What do they do for work and what industries is the town dependent on? 

I've always been interested in real estate and I am finally in the spot where I can think about investing.I have yet to narrow down my niche, would love to STR a SFH, but definitely open to longer term rentals, depending on the area.

Some areas in the Bay Area are still doing okay, but lower than before depending on house size.

Depending on your scaling goals, you may also consider a holding company or series LLC setup to isolate risk and simplify ownership.This post does not create a CPA-Client relationship.

Loan terms & structureMortgages are typically in USDInterest rates range from 8% to 12%, depending on your profileTerms go from 5 to 20 yearsDown payments are usually 30%–50%, depending on the property and your incomeMany investors use this structure to leverage their capital without selling assets in the U.S., and let the rental income cover the monthly payments. 4.

My wife is around 700 depending on the credit reporting agency used.

If, and how much, they will lend you money depends on your income level and in part how long you've been working there.

Not so much in bad locations that are boom/bust or for properties where the underwriting depends entirely on low vacancy rate and smooth operating, which doesn’t always happen.  

Any guidance or assistance would be greatly appreciated.Thank you Depending on your experience and cash on hand, we may be able to give you a pre-approval that helps get better origination fees as well as less underwriting on the borrower level. 

I've got a couple of potential ideas for you but it depends on your goals and objectives.Also TYFYS, I'm Army NG myself and I started similarly as you did!