I'm an operations manager for the biggest craft beer distributor in the country and love it but have always been interested in becoming an investor.

There's a great post that @Llewelyn A. just wrote about those investing in the NYC area and our rents (and appreciation) vs. other areas of the country which is so good and well written all I need to do is point you to it and you can read it for yourself.  

I know it's no longer a get rich quick industry but my goals inthis is to make a decent living, more country less city life for my kids and not dealing with customers anymore!

@Ali Boone, I'm looking at cities in Eastern Pennsylvania, specifically right now Scranton has my interest.  

The smaller portfolio seller is moving out of the country, so hopefully that equates to "motivation" on selling.Thanks for the input.

Flooding, tornadoes, earthquakes, snow and ice storms, wildfires etc, - disasters happen all over the country.  

Treble stumpage.. and this can be BIG dollars and no defense for it.. case law in timber country is solid in this regard. 

So I'm in the process of buying a home in Newberg, OR (wine country) that I intend to turn into my first STR and I'm coming up against a really ridiculous permitting process.

He went above and beyond and video taped every house we looked at while were out of the country! 

The zip codes you mentioned are some of the hottest zip codes in the entire country and finding a multi-unit will be very difficult.