I am a landlord in nearby Newark, and I have not used granite in any of my rentals.

Starting bit late but hoping to catch up fast.I am nearby, so give me a shout if you feel like meeting fellow investor.

Know the area and nearby houses for sale so that you are able to help the buyers who come in.

For Non-Disclosure states, like Texas, it doesn't necessarily always show what a property last sold for, but if you go to the "Comparables & Nearby Listings" tab, they usually are pretty good about having some comps...at least in Texas...not sure about other states...and in some counties you need to click the "Both" for the Data Set bar, if the default selection of "Public Records" isnt' really bringing up anything. 

Due to this, I have began looking in nearby towns/counties.

I assume you will buy a lake house nearby?

If you default to a house near the rivers nearby you can find something affordable which you could potentially turn into an air bnb long term. 

While some properties can be picked up at good prices, turns out in certain areas the proliferation of newer nearby strip malls, more attractive, spacious, copious parking was too competitive.

Yes, the local market is pretty crazy but I am looking forward to finding the good opportunities nearby.

I've done so in nearby WA State for years. https://www.biggerpockets.com/...