Looking forward to building these relationships!

Building permits, a leading indicator of future construction activity, were up by 1.5% to 1.80 million units.Rent costs rising over the past few years could finally be hitting the consumer's wallet in that they are becoming weaker and unable to afford higher rents.Also, looking at the housing starts data, new supply may be entering the market finally, causing prices to drop as consumers have more options. 

If you're looking to invest long term and build a portfolio, I'd recommend going with a 2-4 unit and take advantage of the VA financing.

Build - rent - refinance - repeat 

Make sure to do your market research, budget for renovations, talk to other investors/agents, and build a relationship with a lender to secure financing and get advice.

Practice market research, property analysis, building a team, and starting small.

Namely, there is 2 major factors, price and TERMS.

Zoning ordinances, building codes, and ADU rules are all hyper local, so I would suggest you get an architect involved to help sort through everything.

:) I think the most important aspect of OOS investing is building a reliable and trusted team in the area.

However, I'm curious about your approach: What factors would you weigh when deciding between managing your own property versus hiring a professional management service?