First Time Investor Trying to Determine Location

[Keith Chew]

Hello, 

I am new investor looking to get started. I have spent the last year working two jobs to save money and at the same time improve my credit. I live in Tampa, FL but have been wanting to buy my first investment property in Tennessee or North Carolina. My family has been taking trips up there for years to ski on the mountains and to raft on the rivers. We always have rented a cabin and I was hoping I could buy a place and possibly rent it out as a vacation rental. So my question is, is an out of state vacation rental too much for a first time investor and if so should I stick a little closer home?

Thanks