If you believe the lack of success is due to race, then It would be a good idea to heavily network with successful real estate agents of your race to see how they made it.

I will say the #1 reason fsbo doesnt sell is marketing and lack of access to buyers.

We have great credit and dti but lack cash on hand as a down payment, which would be right under 300k.  

I am interested in buying a second home and renting it out on Airbnb/VRBO etc but have found a lack of good information on revenue projections, occupancy etc.

As with most beginners a lack of capital is my biggest challenge right now and I am just beginning to research the process of raising private capital. 

One got after her for lack of security for a break in, after a few run ins with her, and demanded over $5,000 in damages.

Just the lack of cash flow.

I'd say San Fran-ers fall into one of two categories-- 1. die-hard going to invest in SF and somehow make the lack of cash flow work, or 2. out-of-state investors.If you're goal is passive income, you've got to figure out where the cash flow is coming from.

This is fine if you hold onto it long enough since the lack of PMI and relatively low interest rate will eventually offset this cost, but if you are buying and selling every few years this extra fee becomes very significant.Lastly, selling property is expensive. 

Certainly banks are not particularly eager to foreclose,  so the combination of lack of effort, lack of emergency fund, and slow banks getting to the completion of the foreclosure process means they likely did not handle the situation responsibly.