about $97k, the appraisal came in at $120k, but comparable sales in this area are $85k at best.

It is on a major road, and you cannot compare it to houses that sit within a normal neighborhood.