Take your time, be patient, and surround yourself with a great team...

Currently I am trying to dial in what the real estate market really entails for me locally (as I'm still measuring my comforts with investing further away) and whether or not I should jump in or continue to be patient.  

CA RE will always be a good bet as long as you are patient and stay on the opposite side of what everyone else is doing.

I’m patient and will look at other markets if needed.

It can be tough to be patient, but it's much better to wait and find an actual good deal than to tie up your time and money in a bad one when a good one might be around the corner.4) there are always deals to find.

Make sure you stay patient and wait for the right applicant who fits your rental criteria. 

If you are patient and can pull the trigger fast (and I mean same day) you can wait for something to pop up in those other areas but they will go FAST.

You need to be patient and disconnected as things don't always work out, but when they do, it can be a great opportunity!

Craigslist.com is an excellent resource for distressed sellers.Marketing yourself as a cash buyer with signs, targeted letters, etc.Be patient with sellers and always present them the option to owner finance, Real Estate is scary to the non-entrepreneur.Good Luck grabbing deals!

So just be wise and patient.