You will not be able to get a Conventional (Fannie/Freddie) loan with the LLC holding title.

Consider looking into FHA or conventional loans with lower down payments to maximize your cash.

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.

Conventional loan How did you add value to the deal?

Is this using a 20% down, conventional or DSCR loan, although I would think a first time investor would use a conventional loan.

Meet with a local banker & schedule a time to talk with a mortgage broker, they'll give you at least a baseline of what kind of down payment options and rates are out there.After that, if you're still wanting to research more creative options, do some looking into seller financing (a very hot topic with good, and bad, advice out there), look into private lenders, and commercial financing options.If you're wanting to live in 1/4 of your quadplex, then conventional residential loans may in fact be your best option as you can purchase that with a fannie/freddy loan with very low down, and use up to 75% of the income from the property toward your own income. 

I will be on the sessions for Momentum, as well as attending the PassivePockets convention and BPCON myself so maybe we will cross paths.

I'm not an loan officer, but I know some banks locally like ORNL Credit Union have offered a 0% down conventional loan product.

I met Matt Scott about 4 years ago at a real estate convention.

Conventional non-owner occupied. 25% down.