Here are a few suggestions on how you can maximize the wealth of information available: Check out the blogs and podcasts, or take advantage of the search feature (magnifying glass).

If the change has occurred and buyers are now doing this, surprised not discussed more  You as the buyer is paying for the agents commission one way or another , either by a higher sales price , or by cutting a check to your agent . 

Make sure you are using the estimated taxes shown at the Stark auditors site to check on them for next year as there are some significant increases coming!  

Yep for one especially in the early stages a hard credit pull would not be useful, just have them do soft checks for the time being and opt out of credit solicitation: www.optoutprescreen.com I could be biased... that said typically working with one lender than can help regardless of where you're looking and having a relationship with that will provide the easiest and most cost effective route long term. 

Check out the Straight Up Chicago Investor Podcast. 

You need lease and deposit check at closing so the property has to be move in ready not a rehab.

Just want to double check I'm not going to run into any issues.

Check the setbacks, landscaping and parking requirements for your project.  

As someone who has read Harry Potter, it seems the best way to get the attention of the landlord is to send a scary looking giant to their home residence with a kindly worded letter.More seriously, I was on the other side of the coin previously where my wife put the ads up under her accounts instead of mine, so I couldn't check them without getting on her phone and I was inundated with people looking to see the property (probably 50 over a 5 day period) and was trying to send semi-personalized notes to each one--and it all ended up being too much to handle and I ended up ghosting or not replying to many people after I found an applicant. 

Go check the BBB page for Auction King.