Depending on your budget, I would not give up on homes in Marin, San Mateo or Santa Clara counties before looking out to the East Bay. 

It's important to note that while these methods exist, they may not be suitable for every situation, and the feasibility can depend on factors such as the type of property, the seller's willingness, and your financial qualifications.

It will depend what kind of loan product your using in order to determine eligibility.

@Josh Dillingham I don't have as much experience with lease options, so I'll focus my response on the 1031 aspect.So, yes, as you obviously know, a 1031 is dependent on the property being a long-term investment.

Hi Amir,It seems like the decision would depend on the value of the property and its potential use.

it depends on the financing you are applying for. 

A lot of it will depend on your long term financial goals, as well as personal goals.  

Estimated Monthly Rent to be collected is $2,550-$2750/mo giving us positive cash flow of $67-267/mo in year one on Lot 2.What we do on Lot 1 will depend on zoning and the type of property we will be able to construct.

From what i hear, that seems to vary.

Depending on the area STR may be a great investment or not.