Also, do hard money lenders vary from states?

Permit eligibility is based on region (usually the west side of town) and density (quantity of surrounding STR's in the area) as well as percentage of landscaping and minimum parking requirements. 

I’m based in Utah and plan to invest in long-term rentals in UT, OK, and/or TX.

I would encourage you to sit down with a couple of real estate salespersons and choose one based upon experience as well as knowledge of the area. 

The biggest key was understanding that It was more important to get on base then it is to hit a home run.

Based on your post, it's probably best for you to simply not invest in Cook County for your own peace of mind.Sure, any tenant could stop paying rent and that risk is never zero.

Building trust is not easy and don't trust someone just based on their word.

Quote from @Rafael Ramos: I’m Rafael, a business owner based in Florida, and I’m looking for some advice to craft the best real estate investment strategy.

Too many varying opinions with sound logic on both sides in this forum regarding traditional velocity banking.First position HELOC ... 

Even if rents are trending up, if your tenant base can't make ends meet, the asset won't perform.