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.

Ask a local professional.I hear u .Either I settle or go to court on the 17 of January.

I am new to real estate investing and looking to connect with any local investor.

If you’re wondering how much equity you’ve built or how you can use it to meet your goals, connect with a local real estate agent to explore the possibilities.

I haven't read this page to see what's offered as conservation incentives, and then compared that against your local market prices for "junk" land.

A local Housing Commission needs a very good reason, with lots of paperwork, to exceed a limit.

Mine was also out of state, in a town I’d never visited, and I relied heavily on videos from my agent.This sounds like a tough first deal, but it seems like you have some capital on the side, which will be useful as you face the upcoming challenges and learn from those expensive early mistakes.Regarding the subject of this post, “help me adjust my expectations,” I’d recommend assuming that; repairs will cost twice as much as you estimate, maintenance and vacancy rates will likely double from your initial projections, there’s a very real chance you may lose money on this deal.That said, there are ways to mitigate these risks by:- Keep asking questions here on BP and connecting with local experts- Stay proactive and communicative with your agent and property manager.And remember “Inspect what you expect.”Im not trying to discourage you but to help reset your expectations.

Staying informed about local policies is critical.Opportunities to LeverageLess Competition: Many investors are sitting on the sidelines right now due to fear or uncertainty.

U can check out  ivyridgeestatescanby dot com for my 90 home project in Oregon that I did with my oregon bank and then my website for pictures of homes we built in Charleston SC which is the only market I tagged HML ( lima one) and only one time the rest were done with Ameris bank or Service first bank that is local in the market. its all about the three C's  Character Collateral and capacity..

I think if you set up your platform listings appropriately you will do well.You could also contact local wedding and event coordinators and make them aware of your listing.