I remember once I was in a nice area of ATL at a closing and the attornies office was hot I asked whats up he said his two condenser got stolen that night LOL.. its a very active sport out East of the rockies we just dont hear of this on the west coast..

A motivated seller could say anything to close.

Do you need cash flow from it for income or will light to no cash flow work if you can groundswell appreciation on a good asset?

The Property Manager usually does light cleaning and repairs between tenants.Recommendations or another way to think about this? 

I may have to Teak my strategy in light of the excellent advice you provide here, Henry.  

For the value add we're going to fix up the roads, add a nice sign and fence, replace mailboxes, add lights and fix some plumbing leaks.

The process of buying, getting a loan and settling to closing was extremely smooth.

We had a light rain last night, but today It's sunny. 

Single family or multifamily, flips or rentals, new developments in light areas or infill lots?

I’ve had to widen my search radius to smaller suburbs or target properties needing light cosmetic work to make the numbers work.Value-add opportunities: Adding amenities tenants love, like finished basements or upgraded kitchens, seems to justify rent premiums in this market.Navigating the competition:Be creative with financing: Seller financing or partnering with other investors has been helpful to secure deals when conventional offers didn’t cut it.Work with local agents and wholesalers: They often have their finger on the pulse of off-market opportunities, which is critical in a hot market.For those new to suburban Chicago investing, I’d say the key is finding the “sweet spot” neighborhoods—ones on the rise but not yet maxed out in price.