New investor seeking advice on best strategy/markets to focus on

[James Tarantino]

Hey everyone, I'm 24 y/o from NJ looking for some advice on the best way to get started. I'm currently working a full time job remotely and have been actively looking for my first deal but am struggling on which market & strategy I should be narrowing my focus on. I'm currently debating between trying to find a LTR here locally in NJ or finding a STR that i can manage remotely in a hotspot like Myrtle Beach. My budget is 400k or less which basically eliminates all MFH and leaves me with either single fam or townhomes/condos here in NJ.

Does it make sense to find a SFH in NJ considering how competitive the market is? My ultimate goal is to buy something and hold while using it to cash flow, just struggling on where to focus.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!