We've gone through and vetted the local vendors to make sure the person inspecting it isn't going to just "look for work" as this very common in these industries.

A great way to network and meet people in your local community is to attend in person meet ups.

I’m not a professional in acquisition or financing, but I’ll share some thoughts from my personal experience.Building Codes and Zoning Ordinance: research your local zoning laws and building codes.

They will even hold your mail and allow you to pick it up locally.

Join a local real estate investment association REIA, and go to their meetings.

Verify this information with a local broker or appraiser for extra protection.

Both are unincorporated places without local control and STR rules set by the county.  

Finally, in the event that the rental market underperforms, have a clear exit strategy in place, such as selling the property.Hope this helps!

Is there any benefit from local companies?

In my case, I fall into the latter - I only invest locally therefore the Nashville market is the best for two reasons.1 - I sell real estate in Nashville and I have an incentive for you to choose this market.2- I know absolutely nothing about the other markets mentioned in your post.