I would discount rents lower than the competition as a way to attract tenants.

Going into another market won't help, thinking California has more competition or more stubborn sellers isn't the case.   

The problem you'll find in Atlanta, and I imagine Houston as well, is that those are very competitive markets which means it will be hard to find brrrr'able (yes I just made that up) deals.

Get in front of your competition while you can—and build a multigenerational income machine!

NO.This is just something else for you to have to maintain and repair.More people looking for rentals than rentals available,  so you don't need them to be competitive. 

Still fairly expensive, but a lot less competition.

Columbus has been blowing up and becoming a very competitive market in recent months.

There’d be more competition!

And then there was the business from posting on bigger pockets (this was back when I would post "projected rents from the subject property can be counted as income at 75% of value" and people would be amazed, lol, I also did a bunch of cash out refis for REI with >4 financed properties, right after the guideline change allowing it flew under the radars of 99% of the competition, giving me and a small minority of others a pseudo-monopoly -- know your guidelines!)

What states or towns do you have a competitive advantage in already?