Like to get 2-3 comparable quotes at purchase rate if possible. 

A lot of us have focused on Philly in the past year because the deals are better comparatively and the options are pretty vast to house hack there or invest in multi if you understand the city dynamics and blocks.

.• Overall vacancy rate of 2.4% compares to the stabilized rate of less than 2%.• With recent demand, asking market rent growth is soaring, to its highest level in 20 years at 12.9%.• More than half of San Diego submarkets recorded double-digit rent growth and asking market rents have grown by an average of 17% YOY ($2,600/month).• The current pipeline of 7,300 units will be unlikely to apply much upward pressure on regional vacancy rate.

We don’t know any PMCs to recommend in the orange county area mentioned, but since selecting the wrong PMC is usually more harmful than selecting a bad tenant, you might want to read our series about “How to Screen a PMC Better than a Tenant”:https://www.biggerpockets.com/member-blogs/3094/91877-how-to-screen-a-pmc-better-than-a-tenant-part-1-services-and-processesWe recommend you get management contracts from several PMCs and compare the services they cover and, more importantly, what they each DO NOT cover.

I have no idea what I'm doing as I've never used a CRM before, so I can't compare it to anything.

So, find comparable units and figure out how long they sit on the market.

Check Airbnb and compare your potential STR to the listed rentals and get an idea of your location and price point. 

I'd compare coverages and narrow down from there based on what you want and can get.  

I started looking OOS to other recommended markets but realized prices in my market are still relatively low when compared to other areas, meaning in the $225,000-$325,000 range for 3-4 units but there’s not much inventory.

It's like musical chairs and this will keep driving prices until the market finds an equillibirium between supply and demand, which all free markets will do over time, but since supply and demand are not that flexible it has to be price that will reduce demand until we are balanced.Milwaukee is also seeing a little bit of an increase in imigration due to climate change: smoke, fires, drought, hurricanes, floods, fresh water - in combination with remote work and low cost of housing compared to most of the country.