@Jeremy Bohm Congratulations on deciding to take on the journey of Real Estate Investing, as far as financing goes @Zach Westerfield hit the nail on the head!

I can polish turds with the best of them but I can't kill the smell. 

Slate walks, window-filled 3-season room, lighted ceiling fans, polished wood trim.

Can she put down her own carpets to limit scratching to the wood from nails (seriously, dog nails are brutal if they even get a little too long). 4 dogs are a lot in one unit, but if she's a trainer I'd assume that she a) kennels all dogs when not home b) has a no bark policy.

My father owns a Nail Supply store and has not opened a Business line of credit.

My strategy of keeping to < 4 unit's allowed me to nail 30yr fixed loans on all of them at fantastic rates over the last 3 years.

Basically, it's your job to find the GC that has the skills most like the high-paid nanny but as close as possible to the weekend babysitter prices...you've just perfectly hit the nail on the head with this comment

A few years ago we had a paint body shop with a guy running drugs and chemicals out of it, he got nailed, the place closed, reopened and no real stigma hung for very long.

As a Landlord it is like nails against a chalk board but it will ultimately save you time and money, especially in cook county.

lol @Darren Sager Pretty much nailed it!