If I were you, I’d buy a 2 bdrm condo in an up and coming area that is attractive to young people and renters. For instance Barrio Logan, still some opps in North Park & Golden Hill, College, Sherman Hts etc. In this scenario you can pay yourself or view your condo as both a savings account & tax saving (in lieu of renting) and you can also hold this property indefinitely by turning it into a rental when or if you want to buy something bigger or SF that will either yield a positive cash flow or break even and will leave you with a leg up on retirement.

I wish the timing would have been right for me to have started investing in potential rental properties at that age. Many professionals I know have done that and now own 5-10 properties that just bring in income in their 40s. They plan to retire by 50 and just live off retirement savings & rental income property that is paid off.