I agree with @Jo-Ann LapinThe Inland Empire in great, strong blue color towns are the best option for you.

I have a strong history in sales and customer service and can't wait to use my skills and motivation to help me to succeed in this industry.

Strong.

Some interesting stats (and signs of a very strong real estate market) in this report published by the Pinellas Realtor Organization.I'm definitely seeing a very strong seller's market in St Pete, at all price points, as both an investor and Realtor.Thoughts?

Also, as Todd mentioned, it's important to do you due diligence and have strong partners locally.Happy investing!

And ironically, there's a very strong argument for the macro playing a much bigger roll in price appreciation or depreciation.  

While I Am strong believer in taking action you also have to understand why you are going to pursue whatever you decide on what you want to do.

(Note: I'm glossing over some finer points here, such as the possibility of using a certain kind of trust to achieve estate/tax planning goals, but again this really gets into a legal area as there are important differences between different kinds of trusts and you really want to understand what you're doing if you deal with trusts; if that appeals to you I'd strongly suggest consulting with an attorney, especially if your dad has assets he wants to protect from liabilities which could result from your real estate activities.)

Your offer will be contingent upon financing, not as strong as a cash offer.  

I strongly believe that buying a rental investment makes the most sense for me if it is located as close as possible to where I live.