How do you build a team as a beginner out of state investor?

[Kevin D.]

I'm looking to buy my first rental property. I live in CA and want to buy out of state. I am a buy and hold investor looking to buy a small single family home that at most needs major cosmetic work done. My question to you all is how do you go about building a team and in what order do you recommend doing things? For example 1) Should you find a real estate agent before or after finding a house you want to put an offer on? 2) Do you hire a property management company before or after you purchase the property? 3) Will an agent and PMC help you find good deals? Any other suggestions you could offer a beginner would be appreciated.

[Jaron Walling]

Short answer; don't buy OOS, find/buy/create opportunities in your backyard.

Long answer; you need facetime with these professionals and they need to value your time (take you serious). If you're looking OOS you need relationships, market research, and a niche that fits your buy [box]. Without that you have nothing. You're throwing darts at a board with one eye closed hoping to get lucky.