I will be in the southwest region of the chicagoland area.

@Alan TarttIf you don't get any specific referrals here, make a list of 20-30 local regional banks and credit unions and start calling.  

@David Bahr I do invest in the region.

I like to buy few rental properties outside Toronto.

There is a little red tape with the rental license in Duluth, but all major cities in the Midwest have them - it common in the region anyway.

Both of my condos are A/B+ class and in the fastest growing part of the fastest growing county in the region.

If the loan amount is large enough it may qualify for Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae agency debt or contact your local\regional bank for loan products.2) Ask the listing broker if they can provide a submarket report from ALN, CoStar, or YardiMatrix. 

I've previously lived in San Francisco and am currently based in Toronto, Canada.

I've been investing in Montreal for the past 5 years and have recently moved to Toronto.

These Toronto investors think cashflow is like a unicorn, so show them some cash-flowing partnership deals that you can run in Sarnia and they'll be dumb not to buy in.