Quote from @Victor Patel: I recently invested $60K with a local hard money lender who has been established in the area for decades.

Quote from @Noah Laker: I'm a local broker and investor, and manage 100+ Airbnb properties for clients.

can check out local apps like eventbrite or meetups

When you go from a single family to a Duplex, it becomes "comercial" property and according to (Michigan) the local building dept, I had to hire contractors. 

House hacking locally is typically going to be the least risky way to get started, even if it is more expensive of a property.

@Diana Mulvihill A lot will depend on your local market and competition.

Offer a great first-stay experience with thoughtful touches like welcome gifts and clear communication to earn those initial positive reviews.For Big Bear’s rules, stay on top of local ordinances—maybe even connect with other hosts for advice.

I'm going to be taking some time to get to know people in my market as I kind of want to start local in Las Vegas.

@Allie McAlister I'm looking to stay local to begin with.

The problem with apps running comps is that they can't see inside the homes (or smell them lol), or evaluate the exact location, or understand the local market on an intimate level to know what's next door or around the corner and predict the market value and ARV accurately like only an experienced local Realtor, appraiser or expert investor can.