Question:  Do you either a.) research macro and then dive in looking for smaller markets/sub markets or b.) hit the ground first in the "hot market" and then find support on a larger scale ? 

Some of the time it is better to start smaller rather than dive in with a bunch of cash.

Anyway, best of luck to you in this market of limited supply and, at the moment, profoundly deep buyer interest when something (off-market) gets people's attention.

I am a complete newbie to Real Estate and for the past month have taken a deep dive into acquiring knowledge and educating myself on the basics. 

So many people just dive in without a plan for how to cover costs that can (AND WILL) occur.

Diving headfirst into something with you are unfamiliar with can be treacherous.

@Sean White, that's truly jumping in the deep end of real estate investing.

A couple weeks later our family home, and our financed furniture, sat full of **** water 5ft deep for over a week during Hurricane Harvey.

So I'm gonna educate, research, and maybe dive into a buy and flip deal. who knows@Lindsay Brake Honestly the healthcare part is DEFINATELY a huge reason why I'm gonna do the full career.

He didn't even post it for the first 2 months insisting it needed things like deep cleaning (I'd just finished windexing every inch of the floor the previous week), that the stove didn't work (I paid $100 for the plumber to tell me his cleaner had unplugged it), and more supplies (in the end, I was charged for 3 bathmats).