[Santa Monica] Investing outside of hometown...how to approach?

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Good evening everyone,

I live in Santa Monica, and without a ton of money it is nearly impossible to find a deal! I am looking to get into some multi-family deals and have narrowed down to a few possible cities shown below:

• Houston, TX
• Minneapolis, MN
• Fresno, CA
• Bakersfield, CA
• Burbank, CA
• Canoga Park, CA
• Riverside, CA

I have a few questions for the community!

1. Without having access to local MLS, what is the best way to start finding deals around here?
2. Assuming I find some possible deals, how do I begin approaching GC's to help me get accurate construction bids for value-add properties?
3. Should I approach local lenders or go to my national bank to become pre-qualified?

Thanks in advance and if you have any info on any of these areas, please do not hesitate to reach out! I love meeting new people and discussing deals!