I thought that I might as well try to buy and hold since the cost of a SFH is lower than the cost of my truck!

Your concerns and original question were valid, but I do know that if you want to invest in other areas that allow you to diversify out of southern California and at a lower price, you can find good, quality companies that you can trust.

The lease option is your entry AND exit, if you are looking at a sandwich lease option.

If that's lower than what the seller will take, no deal.Good luck!

Though residential is a lower impact use, it may be that the City wants commercial due to higher fees and taxes they can generate from sales revenue or ?

Otherwise, I'm emboldened by your post to be firmer at a lower number.The view is nice, but it's on a not great street approaching a not great side of town.

It took her 6 months to find an entry-level position, sort of in her field.

So, a quicker sale with lower margins is often better than a longer hold period with higher margins.Btw, if you don't make a cash sale, I don't know any reliable way you'll be able to sell anywhere near market value to an FHA or conventionally financed buyer.

And these houses are TOUGH to finance, loan amts are too small and many bank redline the areas that they're located in, meaning they lower the LTV, raise the rates, or just refuse to make the loan.

What works for a upper middle class neighborhood is not going to work for a lower income area.