I question if you recognize the work and risk necessary to succeed in the current local market.  

I think my next moves may be an out of state duplex and/or a local flip with a realtor friend of mine who has some experience doing it.

Plenty of opportunities if you price your place correctly and you offer better options then local hotels. 

Go to BUILD YOUR TEAM at the top of the screen and look for local investors or meetups in your area.

@Raymond Charles Gretz I’m down in Naples and happy to introduce you to a few local meetups

If i lived in San Jose, the first RE investment that i would consider is a local property with an ADU that had distribution on the lot that would allow a profitable lot split.   

But honestly, you'll want to shop around and compare a few local PMs since fees and services can vary quite a bit.

Either way, start networking with local real estate groups and agents, they’ll help you learn the Cleveland market better.

If you're expecting property owners to sell their home to you at a discount, you'll need to earn their trust - whether that be by demonstrating a successful track record with purchasing/selling similar deals OR by meeting them face to face and separating yourself from the dozens of local investors and realtors.Lastly, I'd recommend searching past posts related to this topic as well as checking out books related to your target investment strategies.All the best!

My realtor is reaching out to local lenders now to ask questions so I'll see what they tell me directly but I'd rather buy more sooner than later if we can.