But her name is not on the properties.As I understand, we don't get any advantage in the real estate losses against my W2 income.

location/views definitely impact income potential. 

I lived in TN for several years (Hickman County) and am considering retirement there...especially since there is no state income tax.

With no state income taxes they government needs to get their money somehow.  

For instance, the average annual return on the S&P 500 over the past 90 years is about 9.8%, while the dividend yield on whole life policies is typically 5-6%.Opportunity Cost: The premiums for whole life insurance can be significantly higher than those for term life insurance.

At RAD Diversified, we offer investment partners the opportunity to invest in income-producing farms and cash-flowing properties like residential & multi-family with substantial value-add opportunities. 

I am currently running into issues with finding lenders due to me still being in college and having a lack of proof of income.

Upper Arlington (43212) is an established Class A neighborhood with good schools and potentially stable rental income.

We often end up finding out their credit score or income doesn't cut it only after we've shown them around, which honestly feels like a bit of a time sink.So, I was thinking, whenever someone hits us up on Zillow wanting to check out the place, maybe I could just ask upfront if their credit score is over 600 and if they're pulling in more than $6,000 a month.

If it's important to be near the Bay area then maybe consider the Tahoe Reno, NV market because it's only a few hours away if you need to go to the office and it offers a landlord friendly environment, low property taxes, and no state income tax.