Good help is hard to find?

[Megan Shelton]

I am trying to figure out a way my partner and I can communicate better with real estate professionals in Chattanooga, TN.

We are looking to invest in a SFR or duplex in TN. We currently live in CA, but for various reasons have decided to invest in Chattanooga, TN. Numerous times, we have started dialogue with real estate agents, and after a few emails back and forth, they seem to disappear! Is it that we are in California that is throwing agents off? What do we need to say to communicate that we are serious?

We have already booked plane tickets for the end of June, but it seems like at this point, there isn't going to be anyone to show us around! We're ready to invest and would ideally like to be in escrow by the end of this month or the next. 

Has anyone else had this issue when investing in another state? How did YOU build a team?