Newbie investor in Alabama and Tennessee

[Gilbreth Seno]

Hello all. I'm a newbie investor living in Washington DC but I want to invest in Alabama and Tennessee (I have family living in both states). I prefer the housing market in those states vice DC. I'm looking to establish a network in these areas. Plan is to do a few flips in the near term and move on to buy and hold. I've got some cash that I would like to put to work in the near term.

Would you all recommend that I start an LLC first and put my first house under it?