You will also gain valuable experience that you can leverage for other opportunities.Speaking from personal experience, I have several STR rentals in California (I co-own STRental Pros in Orange County, Los Angeles County, and Riverside County).

Orange County.  

What are good areas to look into; in the near future considering places like Newark, orange and east orange.

It turns out my friend had told me about his uncle who owned several properties across Orange County. 

Meanwhile in 1st-world problem land...Judge Judy would not sympathize.   

If you drive through the other towns, it's apples and oranges in terms of amenities, the architectural detail of all the properties, the feel of the place, and the things they have built into the town of Seabrook. 

Seminole/Orange/Volusia counties.

It's an apples and oranges comparison.

Just last year I expanded my property portfolio in California which now includes Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and Kern counties.

Rentals do good, but screen, lots of scammers for LTR, and STR can get the entitled wealthy for Orange County who are messy and destroy and steal stuff.