Instead, start by sharing why you’re interested and ask questions to understand the seller’s motivation like, ‘Why do you think it hasn’t sold yet?’

I would do some updates and add some color on the walls and maybe throw pillows etc.

LA City here~How do you market your rental to insurance companies directly for temporary home placement?

When you say a live revenue manager, what do you mean by that? 

I personally haven't done this but I have helped clients do it in the past.Hit me up if you're interested!

There's zero reason to do this when there are plenty of options to avoid it. 

Suggest you do the same (even if they are two page documents).

Quote from @Tom Hall: My mortgage rate is very high  and I would like to pay some of it off, so that my monthly payments would go down a bit, I dont know if it is financial smart to do it or not?

So rather than overemphasizing WHICH market to chose, emphasize finding the right mentor/coach/team because it is possible to fail in a good investment market when you do not know what you are doing and to succeed in a more challenging market when you do know what you are doing. 

So, you are not at limiting your self when buying a new property.