Buying in Markets Far From Home

[Caren Magill]

Hi!  New real estate investor here with a goal of investing to replace my income within the next 3 years.  I live in the SF Bay Area, which is one of the most expensive real estate markets in the country, so my goal is to invest in properties in the mid-west and southeast.  

I'm curious how I should approach this when I know nothing about these areas?   I'm interested in Ohio, Georgia, and Tennessee as starting points, but how do I zero in on specific cities?  How do I find local, trusted services?  What can I do to study the areas from afar and what should I be aware of as a distant property owner?  Also, should I zero in on one area only to maximize local services or diversity in different regions of the country?

I am learning so much from this forum and BP in general, but I'm not sure exactly how I should approach my search for properties given my distance. I've only lived in the US for 10 years, so I'm not that familiar with any areas outside of California.

Thanks!