Depository institutions are highly regulated in the risk they bear because they lend out their depositors' money.

I've flipped about a dozen properties here in Chicago, and quite honestly, it felt like something different went wrong on each one of them.My biggest piece of advice is to KEEP IT SIMPLE starting out. 

I’ll admit I’m partial to getting out there and feeling the vibe myself, but if you’re short on time, a good local contact can be gold.And don’t underestimate markets like Phoenix or Chicago either.

And I'm gettingso nervous and stressed out, I don't know how much longer I can bear all this.I also discovered that her mother had moved in with her and her two teen-aged kids. 

Whether they are shady or not mightn't have any bearing on the profitability of your investments.

Often, I have cash sitting around between opportunities and have looked all over for a bank that will hold the cash in some kind of interest-bearing account.

Probably TMI there lol, but hope that helps a bit.I am also from NW Chicago suburbs - Elgin, to be specific. 

We also dealt with this in the City of Chicago.

Wondering if anybody has invested with American Homeowner Preservation out of Chicago? 

@Jared Appel yes Straight Up Chicago Investors Podcast is a great resource.