Out of state Investing in Cleveland Ohio. Agent or firm?

[Ronald Green]

Im a newbie investor looking to get started in the Cleveland, OH market. Ive heard that most people getting solid ROI's are purchasing Single Family Homes in the west side of Cleveland. Would it be smarter to look into both SFH's and higher volume multi families like 8-plexes and skipping out on the duplex and 4-plex market? or to just focus on SFH's in that area?

Also, for those Do it yourselfers, have you seen a significant difference in finding the properties, running the metrics, and vetting out the market yourself or would you recommend jumping in with an established local investment firm? **Im out of state so the whole boots on the ground method is out of the question at the moment. So, my options essentially are finding a local individual agent and work it out with that person or use an investment group.

Thanks in advance for the input! 

Cheers!