If not an event, what else could I do to reach out locally to start building these relationships?

Some things I wish I would've done sooner:- Find out the requirements for each local MLS you intend to join. 

I understand that investing outside of my local area may require partnering with someone on the ground who has experience and knowledge of the specific market.Once again, thank you both for sharing your valuable perspectives and advice.

Well, I will tell you how I did it (or you can just listen to me on the podcast in my signature below).I spent a career working in local government.

Enhance your networking capabilities and build connections by participating in local gatherings and becoming a member of Facebook groups.

As a local investor and agent here in Columbus, let me know if you have any questions or want to connect!

My broker's property management company is local to the area and very familiar and comfortable with this product type if you want hands off management.

Does anyone know of any people who have successfully navigated building an ADU on their property locally? 

I watched the recent Berkshire annual meeting, and my personal takeaway isn’t to invest in CD’s, although parking cash is another matter.

Probably going to be hard to get financing in the United States for this - I would look to private money or something local in Mexico