Availability of inventory and pool of buyers will tend to dictate demand. 

Whatever your answer is, it will get you thinking on if and how to proceed into the commercial real estate world.All that being said, my general answer is YES, it is a good strategy.First step should be to start educating yourself about commercial real estate, how its valuation is based on profitability and not strictly on comps, how to leverage the power of partnerships to get large deals done through syndication, how job and population growth start playing a big role when evaluating markets to invest in, etc. 

The area, though, has fairly strong rental demand. 

I don't think it is a good business play. 

We expereinced an anomaly of “temporary” demand from the flood of August 2016 that delayed the expected declines and softening of the rental market.  

I know that most of that information will play a significant role in determining whether the property cash flows well enough, however I’m more interested in the numbers I’ve put in.

A station will be opened at Stockton/Washington with service starting in 2019 so expect the demand of property within walking distance of that station to appreciate in the following years.

I'm not a wholesaler but I'm curious to see how this plays out.

Your MIL is a big risk taker to play around with her IRA. 

I am not too familiar with the rental demand over there.Please share your thoughts.