My other strategy, which seems way too unwieldy and unfocused, has been to open Google Maps, and pick random cities that I have either heard of, or are adjacent to population centers or natural attractions (mountains, lakes, parks etc), and start looking at Zillow and comparing historical data for the props I see listed to try to gauge where we might be on the bell curve of appreciation.

I provide my customers with data/comps tailored to potential properties they are looking to purchase but I wanted to see if there is anything else you look for?

If you don't have access to a broker just yet then Reonomy is the next best thing. it does cost around $500/mo least i checked and you can only download 500 leads per month but the data is rich and accurate and you can get super granular on what asset type you're looking for.

@Sokhna Wade This is the deal analysis spreadsheet; I've tweaked it to make it work for me:https://bit.ly/3EAhMm8Complete all of the Purple Boxes with your property's data and it will crunch the numbers.

Generally, the Bigger Pockets calculator can serve as a starting point for all the data points and metrics you want to be familiar with. 

You can find a deal with 10-15 mins a day of work... get up a little earlier than normal, have some coffee, check Zillow/Realtor/whatever you use for MLS searches and keep a spreadsheet with home data on it to monitor trends until you find something you want to make an offer on.

They are requiring proof for entry to sporting events and other activities. 

@Caroline Broderick I wouldn't limit where I look for properties based on whether or not the data will be reported to the CAD.

Once you have all of that data you can also text/email it to them. 

Or better yet - find a successful  investor and try to work with them in some entry  level to learn the business.