I think it was a double whammy when the fed rate was boosted from nothing to 5-5.25 and the fed was also selling a bunch of the bonds they had bought before to drive mortgage rates down. 

Thats just going to create a larger buyer pool for existing homes which will drive up those prices (and inflation) but not really address the lack of new construction going on.

Premium increases are rippling through the market; the state is also always going to be financially strapped/high tax due to union pension commitments from past generations and the high tax, high services nature of Chicago.I'd highly recommend getting on a plane and driving around before you buy anything there. 

The interactions were mainly me sending places I wanted to go look at, and making offers with very little guidance from them, ultimately only to lose out on the bid.All in all, I've learned that being this early in my investing journey, I need an agent who is not only familiar with investing (or is an investor) but will reciprocate the same dedication and drive. 

A few tactics that come to mind are: - creating a single listing page (landing page) that captures contact info - paid social ads that drive to the single listing page What's the perfect use case for a single listing page?

There are many factors beyond what AirDNA tracks that can significantly impact profitability, and that's what I’ve tried to account for in my own decisions.From my experience, Cancun is indeed more expensive in terms of operational costs.

They bought 72 houses in six months at the age of 23 and now drive their Lamborghini to their castle where they party with P-Diddy and drink champagne all day.

I would factor those expenses in when you are analyzing your potential profits and expenses.Pittsburgh is still a lot cheaper than VA and is a great place to start.

Im not sure exactly what to do but here is what I do: First I know my market really well which I think is the biggest factor in helping investors.

2.Yes, duplex expenses need to be prorated between the side you occupy and the side you rent out.3.Improvements generally need to be depreciated over 15 years, depending on the type and cost.4.Tax strategies depend on factors like property type, participation level, and your goals.5.Depreciation for a long-term rental is over 27.5 years, starting when the property is “placed in service.”