On top of everything was a plastic sleeve with an old-timey baseball card in it of some dude named Joe Doyle.

Quote from @Joe Vesey: I assume you are in the Metro? 

But if you are a cost conscious landlord you would say, "But wait, the opener is only $200... you are telling me the labor to install a replacement garage door opener is $600!??!?"  

Bottom line, this type of activity will cost 3-6k a week in labor, and materials are above that. 

I rack up all my rehab expenses other than labor with my no interest for a year credit cards or cash back credit cards.

@Eli Joffe the most general but applicable advice in your situation is to start focusing on high cash-flow properties with low equity growth potential in the beginning in order to have the cash to boot strap.Once you have a few properties under your belt, then start phasing in nicer homes which tend to be lower cash-flow with higher equity growth potentialThe former helps you boot-strap using more labor and the latter helps build wealth more passively and with less tenant struggles.

Is the developer/GC providing materials and labor to the partnership at his cost? 

Quote from @Joe Villeneuve: Quote from @Marcus Auerbach: Fear (not financing) is one of the biggest danger with REI.

@Joe C.

I also know @Joe Mueller and @Mark Ainley are on the NW side of the city.If you are looking for other Chicago meetups here is a good resource:  https://www.straightupchicagoi...