My wife and I were in the high-tech field, we live in Silicon Valley, I'm in my mid 50s and retired, my wife is still working, we have been married for 18 years and have rehabbed and lived in all four homes. 

I did unfurnished in Silicon Valley successfully.

Lastly, the city has started to once again promote itself as "Silicon Valley East" and the city is attracting tech companies to hasten job growth for the future. 

I work at Milpitas, CA (within the Silicon Valley) and there are a couple of very nice properties that are vacant for over a year.

fully vetted the student housing sounds like a money maker to me.I know landlords in Silicon valley that put 2 engineers to a room.. this way they can make 1 million dollar 4bd SFR's cash flow.. they charge 1k to 1,200 per person... of course these are young apple engineers so probably pretty good tenants.

I have a full-time job in Silicon Valley and I am a mechanical engineer.  

Yes, but the problem we're seeing in Silicon Valley is engineers cannot learn fast enough.  

I just bought 3 long term investment properties in Lehi Utah in the last 1.5 years, the Silicone Slopes are bringing in jobs and an upward trending economy with high job growth an a housing shortage.If you're looking for steady rents in a great area with large equity gain potential then I'd look close to Lehi.http://www.fig.us/single-post/2016/07/14/As-a-rival-of-Silicon-Valley-Utah-has-become-known-as-Silicon-Slopes

They're definitely not the cleaning maids.Especially the tub, the silicone beading everywhere, tile grout and mold, countertops,flooring - they are same old fixtures - but sparkle like they're new.Who can I employ to do this work?

I would wait for the next major downturn if you are wedded to investing here.I've posted this bit elsewhere and I'll share it again:I live in Silicon Valley, and I'm an investment advisor who specializes in real estate.