Initially I’m wanting to start in the local Chattanooga/North Georgia area

Make sure the zoning, local building department/regulations, and neighborhood allow you to put a tiny house on your property and rent it out.If that is not possible, using that money for the next property makes sense.In general, I think increasing housing density will help provide more badly needed housing affordably.To Your Success!

Are you focusing your efforts in/around your local market?

I would recommend that you get out to local meetup events, as that is where you will make the really deep connections to help you get rolling. 

Having local family gave me a built-in support system, market familiarity, and the confidence to manage a property from a distance if needed.

More than 5 days late (or whatever your local laws consider late), give them notice. 

Here's a link https://www.oregon.gov/ODA/shared/Documents/Publications/FoodSafety/ServiceAnimalsposter.pdf You're mixing things up and only looking on a local level.

Unfortunately, every state and every locality has different laws and what works in one location doesn't always work in others, so you have to be very careful about the 'free' advice that is given in online forums. 

Go to BUILD YOUR TEAM at the top of the screen and look for local investors or meetups in your area.

I’ve had to widen my search radius to smaller suburbs or target properties needing light cosmetic work to make the numbers work.Value-add opportunities: Adding amenities tenants love, like finished basements or upgraded kitchens, seems to justify rent premiums in this market.Navigating the competition:Be creative with financing: Seller financing or partnering with other investors has been helpful to secure deals when conventional offers didn’t cut it.Work with local agents and wholesalers: They often have their finger on the pulse of off-market opportunities, which is critical in a hot market.For those new to suburban Chicago investing, I’d say the key is finding the “sweet spot” neighborhoods—ones on the rise but not yet maxed out in price.