This was about 20 mins from where we live and since to city of Laurel is primarily a rental (vs owner) concentrated city, getting tenants would not have been too much of a hassle How did you finance this deal?

I am currently a junior business marketing major with a concentration in professional sales at Samford University.

Red Bank is opposed to multi family which is odd given the concentration of it within the city. 

Most of the eight metros are on the coast where there is a high concentration of condos.

As of right now I rather concentrate on the market I am currently at.

MAG7 is a worse portfolio concentration than a 15,000 sq ft in Chicago.You want to possibly use one of your STRs to vacation at.  

Regardless of socio-economic status, a significant proportion of wealth is concentrated in prime real estate, especially in these areas.

i have seen many do very well getting on a team.Myself personally I would concentrate on listings 1000%  Buyers only if well knownand wont waste your time. 

Avoid areas with high vacancy rates or declining property values, often concentrated in certain inner-city neighborhoods.Since you’re out of state, building a local team is crucial.

Quote from @Dan Farsht: I am looking to connect with other hard money lenders in the upper Midwest (our business is currently concentrated in the Greater Milwaukee Area).