Choosing a market for your first investment should be as close to local as possible or you won't learn anything and will be too hands off.

Have you tried attending any FREE local real estate meet ups in your area?

I was thinking they could take care of things like research options for insurance, find contractors for repairs on rentals, intake tenant maintenance requests, assist with finding deals, and organize the documentation for each property.

If it's a commercial lender or portfolio lender or small local bank they may not care where it comes from.  

@Alex Rivera Jr.Depending on where you live starting out with a house hack is a great option locally.

Thank you.You will have to pay a little more if you go the HM route, and for the first one or two if you have a good local, conventional lender that will do that you would be okay, but HML are great for speed, efficiency, and some quirks, depending on the lender.It might also depend on your capital and how much you are wanting to spend on the first one.

Connect with fellow investors, mentors, and experts through local meetups, events, and online communities.

We were currently spending $850/mo for a local 1000 sqft garage space that was being used for storage and shop purposes.

Not sure if someone out there or a local company specializes in these type of transactions?

Educate yourself on the local market, network with other investors and agents, and always have a solid plan in place before making any investments.