Whether to buy a SFH or Apartment or Condo unit while investing out of state

[Megha Sharma]

I live in California (North Bay region) and I own a SFH here and I am planning to invest out of state. I have a budget of around $250k. I'am considering Arizona , Nevada or North Carolina for investment . Which among three ( townhouse or condo or SFH) is better for appreciation and cash flow and property management will cost low among three? I'am considering these states as property tax and tax are low in the states and my husband did his graduation from Arizona and Nevada is closer to where i live and North Carolina is in my mind without any specific reason:) .

I and my husband does not have any relatives or friends in any of the states, so we don't have pretty much any idea about the market in any of the states. We are doing  online research about the market and decided t invest in these three states, and if we find any good deals we may invest another $200k in the market in the coming months. Is it a good idea to buy a duplex as a first investment or different real estate properties ?