Don't limit yourself to an aircraft in a specific geographic region. Do some research and decide what it is you want/need (I'm talking about the aircraft) and then start shopping nationwide. Trade-a-Plane is a good source to see what's out there and what the market price is. Using a broker on your first aircraft purchase may not be a bad idea either.

I've made several spreadsheets for boat ownership that could modified for aircraft ownership. Let me know if you want it.