We are not particularly probe to weather events, although we do get the occasional hurricane scare every few years. 

I am in the FL market but occasionally make my way up to that part of the country.

I'm on their mailing lis and occasionally I see good deals from them.

however, i am keenly aware that certain types of investment schemes (for lack of a better word) tend to end badly....occasionally with out of state investors holding the bag with a loan they've guaranteed on a house that is truly worth maybe half of what the appraisal says (btw, i am not a fan of appraisals...).  

For days after the storm hit we saw next to zero MLS activity other than maybe the occasional price change.

Some more information would be helpful: -Are you looking to avoid cold and snowy conditions entirely, or are you ok with cold rain and maybe the occasional snow storm? 

I could definitely use it for REI....I made certain to pick one that was going to be useful...hoping that it could be a good compliment to REI, or vice versa.I havent looked into internships, because I do work now (farm mgmt and an occasional flipper).

An occasional accident if a pet is ill is one thing, but purposely leaving a pet behind with no option to go to the bathroom other than on your floors is completely unacceptable behavior.However, we may be jumping the gun here because maybe they have someone coming over after work or something to take care of the dog. 

I hear about some lenders that make a good amount of money from just charging people high fee but only occasionally delivering a loan.- Get the list of all expenses in writing upfront.

I personally have rentals here in Houston, the cash-on-cash return and appreciation are steady.You need a team of local professionals like property managers, contractors, agents etc.A local Investor-Agent can help shorten your learning curve and save you a lot of headaches as they tend to understand the market better.You should select a market that will meet your investment goals.Here are four key reasons why investors purchase rental property out of state:Invest in geographic areas with population and job growth is strong.Diversify a rental property portfolio with markets that best match your investment strategy.Focus on the type of returns you’re looking for, such as maximum cash flow, high appreciation, or total yield over the targeted holding period.Operating expenses are lower in markets with fewer regulations, lower property taxes, and landlord-friendly laws.Finally, as mentioned earlier, it's crucial to build a great network of professionals to help you and to occasionally visit your property yourself.All the best!