I'm a local real estate broker, investor, and manager (100+ rentals, mostly Airbnb/STR and multifamily).House hacking is a tried-and-true method and in Sacramento you can produce some meaningful income while enjoying the appreciation and tax benefits of owning real estate.

I have tried local governments sites with little luck. 

She doesn’t need local family to manage it. 

Since you're open to markets beyond NYC, you might want to connect with local investor meetups or REI groups in those areas to build relationships with agents, wholesalers, and lenders who understand the nuances of each market.If you're looking to break out of analysis paralysis, maybe start by narrowing down one or two target markets and running numbers on actual deals.

I'm a local real estate agent and would love to help you out on making this deal work.

He can spend the next few years-ish getting a finance degree through an online school while working part time, but he just got offered a full time position helping with sales for a local wholesale real estate company. 

He used to be a regular presenter at one of the local REIAs.

If you want to network or ask specific questions about your local market, go to your local real estate forum and connect with investors from your area: https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/86-local-real-estate-networking5.

Hey Juliann - Reach out to local investor-friendly realtors and GC's.

I am local here in Oklhoma