This sucks, but it leaves me with a choice of a market I know with low returns or investing out-of-state and getting higher returns at higher risk.

As for (realty brokerage catering) MLS services also offering (competing) LO, or other 'owner- financed' listings... that won't happen unless / until there's sufficient 'disruptive' reorganization and / or other larger realty companies start (seriously) thinking outside the 'traditional' box, vs. partnering with the likes of that (big lending - insider) company that was making people sign an absurd 50+ page LO contract (and ripping many of them off...) giving 'rent to own' home purchases, a BAD NAME.

Through classes and holding a part time job, I would love to learn the real estate market on the side, even if it does not net me sufficient profits.

Three words: OPM or Other People's Money. also, most people on here who have 100 units have either been doing real estate for a long time and have made successful choices throughout all of the ups and downs or have had previous successful careers.

Given the choices, I believe SJ and Oakland would benefit most.  

I would have a serious discussion with them and/or a civil engineer who specializes in concrete about how they recommend you lay your baseplates ... trying to secure your framing to the external walls is not a practical approach (i would need to dig into the math to decide if it would have sufficient integrity), beside what will you do for internal walls?

The Trustee want to dump them all, if there are no takers they may not have any choice.

That's why it is important in such situations for you to make sure that the amount being requested for the construction loan is sufficient to build what is proposed, but not enough so as to encumber the property for more than is necessary, along with the other precautions I have outlined.

Here demand is high, but there is not sufficient supply to meet this demand.

So I would say mailings is the best choice if you can only do one thing.