Ensuring you choose the right roommate is so important.

As a new investor, your story is a powerful reminder of how important it is for me to be meticulous in protecting my investments.

I think they contain solid information and will help lay a good foundation as a beginner (Haha, I'm completely new to real estate as well, btw)I'm also going to be reading the following books, and hopefully I can finish all by the end of this month:1) The ABCs of Property Management2) The Advanced Guide to Real Estate Investing3) Long-Distance Real Estate Investing How to Buy, Rehab, and Manage Out-of-State Rental Properties (this might be the most important one to me personally)4) The Book on Investing in Real Estate with No (and Low) Money DownIn addition to reading, I'm consuming crazy amounts of youtube videos, and I'recommend you do this as well.

But the stigma behind crime still exists, like any city, so it's important to screen tenants.

This has become increasingly popular after the suit settled 2024 with the National Association of Realtors regarding commissions and client representation.see article:  https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/15/economy/nar-realtor-commissio...Good luck!

You can find some absolute MTR gems near smaller hospitals that aren't so obvious but ultimately, housing supply in the area is something I'd say is more important coupled with your amenities.

You’ll want to get really familiar with local zoning laws, short-term rental rules, and landlord-tenant laws as they vary by town if you plan on going the STR route.Focus on Cash Flow Early On: You might be tempted to go for something that appreciates quickly, but in the early stages, it’s important to find properties that bring in cash flow.

A key lesson was the importance of balancing renovation costs with market expectations.

I don't necessarily need the standard features of pm software, such as rent collection, bookkeeping and maintenance requests, though that could help; but do need a clearinghouse of important information, such as leases, legal docs and other information; maintenance vendors I use; maintenance history; and some kind of tracking system, where I can record the various current projects I'm working on within the business.

That way you have a contract that is specific to your area and at the same time have an established relationship with an attorney in case anything ever comes up.If you want a boilerplate contract, I am happy to share some of ours, but they are more specific to Chicago/Illinois law.Here is a blog that we wrote on what should be included in your contract:This article is for educational purposes only.