I'd recommend looking at costs. your build cost is going to be well over other homes because of the fixed costs like slab, Hvac, roof, etc. check the market drivers and weight the benefits of short term versus long term. long term is no furniture and help pays mortgage but at this size it doesn't really cover everything. we didn't find a lot of economies of scale in single family detached. can you build more than one unit?

Actually, they took the dictionary definition and broke up each of the requirements as if they were different ways to invest.

It is possible to utilize low down payment loans and live in great neighborhoods in Chicago Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

A DSCR loan is going to require more down, have high fees at closing, a higher interest rate, a pre-payment penalty, and will require you to have cash reserves that you likely don't have at the moment.

@Max Briggs I would recommend checking out the landlord resources tab on BiggerPockets.  

If anyone has recommendations for what they've been using and like, we would appreciate it greatly as well as any tips you may have for us!

I personally would recommend the last method.

Zoning and Permits: Make sure to check the zoning laws and permit requirements for building an ADU in the area. 4.

Since you’re building from the ground up, a hard money loan can be a great option because traditional banks tend to be slow and have stricter requirements for new construction.

I’d recommend using Excel or a tool like Trello or Notion to track what you need, compare deals, and stay on budget.