These properties are located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in a C neighborhood and finding a renter in the late-fall, early-winter months could be difficult.

We're entering the winter sales season are you prepared to hold until spring?

BP is cool and fun to ask questions but this is not nearly enough to learn it all.

But in this area "irrigation" water is free but it gets shut off for the winter in the middle of October.  

Any special rules for landlords in winter time in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois like ashing walkways or puting salt on those?

I like m-m's and have a few that have gone on for over a decade that way.Here in the north, coming up vacant in the middle of winter is never a good idea.  

Sounds like a fun situation.

It's all fun!

It's been fun :)As far as buying a home vs the investment properties, here's my personal recommendation!

Some landlords tried including electric, gas, cable, internet with the rent to the students... students loved it, landlords got clobbered, because students were now leaving all the lights on, their windows open in the winter with the heat on, etc and the electric/gas bills skyrocketed which now the landlord was paying.