However, I'd agree with some of the other posters that I personally feel that Chattanooga is a bit safer of a play.

I tend to agree with everything you’ve said.

That said, CA rental laws severely favor the tenant over the landlord and price to rent ratios are much higher in most parts of the state compared to other areas of the country.

@Mike TerryCould not agree more my practice is dedicated to real estate investors because I shared the same frustration you have now when I was seeking comprehensive planning.  

I agree with @Nathan Gesner...move on to next....people will always show you how they are going to treat you....

I completely agree!

@Jake AndronicoI agree.

I would like to buy a home as i feel the prices will shoot up by the next year when the interest rate comes down and also, i feel 3400 rent is too high to pay .Should I buy a townhouse as my primary residence in Silicon Valley (Sunnyvale, SJ, Fremont, etc.) for $1-1.2M, or should I buy an investment SFH (Single Family Home) outside the area for $600-700k, given that I need to move out of the country for 1-1.5 years and want to ensure a good rental market to cover my mortgage or part of my mortgage?

I'd eventually like to move to several acres or more in the country (possibly with a tillable field that could also be rented to be farmed) and have these rents subsidize the increased cost of the mortgage so that my net mortgage (farm mortgage minus cash flows from these rentals) would be the same (or less) as a fairly standard SFH in the city, for a much larger property that would allow outdoor recreation. 

Looks like we will finish with about 7% appreciation for the year, while most of the country is down or flat.Milwaukee is an old city and 100 year old property that has not seen any major capex in the last 60 years will need often its purchase price over in capex.