This option will help you to somewhat mitigate the risks of being completely inexperienced in a field of your choice. 

Do your research and see how others are mitigating the risk.

Nonetheless, a 4-plex has the perk that all the units are in one location, there's some scale, one roof, and risk mitigation because it could leave you cashflow positive even if all the units are not occupied (this would depend on the deal you're getting into). 

It's those maniacs that buy homes cash via quit claim deed off of craigslist that really get screwed.Make sure your property manager is a licensed real estate brokerage.Google Clayton Morris lawsuit and/or Morris Invest fraud for a cautionary tale of what not to do when buying turnkey real estateUnderstand you can not eliminate all risk, only mitigate it.

I think there's going to be some effect in the commercial markets across the board, but especially in high cost cities like the ones you mentioned.The one mitigating factor in my mind is this:  each time I've been to one of these tech campuses one thing is very clear . . . it's way cooler than my house.  

That lowers her annual income and tax rate.There are a lot of mitigating factors here.

As is stated on many podcasts, knowledge, analysis, and education are great ways to mitigate risk.

Money put in... hoping for a return.. and mitigated risk based on a series of numbers, data, and precedents.

That will help you mitigate the risk in case you have a bad tenant or vacancies.

There is HVAC issues, a radon gas leak that needs a mitigation system, and a very broken up drive way that leads to a shed of a garage.