Total newbie here. Sorry if this has been asked before. I did a search and all the discussions were a couple years old.

I currently live in LA and want to move. Overall burned out on the city but a big reason for that is the cost of entry to invest in real estate. I'd like to move somewhere with a lower cost of living, ideally where I can house hack and start investing in rental properties and build wealth. I'm really open about the idea of moving and not terribly picky on where. 

Here's my big question - should I be looking to relocate to a market that I already know is red hot (Colorado, Texas, etc) or does that just make the whole process more challenging due to increased price/competition? Should I be looking for up and coming markets inatead? Or does that just rob me of potential revenue from the higher demand? 

Also I've been told that I should visit the places I'm considering moving to see if I like it there, but honestly I'd rather save that money and use it for a down payment. Am I being really stupid by not actually putting boots on the ground first? 

Would appreciate any and all advice on this! Thank you!