I think renting a room is a good idea short-term if I choose to live in it any longer.

If you've got a complete cosmetic upgrade, a good area and all new major mechanicals, it's a route a lot of investors choose! 

Do you mean investors jumping on deals or more deals to choose from or both?

Identify Your Financial Stage (AKA raise your FICO Score)Choose a Specific Real Estate Investing Strategy (Wholesale, Fix and Flip, Buy and Hold, Fix to Rent, SFR, Multi fam, Commercial)Pick a Target Market Decide Your Investment Property Criteria (Numbers, Numbers, Numbers.

@Davis Doan Agents are good, however, I would choose to work with a PM to identify areas. 

What could be happening is some contractors are choosing to stay at home and those that are working might be using less people to spread out.

I've heard of others using the rent by the room strategy and if you choose to house hack that way, I would recommend making sure the numbers still work without rent by the room.

This is the other issue I have personally is choosing which I would like to have help me.

Choosing a non-profitable market where you have to chase down every $100.. now THAT was a bad idea.

Personally, I choose to invest in basic needs and one if not all of them will payout for me in the end.