I drop them and use a competent local RE agent, who did a great job.   

I live in Tacoma, WA…a lot of folks don’t want to deal with having to learn the local housing laws.

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.

I want to remain local in NJ or at most drive down 1hr to PA (self-manage or, last resort, hire a PM)However, I must also consider maintaining reserves, a safety net for my primary home, and an emergency fund.It's just hard for a new investor now :(

Find the best local real estate investor meetups that have no pitches and you will increase your knowledge, camaraderie, and motivation ten-fold.

I figured the PM would definitely be local to the area of the property and would need different PM's for each area, those were just the areas I'd like to invest in. 

—it’s also about reliability, attention to detail, and someone who just “gets” your space and your guests’ expectations.Do you have any hidden gems, local recommendations, or tips to share?

Are you going to continue your investing locally? 

Sec. 8 works well in some markets and it can be a premium and successful for locals who own a bunch of them and run them with an iron fist..

Focus on saving, building your credit, and connecting with local investors.