Quote from @Jeff Sanders: Personally coming from an agent/investor in CA, I always get a quote from a broker of mine and make sure I am knowledgeable with the fees/costs.

But enough to make to do all the cosmetics along with a few major items like HVAC, appliances, etc.

@Walter PinedaEven if someone give you a referral, what meets their expectations, may not meet yours.In our experience, the #1 mistake owners make when selecting a Property Management Company (PMC) is ASSUMING instead of CONFIRMING.It's often a case of not doing enough research, as they don't know what they don't know!

Take a bit of that money and invest in learning - go to meetups and the many events that take place related to investing in the city - some for free and some paid.

The general rule of thumb when using debt is to ensure that whatever asset you buy with the debt should make more than the debt service.  

Here are some practical steps and strategies to consider:## Single Family and Small Multifamily HomesWhen looking at single-family and small multifamily homes in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, make sure to analyze the local market trends, rental yields, and property appreciation rates.

.🎯 Your 6-Month Timeline:Month 1: Foundation (5-7 hours/week)Morning routine: 1 hour daily market researchEvening routine: Deal analysis practiceWeekend: BP forums & networkingKey Goal: Analyze 10 deals on paperMonth 2: Education (8-10 hours/week)Complete 1 RE courseJoin 2 local REI groupsSchedule lunch breaks with agentsKey Goal: Build your initial power team listMonth 3: Systems (10-12 hours/week)Set up deal tracking systemCreate document templatesEstablish banking relationshipsKey Goal: Ready to make offersMonth 4: Lead Generation (12-15 hours/week)Drive neighborhoods after workWeekend open housesSetup automated MLS alertsKey Goal: Generate first 5 qualified leadsNow, the Owners and Brokers you deal with may not enjoy this, but you can certainly "practice" making offers.  

What makes something a "deal" today is not yester-markets.

Over the years every single time I went over his house to hang out we would talk about money, investing and the future we were building.

There are less expensive hard money lenders out there.