It was uneventful, aside from all of us social distancing and wearing masks.

If I were to buy something here before moving, I would have to have someone manage it here locally, as I won't want to deal with the management from a distance while I'm learning how to be an officer. 

My commute did not change a single inch due to Covid. :-)Lastly, I'm from Arlington and have a number of friends in real estate throughout Northern VA; I'm sure a few would be willing to chat with you (with the understanding that you merely seek info and not looking to be recruited).

I guess wherever I can find the best deal...My company's HQ is in Round Rock but coming from Boston I am too familiar with a morning commute.

Great schools, driving distance to most to San Diego makes this a great place to invest.   1/2 the price of San Diego, strong rental market,  Newer area with lots of parks, newer infrastructure, etc.   

I do work a full time job (unrelated to real estate) however i spend most of my free time and my very long commute learning real estate. 

Many people want to have more space and due to commute changes with working remotely, many people are willing to go further out. 

The rail station will serve a planned 6 million square ft development dubbed as Uptown ATXCap Metro says the new station will provide a link to Austin’s “second downtown” and a connection to a “high-density, mixed-use development with a safe and walkable street grid.”Construction on the new commuter rail station is set to begin in September and be completed in the summer of 2022.https://austin.culturemap.com/...

The ticket price is high, yes, but with creative strategies like househacking and live-in flipping, even a newbie can their foot in the door of CA investing.Those are my two cents.And everything you need to know about out-of-state investing you'll find in David Greene's excellent book Long Distance Real Estate Investing.Good luck!

I have been able to narrow down my real estate goals and determined Long distance real estate is my focus.