Most investors in your shoes start out usually in midwestern markets that are booming. 

You may also want to confirm that your estate planning is in order to ensure that someone can seamlessly step into your shoes to deal with tenants in the event of accident or death.

However, the time I could spend in Atlanta before buying might help me avoid headaches by getting to know the market even better than my research.I currently do not have an investor-friendly agent there, but I do have a real-estate contact here in Boston who lived there for 20 years.I am interested to hear your thoughts and what you'd do, if you were in my shoes.

Some common ones that come to mind in addition to a hot tub are a cedar sauna (gotta lean into that Minnesota sauna culture - check out Cedar and Stone out of Duluth for some really cool sauna ideas), snow shoes or cross country skis, or even just a nice outdoor firepit area with tons of firewood (you could also include complementary s'mores supplies for every reservation).  

If I'm in your shoes, I would use this as an opportunity to network with other brokers in the office as well as attend local meetups to get a feel for who the movers and shakers are. 

If you were in my shoes as a first time investor, what would you do?

I'm a bit more civil nowadays and happy to listen and to put myself in their shoes before coming to any judgements or conclusions.

@Vivek Kumar I ask for proof of liquidity, whether it’s a balance in the bank or a shoe box of cash.

Would love to hear your thoughts or strategies if you were in my shoes. 

No new clothes or shoes and learn to cook.