I'm happy to talk through some options and what this area has to offer. 

:) I also have an amazing, local lender connection that offers hard money, DSCR, and other investment loans.

It's so contentious that even if I offered her 10k more than net, she'd tell the court to sell them, just because she knows it would hurt me.Anyone ever been through this it have advice?

So, many have to be pushed into allowing them and then have "memory problems" or "forget" to tell the other occupants.This is the NUMBER ONE REASON for no showings until accepted offer.

A lot of sellers who offer this kind of deal know full well that the tenant is VERY unlikely to correct their situation and be able to get a loan to close the deal even 2 years later.

(I get this is property-specific but asking more generally for now)Areas I should be focusing on in NY/NJ?

This is a great forum with very knowledgeable members that will help to guide you in the right direction.There are some pretty cool discounts on various products and services offered as Perks to BP members that you might want to check out: https://www.biggerpockets.com/perks/pro

Many markets outside of Orange County and out of state offer investment properties between $100K-$200K. 

If anyone could help me get a mortgage or point me in the right direction, I would really appreciate it.Hello Rico,You could try to find homes where the seller is willing to offer seller financing or rent to own terms so you do not require a bank loan.We do a lot of creative financing deals in several different markets.Feel free to reach out with questions. 

I want to buy my first property in the Atlanta metro as I plan on moving there for a PhD next year and am specifically looking at multifamily homes but I am having trouble finding good deals.