I have called my local credit unions and I can't borrow against the house because It has already been gutted and is deemed uninhabitable.

Yep check BP and Meetup.com or Eventbrite for local meetups @Baron Wheeler

well if I ever make it to the Smokies to see what the draw is  I will rent a condo then :)  I am just guess but I suspect folks that go there want to be in the woods and hear the birds and maybe some local mtn views etc.. or some sort of privacy they never get at home out east were there is not very much public lands close to where they live in the big city. ????

Thanks Sarah, I don’t see much house hacking going on in Essex or Dundalk in terms of listings on Zillow or FB so my concern would be finding professional adult roommates that want to house share in that area. i’ve been following a lot of the midterm rental groups in Facebook and the consensus is that contracts have decreased significantly and hospitals are using more local labor pools.

Here are some practical steps and strategies to consider:## Single Family and Small Multifamily HomesWhen looking at single-family and small multifamily homes in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, make sure to analyze the local market trends, rental yields, and property appreciation rates.

Successful BRRRRs are challenging enough to do local to you.  

Instead you will cash flow right out of the gate and appreciation is faster in those states with TLC properties or adding things like an ADU, or Carriage home on a bigger lot.Most of my investors that live in CA purchase in those states listed above and in most cases its easy to introduce them to local Seasoned realtors Contractors, Handy Men/Women that can help them save money and feel secure about the distance from home to REI.

My only recommendation is you go with someone local to where you are.

That sure is a pretty looking bridge, I hope the local people find it to be a very useful thing.

I am a local Realtor in Indianapolis, IN (which is landlord friendly) and I'm happy to answer any questions you may have!