I am in the SF Bay Area and trying to get started by buying a 2-4 unit MDU using a 95% LTV super conforming mortgage (Home Possible).

We just opened a new branch in San Jose and are brand new to the Bay Area. 

For example, my clients in the Bay Area who invests locally here know they won't get 1% and don't expect that.

Hello, I'm a mortgage banker in the Bay Area. 

I know the outrageous rent increases in the bay area have brought on the demand for rv soaces.

This front loads the operational competence and knowledge, putting sales on the back burner for later (turns out that biggerpockets.com people & Realtors don't want a sales pitch, they want competence and knowledge, so that worked for me here in the SF Bay Area).

These unfortunate tenants had to go through crap like going without heat for a month in January, and having a water leak going unrepaired for months, with a make-shift sump pump in the basement keeping the flood at bay (the story was the PM died, but judging by the quality of the "repairs", they had more issues than that).

@Michael Roy - We are in the East Bay market.

And if you start heading out west, with solid suburban schools, and newer homes built in the 60's Bay village, avon lake and north olmsted are just a few areas were the right multifamily investments would bring way better tenants. 

And as you know if you did this in high prices areas like the Bay area your set for life. you don't need rentals.