If I understand you correctly, you got the eviction by the court.

If you want to do STR, you want to get as close to the PATH or light rail as possible.

I am admittedly a newb in the process of getting all of this set up for my first rental (so correct me if I'm wrong) as well but I have some IL-specific perspective to offer: From what I have read, as of 1 Jan 2024 in IL, landlords cannot exclusively accept EFT payment of rents (includes Venmo, Zelle, etc.) for leases starting on or after that date.

I only ask to be heard, and to hear my story and perhaps for the newer investors who are just starting out it can shed light on how hard this path can be.  

There is no other way to get correct comps unless you know an agent who knows how to really run comps.

Asking in the correct forum will get a better response.Read the RULES!

@Jonathan Greene I'm not sure what you mean by "most will not cash flow as an out-of-country investor" as it might suggest that the cash-flow of a given property has something to do with the nationality or residence of the owner but, in any case, you're absolutely correct that, historically, the net rental yields of LTRs in US cash-flow markets like the Mid-West have been typically higher than in the average European market, although that wouldn't be the case for many other US markets like California or New York.

Once the above skills and tools are acquired, understanding the sequential process of the development along its timelines and costs needs to be correctly implemented.

Please let me correct your first statement: Sellers "PAY" the buyer agent commission because that is most practical.

Correct me if I'm wrong but VRBO is very clunky and not very host friendly.