I'm looking to start off in areas with lower costs coming in, preferably under $100k single families but definitely under $200k.These markets are particularly appealing for novice investors, especially those from California, as they offer more affordable options compared to local alternatives.

Go to your local Real Estate Investors Association. 

But my local real estate market is unreasonable for investing.

I found this property while driving for dollars after leaving the local barbershop/garage shop 🤣.

I always say 'I don't care what cap rate I buy at, I care what cap rate I can turn it into'I built Market Analysis and Sales Comps tools for my local SoCal market that will let you analyze the current or terminal property & units, from wherever you get your deals from:Sales Comps & ARV estimate:Sales market analysis:Rental market analysis:Would love to discuss how to make your extension that much better!

You'd be better off building a solid emergency fund and developing relationships with reliable local GCs.

A friend advised me to check reviews online and look for someone local with experience in single-family homes.

Listen to the BiggerPockets podcast for expert advice, read books like "The Book on Rental Property Investing" and "Set for Life" by Scott Trench, and join local real estate investing groups or meetups.

As mentioned, you probably have to skip condos, and you REALLY want to look up the local laws AND the HOA CC&Rs. 

A local lawyer approved lease worked for the tenants I chose; I took in rents on Apartments.com.