The minimal $2,000 renovation budget presented a low-risk opportunity.

The Pin Oak Dr deal taught us valuable lessons and presented challenges.

Hey @Tom Brown - I'd echo @Paul De Luca and recommend @Samuel Pavlovcik, but also through out @Prashanth Mahakali...both are awesome Chicago architects and good friends.Things have changed with the City of Chicago, but probably not enough...whichever architect you work with just make sure that they are self certified which can drastically speed up the process.What neighborhood is your property in?

Financial Preparation: Determine how much you can afford to invest and evaluate your present financial status.

Quote from @James De Stefano: Pretty wild, thanks for the knowledge about "limited" fixed rate mortgages. 

Quote from @Ryan Davies: Most work this way: Rates: 9% to 13% (Most Deals are 11-12%)Terms: up to 36 Months (Most Deals are 6-12 months)Fees: 2-4 points(%) of loan amount paid at closing (Most Deals are 3 points(%))Minimum Loan Amount: $50,000 (For loans less than $250,000 we charge $2,500 minimum)Max Loan: 65%-70% of After Repair Value(ARV) 100% Rehab Financing Available (Require 20% of purchase price down payment or cross-collateral)Closing Timeframe: 48 Hours - 3 Weeks (Most Deals are 2 WeeksWe have private lending partners throughout the entire United States that cover the following states: AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY.

@Mark C. for full anonymity, you'd need a Wyoming or Delaware LLC, but that can get expensive and complicated.

The financial model presented seems overly pessimistic.

I am looking for an investor friendly agent that could help me start in the east coast ( PA, NJ, MD, DE) within 1.5 hour drive from Philly.

The $11,000 renovation budget presented a clear opportunity to add value.