You will be surprised how many people need a 6-12 month rental for their work contract and having a place that looks nice, that is cozy in a beautiful neighborhood is a really big plus.  

"Being a good fit" goes both ways. 

As far as neighborhood guides, I don't know of one source, but here are a couple of resources that might be helpful.  

I'm looking for reasonable B+ to C neighborhoods, not warzones, not slumlording opportunities.

Personally I will only rent yo someone with a government voucher in the very low end neighborhoods. 

It's affordable (even now), researching it online is easy, the people/culture fits my personality, and travel is a breeze from the bay area. 

This duplex is in my neighborhood, less than 1/2 mile from me.

If you are going to try wholesaling, target neighborhoods about 30 or 40 years old which tend to have high equity homes. 

For example, an expert saying, "Because of the X price, Y neighborhood, and Z estimated expenses, this property would be a great opportunity" versus "you should NOT buy this other property because of these X, Y, and Z problems" - etc.

I've been in The Springs for 25 years, so if you want to grab coffee or lunch while you're in town this week, we can talk through what areas could potentially be a fit for what you're looking to do.