I am a total newbie to investment properties, so please bear with me.I am considering purchasing a house in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area initially as a vacation home and potentially as a retirement (way down the road) home.Before I ask my questions, let me give some information: I do not expect the home to be used by me, or my family, for more than 6 NON-consecutive weeks out of the year. 

Any thoughts in investing or investors in East Orange NJ?

Off the top of my head, Dover, Wharton, Linden, West Orange, would all be great areas to start and all are very accessible by train.

Apples and Oranges.2.

They seem entirely misinformed and looking for the lowest hanging fruit rather than trying to help your needs.

So I am looking for properties in the Essex County area, specifically East Orange, Newark, and Irvington.

You will find that having this time now to focus on RE will bring fruitful results.

@Jacob Sanchez welcome to Orange County's BiggerPockets. 

The orange, green and flooring stores all seem to carry the same brand.https://www.lowes.com/pd/QuietWalk-Sound-Absorption-and-Vapor-Barrier-360-sq-ft-Premium-3-mm-Flooring-Underlayment/1001065844Thanks for reading!

If being by the beach isn’t crucial, Old Town Orange has a lot of charm and college town feel (Chapman Univ).