Best of Luck.https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/live-and-invest-overseas-lief-simon-and-kathleen-peddicord/live-and-invest-overseas-lief-simon-and-kathleen-peddicord-recommended-real-estate-inves-1515549"Lief Simon and Kathleen Peddicord give advice regarding other countries to invest in.

The garage and room behind it was converted to full 1 bedroom, bath, full kitchen, living room.

Gave me a very basic education on the assisted living communities industry.

I grew up in NYC, my family still lives there, and they have rental properties there.

You should shift your perspective a bit...you need a place to live and you are/will be paying to live somewhere.

Quote from @Michael Baum: Hey @Sushil Gupta, important statementCity No Longer Accepting Applications for Non-Hosted STRs:To apply for a Hosted STR, the property owner must live and sleep on the property, and the property must be the owner’s principal residence (where the owner resides for more than one-half of the year)So unless you plan to live in the place you are short term renting, Santa Rosa is a no go.https://www.srcity.org/3625/Short-Term-Vacation-Rentals one might try Guerneville or Monte Rio  area that is geared towards tourists..

I got into real estate so I can afford things and I live in an expensive neighborhood and drive an expensive German SUV.

I live in central Jersey and have $14,000 saved. 

Quote from @Rohan Saxena: Hello. the area where I live (northern VA) isn't the best for multifamily / rentals. 

Both my uncle and aunt are on the deed and lived there for 25 years and there is no mortgage on the house.