hurt chances?

What new row houses are you looking at? Even the new row houses prefer guys from the South, but they are open to taking northerners. Just depends if they like you or not. You have a shot at any new row house, whether you get a bid is all up to you.

just don't be a goober

Old row is not out of the question. New row will say this so that you don't shop and compare. Out-staters generally come in clueless. There is a reason that most in-staters, given a choice, go old row. KA doesn't do northerners. Other than that, it's wide open. Don't sell yourself short. I didn't. And damn glad.

Fraternities don't care about legacy status.
If you're OOS, forget about Old Row.
Plenty of New Row fraternities take OOS, and they have just as much - or more - fun as Old Row.

Everything is open to you at this point so do not approach it with a closed mind. Yes, a lot has to do with where you are from and it helps to be a legacy, but there are a number of people who have neither and are in old row houses. OOS really does not hurt you for old row, but being out of the south will not be in your favor. There are plenty of old row guys not from Alabama but probably about 97% or more of old row is from a former confederate state. However there was a Dke from NJ a few pledge classes ago. Regardless of where you are from, or if you are a legacy, you will find a house that is a perfect fit for you if you start contacting rush chairman of each house now. Register with UA IFC and get the contact info for each house from them. Contact them all by calling/texting and prob follow up with email. They will give you a list of rush events for their house and make sure you attend what you can. As long as you are confident and put yourself out there then you will find a great fraternity. Don't approach it with the mindset that certain ones are off limits to you. Honestly, you just have to go for it. Good luck and welcome to UA!

Not at all really. It would help if you had a roommate or some connection beforehand, but really just reach out via email and try to seem as cool as you can be. Most rush chairs, if they're reasonable, will respond and at least make an effort to feel you out, and that comes from all but the most selective (read: legacies, basically) of fraternities.