So, my plan for the next 5 year is to research areas outside of western Washington to find properties that may not have as much equity gain, but better cash flow, and more landlord friendly or at least not biased to just one side.

Western Kentucky University continues to grows and with that an endless flow of students who need a place to rent.

So I am currently renting a house in western Washington (Puyallup) while getting started in investing and wholesaling so I can earn enough cash to start further investing in my goal of rental properties.My wife and I hope to eventually buy our current rental for our primary residence from the current owners who we are sure will be willing to sell it to us.MY BIG QUESTION: Should I first use the cash to buy our house (most likely as a down payment on a conventional mortgage - and there is not much opportunity for house hacking unless I turn the detached garage into an accessory unit)  OR should I use it to invest in our first rental?

The 500 foot buffer rule is for the western slope also. 

Let them know you have X expectations so feel you need to try a different route.Also, if you're looking in those areas I'd recommend connecting with @John Warren who specializes as an agent in the near Western Chicago burbs and also owns roughly 50 doors himself in that areas.

Every mid western or rust belt city has them and if not one 5 or more per city.. 

For instance, I have western wa. 

I sold a duplex in western Lakewood recently near Clifton, so I am very familiar what houses are going for on that side of town (It needed some big ticket repairs and I bought it when the market was low so I decided to cash out on it).

I've tried to use all the BP skills and apply them to Perth's (Western Australia) market place and think I've found something.I'm putting the call out to anyone who knows who I should/could talk to in my neck of the woods for a first person discussion?

If I manage to do that and at least worked to provide limited cooling here in western Pennsylvania, I've done the right thing and I'm not offered any rent rebates.