If you can arrange a visit to see how the tenant is taking care of their current place, that will open your eyes as well.

I'm visiting for the holidays so would love to do a coffee chat if anyone is up for it! 

If anyone in the forum is interested, send me  DM, I'd post it here just not sure if BP will allow it.I visited and like everyone felt in love with the country.

I'll be visiting the area in two weeks to check in on progress.   

Hey Deirdre,To address your questions:Providing freedom by handling day-to-day operations.Offering peace of mind through proactive maintenance and tenant communication.Reducing risks by staying ahead of legal requirements, tenant screening, and dispute resolution.Enhancing the bottom line by identifying cost-saving opportunities while ensuring tenant satisfaction to reduce turnover.Is the experience still important when the property thrives financially?

I'm looking for advice on whether I should purchase my father-in-law's 6 unit apartment in Burien, WA (10 minutes south of Seattle) as my first deal, or perhaps help find him a seller that would pay more than I could and is a couple years ahead of me in REI. 

You are probably better off going with one that has a branch you can visit and get to know the management.

What would be a good actionable for you now is to visit open houses in areas you think you like and starting talking with Listing Agents at those homes.

If an in-person visit is not feasible, we can easily arrange video tours to accommodate your schedule.

Chicago has such a great investing community compared to most places in the US I have visited!