Shawn Johnson with Vault PM might be a good place to start or be able to steer you the right direction. 

I want to start by focusing on just one of these markets, both of which I really like and align well with my financial goals.I'm more interested in cash flow rather than property appreciation, and I'll be investing from out-of-state.Would love your recommendations on:- Top neighborhoods or areas to consider for strong rental returns, and maybe areas to steer clear of- Trusted property management companies or contacts in these markets- Realtors specializing in these two areasI'm open to all ideas and might end up choosing one market, the other, or even both.

Just steer clear of the concrete problem some people are having with properties that were build in 90’s early 2000’s. 

I personally started with section 8 but have steered away as it didn't fit the investment profile I was comfortable building.

@Jay HinrichsHate the look, and hate that there isn't a regular steering wheel lol but I understand why they did it.Having said that, I'm a contractor, realtor, and real estate investor an I've been eager to get an electric truck once I feel the investment makes sense, and the quality of the trucks improved from where they are currently..I bought a used truck a few years ago for 21k with 40k miles, and I would be happy to sell it and buy a tesla truck within 5 years or so, maybe less..

I would try to steer the conversation more towards IRR.

Aubrey, my suggestion would be to steer clear of trading work for rent for a few reasons. 

If you have a pool,  all expenses related to pool should be paid by tenant, but I would steer clear of home with pool.

Any I should focus on or steer away from?

While it all worked out, and luckily my agent was able to close the deal, I would have really benefitted from advice from an agent who understands investing, and could have steered me in the right direction to make the most of my capital.