I'm curious as to how this has affected everyone's local market.

I know more about Phoenix living locally but I hear good things about NC especially from east coast investors.

Listen to as many podcasts as you can and attend all of your local meetups to connect with other investors.

You picked a great community to join.. have you checked out local comps to gauge the market vibe yet?

.✅ Hands-On Experience – If you plan to grow your real estate portfolio, managing tenants yourself can teach you valuable lessons about leases, maintenance, and local rental laws.✅ More Control – You’ll personally handle tenant screening, rent collection, and property upkeep, ensuring everything is done to your standards.✅ Stronger Tenant Relationships – Being involved directly allows you to build rapport with your tenants, which can lead to better communication and longer leases.Cons of Self-Managing❌ Time-Consuming – Dealing with maintenance requests, late-night emergencies, and tenant disputes can quickly become a second job.❌ Legal Risks – Chicago has strict landlord-tenant laws.

Go to local REAI groups and other in person events.

I am not sure if I should stay local to my market.

I'm curious to dive deeper into the Santa Fe market and would love to learn from those with local experience.

I am about ready to just manage myself from out of state and have a couple of local handymen help me out when things come up.

I found a 4 BR home next to local hospital.