I think the important takeaway is that you need to know what's going on in your local market.

Build connections with local professionals, talk to them in person, and value there time over yours.

Best bet though is a local community business bank.. 

Narrow your top cities, build a local team, and refine your financial analysis to position yourself for success.Good luck!

There are many people on this site pushing those locations that have not historically kept up with inflation.Btw I advocate all newbies start local even if their local market has not kept up with inflation.  

I purchased my first buy and hold SF rental property last year and turned the property into a student rental as it was very close to a local College.

Since you're already in Tampa, staying local for your first few deals can help you stay hands-on and learn faster.

Very useful view.Curious, where are you pulling numbers for local mortgage, insurance, and tax rates?

Have you tried calling the local police department, or sheriff's department, or the Texas Rangers depending on where this theft took place.

I have been following the Real Estate Investing industry for a while and just recently decided to put my focus into it and implement a plan I had in mind for years.So I went down to Puerto Vallarta I put together a team of local realtors, brokers, contractors, property managers and a lawyer.