Buying in NYC

[Eva G.]

Hi everyone- 

I'm Eva, am a newbie to Bigger Pockets. I'm in a bit of a predicament and was hoping to get some advice/suggestions. I would like to start investing but I'm not really sure how to go about it. 

I live in NYC and as you all know it's hard to make an ROI in the first couple years (maybe only once it appreciates). I also have a very demanding job (am in consulting) which does not provide a lot of flexibility to look at places. So my questions are the following:

(1) Should I even try to invest in NYC (buying a small condo or something)? If not what are better alternatives that are nearby?

(2) Should I look into out of state investing?

(3) Are there alternatives to hands on investing and what are some passive investing options? (maybe that's a better option since my time is limited and there aren't a lot of buying options in the area)

Thanks in advance!!