I would also find a good GC to bring with you to verify rehab and dial that in. 

So my advice is to find you a successful mentor, find something to bring to the table and consistently get busy. 

Find something most everyone enjoys that is also unique to your community.

As far as meetups go, you can find a lot of local events posted here on BiggerPockets: https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/521-real-estate-events-...I also have a list of Chicago meetups that I can share with you as well.

Large apartment complexes flooded the market with inventory and are offering crazy incentives and amenities that crush the small landlord which can make finding a tenant challenging and often for less than market rent. 

Especially as i have aged i find hot weather less pleasant. 

I find when I do this, especially in a domain I know well, it will say things like "okay, no, you're right...

finding and analyzing deals should be at the top of your list of things to learn when starting out!

.❌ Emotional Stress – Handling tenant issues (especially late payments or evictions) can be stressful, especially if you live in the same building.Hiring a Property Manager in ChicagoPros of Hiring a Property Manager✅ Less Stress & Time Commitment – A property manager handles everything from finding tenants to collecting rent and coordinating repairs.

Home price appreciation is still trending up, but cashflowing rentals are difficult to find for the most part.