I'm originally from San Francisco and when I started back in 2021, it was EXTREMELY hard to find cash flowing opportunities without having to put down an insane amount of capital as a down payment. 

We are 5 bids in and not sure we're ready to pull the trigger with anybody.

Theoretically a DSCR HELOC and DSCR multi family purchase could be coordinated with little to now hard capital out of pocket to the client as most lenders allow down payment funds from cash out against other properties.The mortgage market is extremely healthy and well capitalized for the moment.

I know this is an extreme example but the framework is there.I don't think making an investment decision based solely on predictions of the future is a wise decision.

This take about 30 secs of my day but yields extremely important numbers.Example; I just checked a pending property around the corner from our rental because it's the sqft. and bed/bath count.

The cost of living is extremely low compared to other cities and you can still many many positive cash flowing and 1% deals here.

Hitting someone cold will not give you that leverage.As Russell said, investing long distance is extremely risky without an established crew and contacts in the area you are looking. 

A buddy of mine took even longer as his plans triggered an Environmental Impact Study.   

We have vetted the company and decided to pull the trigger based on great reviews and conversations with other investors.

On the psychological front, it sounds like you are feeling some anxiety which may be triggering "W2" thought patterns, which in turn may be triggering anxiety about falling into an "analyses paralyses".