so those owners are pretty comfortable - no mortgage payment - and they don't need to sell, and they don't care where an investor "needs" the price to be to make money. 

Just off the top of my head, I wouldn't feel super comfortable with non-US properties because properties in the US are held to HUD code (at a minimum).

Get out of your comfort zone.

I was not comfortable with the market and interest rate conditions, so I elected to hold off.

With that being said, if you're comfortable with a long term hold, San Diego and especially coastal, will always be attractive imo. 

The answer would be partially dependent on what are you looking to get out of it for rent and what type of risks are you comfortable with?

Get out of your comfort zone.

It’s better to have less rooms and to have them large enough to comfortably fit a queen bed.

@Mordechai ChaimovitzGreat points made above along with what @Daniel C. said referencing @Tom Shallcross's post on another thread.The context and variables for each individual investor will vary but many people are comfortable with getting a 2-4 unit that will reduce their out of pocket expense compared to their previous rent with the intent to do rehab and raise rents over time.

There are a lot of ways to crash and burn, so increasing the odds of succeeding long term should be your highest priority. you can always sell your local assets once you're comfortable managing rentals and ready for a market that better-suits your criteria. btw, kudos for being self-aware of your limitations.