I too live in Marin, and feel it is a solid long term market for apprecaition, and utilizing the power of principle reduction.When it comes to refinancing, figure out what the loan costs will be, then divide that buy the monthly savings with the new loan in order to determine how long you have to maintain that loan to break even. 

Andrew is correct that you can get a multi family property w/ 3.5% down FHA.

@Nicholas L.Unfortunately James I am not convinced you are correct.  

Knowledge is power:Thorough Inspections: Minimize surprises with detailed inspections and due diligence.Strong Screening: Careful tenant selection reduces vacancy and headaches.Diversification: Spread your investments across different locations and property types to mitigate risk.Financial Planning: Maintain a buffer and choose financing options that fit your long-term goals.

Do it right, hire the right people, and make sure you have all of your permits correctly pulled.

Quote from @Joe Villeneuve: Quote from @James Hamling: @Victor Tofilski I can't tell you exactly why it hasn't leased yet but I can pick it apart and give you detailed road map of every deficiency I notice and how to correct. 

Successful individuals must learn to accept uncertainty, maintain a flexible mindset, and continue to invest.

You are correct… if a person has 600k and they can afford to risk it going alone in a new country and that’s what they want to do with the money then why not go it alone.

This allows them to get more capital so they can make more loans without having to grow their asset base, while also maintaining their relationship with the customer through monthly payments.

E.th. you mention in the post is correct.