I’m local to you in CT!

I would visit local meetups for real estate investing, and also network with agents in your area that work with a lot of investors.

Is the washer price set higher then the local laundromat and are the dryers priced lower?

HUDuser.org is great for vacancy rates, but cross-referencing with local market reports is important for more context.For job diversity and employers, LinkedIn or regional economic development websites often provide insights.

The PM will also fix things when needed, using local handymen or contractors, and collect the rent for you.

It is hard to really keep up with those kinds of trends unless I budget 10k a year in updating the property which I am not going to do.I participate in our local council/mayor meetings.

Local PM here - we have multiple development projects we are gearing up to sell, both small multifamily and townhouses should you want to take a peak at them.

Start by networking through local meetups, REIA groups, and online communities like BiggerPockets to connect with experienced investors.

Happy to connect and provide you with a list of the local meet ups. my cell and email are below! 

Find your local REIA and start attending and find the Realtors there to build friendships with.