If you have any tips, resources, or advice for someone just starting out, I’d greatly appreciate your insights.Some specific things I’m working on right now:* Building a strong buyers list.* Identifying motivated sellers and honing my outreach.* Learning the ins and outs of structuring win-win deals.I’m open to partnering, collaborating, or just grabbing coffee to exchange ideas.

Explore off-market deals where competition might be less intense.Don’t get discouraged—success in these markets often comes from building strong connections and thinking creatively about deal sourcing!

Focus on areas with strong rental demand, like Broad Ripple, Fountain Square, or near universities like Butler and IUPUI.Maintenance Costs: Indiana weather can be tough on properties, so budget for seasonal maintenance like snow removal and HVAC servicing.Additional AdviceKeep an Emergency Fund: Unexpected repairs or vacancies can arise, so having 3-6 months of expenses saved will help you weather any surprises.Build a Reliable Team: I have lists of contractors, handymen, cleaners and property managers if you'd like me to send.Good luck with your property and future expansion!

By building strong connections and sharing knowledge, we can support each other's journeys and uncover new pathways to success.Moreover, let's not forget the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

I would strongly consider building equity to make a stronger down payment and further decrease your monthly cost. 

I'm not sure why not - one of the great parts about real estate investing is that you can build a team around you for aspects you aren't as strong at or simply want to delegate to someone/expert and do the others yourself - look up "Core 4" for example - where you can have an agent, lender, manager, contractor all at once for your investments and can theoretically just let them do all the interactive work

The Midwest, including cities like Detroit, offers some of the best opportunities for affordable properties with strong rent-to-price ratios.

Here are a few additional strategies that might help mitigate risk if you decide to rent the property:Hire a Strong Property Management Company: While you’ve already spoken with some PMs, consider finding one with extensive experience managing single-family rentals in Cook County specifically.

Detroit has a mix of affordability and strong rental demand, with properties under $200k that can cash flow if approached correctly.

City-Data and Census.gov are solid resources, and sites like Rentometer can give you a good sense of rental prices.After that, I narrow it down to neighborhoods with strong fundamentals—good schools, low crime, and convenient amenities.