is there a similar one on the East Bay?

I've realized there isn't really any middle ground there...you're either cash flowing, or you're negative each month. 

It just sounds like it is her, in the middle that has caused the problem. 

What you are trying to do is be a middle person in between the middle person, the wholesaler who is between the seller and buyer.

Single family homes in middle income have a larger margin of error. 

I used this concept many times by offering 3 price ranges of say a possible home I was rehabbing  and the end buyer most of the time bought in the middle even though before they were basically set on the lower price version of the rehab before.

I "fix and hold" in the East Bay, and most recently bought this 4plex about a month ago in Oakland:http://beta.biggerpockets.com/forums/223/topics/13...You may want to consider buying a duplex or 4plex here in the Bay with an FHA loan if the price point is an issue for you.

My children are young, and I work second shift, It's easier on them to go to bed at a normal time, and not be drug out of their beds in the middle of the night when I get off work. 

Each unit can only be considered one bedroom, which are not popular for middle class in the area.  

I'm working on a side-by-side comparison blog right now to show a real comparison with what I consider to be a middle of the road American (25% tax bracket).