Newbie thinking of multi family or duplex out of state

[Aileen Soriano-Pisaturo]

Hello, I read Rich Dad, Poor Dad in my 30s  and I thought I would be in real estate by 40.  Fast forward 10 years later  I have yet to invest in real estate. Lurked around BP site for the past year, have listened to  the BP Rookie Podcast on my drive to work, read books Skip the Flip and Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing; then decided to FINALLY  make an account the other day, just  accept my vulnerability and ask the forum for direction. I find all the info very overwhelming, but decided to commit  myself to making my first deal this 2024. I tried Fundrise which i thought was dipping my feet into real estate investing,  but find I want to do more of the actual owning of the property myself. The intent is for cash flow so I can be released (even partially) from my 9-5 grind. Possibly start with one duplex or a 3-family home as a long term rental. I wish I could invest in my backyard but I  live in RI and our inventory here is very expensive.  I also wish I could get my hands dirty but with my job responsibilities currently, I do not have the ability to directly oversee property rehab and will also have to rely on property managers. A few questions:

1. What US states would you recommend to invest in for a newbie like me looking to invest out of state, but hoping for something simple to start with? I was thinking of limiting it to a couple of states where we have direct flights from RI so it would be easier to fly in/out to oversee things. I read about OH, FL, NC…?

2. Once I do narrow it down to a state, how do I find reliable people to work with? Locally, we would rely on connections and word of mouth, but for an out of state person, where do you even start?

2. I found a couple of online property groups that rehab/rent out/property manage units and they help you from finding the  property then manage it for you long-term. The sites do not really divulge the specifics. I  have emailed them but did not get a response. I figured maybe they deal with investors who are more nuanced than a newbie? How do you get taken seriously when you have never done a deal??

Looking forward to hearing from anyone. Even just writing this post felt cathartic.

Aileen