However the laws and infrastructure there are so different I don't know how much someone from here could help unless the already have experience there.

You need to check and make sure there are no quirky laws in California protecting sellers from having to sell even with a written contract.You might stand to gain some helpful knowledge by showing a real estate litigation attorney all your paperwork for review for a few hundred and they can give you realistic options and chances of being successful with your purchase if one seller fights it etc.No legal adviceP.S.

But offering a series of month-to-month or 6-month leases would seemingly allow for a landlord to raise the rent in a stepwise fashion... at least according to the letter of this law.

Either on the policy or mandated by some city law?

Back story of house: It is a friend of my brothers father in law.

My brother-in-law is looking at a house tomorrow.

Check your state laws for something similar.

Never did you state what the cash flow was, if the hold laws in a bad neighborhood or good one, etc. in other words.

So your investment properties may be at risk if you are sued (insert LLC and umbrella insurance debate here) or or for some reason you need to declare bankruptcy, but IRAs and 401k plans are protect - but these laws vary by state.

Look to state law and your lease agreeement, personal property can be retained for payments due, in other words, you can block the movement of the home.