I love that you have specific goals for 2025 - I believe if we think it, write it, say it, and share it our goals are 10x more likely to come to fruition.Are you able to do option 2 and just house hack a 2-4 unit building and use a renovation loan which allows you to put down 3.5-5%I highly suggest getting to some local chicago meetup groups (we have an in person one on the 17th)...here is BPs list: https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/521-real-estate-events-...I also have a full list of the chicago meetups that I can share with you too if that'd be helpful.

It explains the team that you should develop to have a strong foundation under you while investing remotely.https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/core-four-real-estate-team

Here is how to find such a CPA:https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/51/topics/1222774-expla...You probably (argh, can't help myself) noticed that I was pointedly talking about the initial year.

Here is an older thread discussing hours that do and do not count. https://www.biggerpockets.com/... 

@Nicholas Nakamurain order to be successful, you will need to build a network on the ground in Ohio with people you know and trust. buying a random property on the MLS in unknown condition based on other people looking at it, and putting it under management with people you have never met, will not work, and you will lose money.https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/963/topics/1195280-expe...https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/48/topics/1137397-balti...so - what's your plan? 

This is the 2nd thread recently where people espousing his teachings have had issues using sub2 (see the recent one here from someone who was warned about the high risk of the strategies he teaches about a year ago but said he should be trusted "because he had a TV show on A&E": https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/50/topics/1225630-due-o... can't make this stuff up).

I highly suggest you use our marketplaces to find trusted, investor-friendly team members: Tax Pro finder: https://www.biggerpockets.com/business/finder/tax-and-financ...Lender finder: https://www.biggerpockets.com/business/finder/lendersProperty manager finder (if you go that route and don't self manage): https://www.biggerpockets.com/business/finder/property-manag...

I might have got it from decades ago of listening to Nanci Griffith and other folk troubadours.)In case you wanted just a touch more detail on why pre-approval is not so bueno on VRBO (but for me, is fine on AirBnb), here's my old post on it:https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/530/topics/1223156-less...That 72-hour hold bites.

I suggest you enter private money goldmine in search botton at top right of the screen and read the previous posts....here is one that gives good perspective as well as a link to legitimate private lenders.http://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/92/topics/1488...

https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/521/topics/1224454-real...