If you think about it in any industry less transparency and more friction in the transaction will increase fees/commission vs reducing them.I like the idea as an investor of having different agents, a team of agents maybe 3-4 bringing me deals, but I think less of that will happen now as all will have to have you sign some kind of agreement up front. 

So my perspective on how to get started may be different than others who are professional wholesalers (100% of what they do is wholesale).

The difference is they are stuck with a certain asset as we are seeing.

We have seen maintenance costs skyrocket over the past 2-3 years and every case is different but here are some general guidelines for reputable (non-crackhead) investor level pricing in our area of operations:Furnace and A/C replacement with lineset for standard 3 bed 1 bath bungalow.

What is the best overall water metering company you have found when it comes to ease of installation, reliability, and the cost of the equipment and monitoring?

Choosing the right lender for a HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit) can make a huge difference depending on your goals.

So, when investing in areas they don’t really know, investors should research the different property Class submarkets.

The energy in person is different for me, and I've made some of my best connections and friends at Chicago meetups.Here is a list of the Chicago event from BP: https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/521-real-estate-events-...I also have a list of ALL THE CHICAGO MEETUPS that I am happy to share with you. 

Some have pointed out the fallacy that to be licensed in some way is different upon the operation. 

A 1031 exchange would allow you to move into better properties in different locations while indefinitely deferring all tax on gain and depreciation recapture.