We have a job opportunity that would put us in Tampa, FL about 4 months out of the year total (non-consecutively), and we are curious as to whether the Tampa market or nearby markets could be a good fit for us.

Also, do your own research by looking at nearby 5bed listings with similar decor - especially after the holidays since everyone’s calendar will be full for the holidays.

Plenty of opportunities to house hack nearby I'm sure.Third, if you want to invest out of state for sure, research the economics and growth patterns of each area.

So, if you have an RV park near by or have RV slots at your property you can hire these people to clean or run the motel for you.

When I have had this situation, I communicate well expressing the urgency on my part, provide access to another unit (if I have a vacancy nearby), and may give them a gift card or something for their trouble.

You can find upcoming meetups and nearby REI events here https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/521-events-and-happenings

I chose orange county because I am somewhat familiar with the area as I travel there quite often, the taxes are lower than nearby Rockland and Westchester counties, and the percentage of home sales have risen more than the respective counties over the past year. 

Recently, I’ve started to view my 15-mile training runs through nearby neighborhoods as a sort of prospecting method —a foot tour of sorts— helping me determine neighborhoods I might be interested in investing in.My goal with Bigger Pockets is simple — I hope to learn from other investors within the community, leverage the tools and resources to improve my ability analyze potential deals (to help my 40-something-year-old-self gain the confidence to do what my 20 something-year-old-self knew was possible long ago) and contribute to the community where I can with the experience I have.  

Make sure to network with nearby investors here https://www.biggerpockets.com/meet, it would help in finding potential partners and mentors

There are brand new developments near by.