Building an all star team investing out of state

[Michael Wintermyer]

Hello BP!

As I'm researching different markets to find the right one to invest in, it is looking like one out of state will fit best. I know how important it is to build a great team (can be a make or break), so I'm curious how others went about doing so.

I am starting to attend different REI meet ups in my area in order to network but what suggestions would someone have to network out of state without having any "boots on the ground" in that area?

If it helps, a few out of state markets that have been of interest include: 

-Knoxville, TN 

-Dallas/Fort Worth, TX

-Raleigh/Durham, NC 

-Atlanta, GA

One market that is within the 2-3 hour drive from where I am located (Frederick, MD) is: 

-Northern VA

Any suggestions are appreciated.