Real Estate Investing in CA v.s. cheaper hometown

[Ricardo Peterson]

Hi all, I hope that there are plenty of folks in similar situations, that way responses to this post are valuable to many.

My spouse and I are in the Bay Area, and our net income will soon be 170K - 200K. 

Would it be feasible to live well below our means and begin investing in real estate locally, or would it be wiser to use this money to invest at a distance in cheaper cities? 

In my case, I have parents who live in an area with median home prices around ~250K (Phoenix Valley in AZ), which is far more manageable. They also have relationships with local agents and CPAs. I'm afraid that, with our income, there's a very high barrier to entry in the Bay. But yet again, 'landlording' at a distance has its challenges. 

Go easy on me since I'm still learning! 

Thanks in advance.