If you banked a profit from the sale of your Valencia home, it has probably dropped $100K-$150K or more in value in 2 years.
You should be collecting at least 5% interest on your cash.
If you had gains, it was tax free up to the limits.

You are probably renting for 50% of what the true cost of ownership at today’s price is, so you are saving every month that you rent.

A house that you BOUGHT could have been next to a frat house and a house that you BOUGHT could have had utility bills at $500 in summer, so you cannot attribute those issues to renting.

Your choices of rentals have been piss poor.
There are plenty of responsible landlords with excellent properties, (who are losing money monthly by owning today) looking for good, long term tenants.

Had you picked better, you would still be in the same rental that you moved to after you sold two years ago.

You have probably saved at least $200K-$250K of net worth by doing what you did.

I know plenty of people who wish that they would have done what you did, and not be complaining about it today, even after what you have gone through.

Saving $200K+ of net worth even with younger kids really isn’t so difficult.

a)Are you complaining ?

b)Are you trying to make a point ?

PS: I guess that nobody told you that moving into a brand new house owned by inexperienced LL’s that are going to lose their a$$ in the biggest real estate downturn in history isn’t a good idea.

You not only did it once, you did it twice, and possibly the same mistake a third time ?