The premium you pay for a "turnkey" property + the repairs the current owner likely didn't do, that you have to pay for, is a riskier play than the more fixer upper that can you strike a deal for.

Short flight from Seattle and strikes a good balance between appreciation and affordability.

Reach out to local investors, strike up a conversation, and pose questions.Real Estate investing Clubs: In Chicago, look for and join local groups or clubs dedicated to real estate investing.

In my experience, 1) manufactured homes are not nearly as desired (a lot of buyers won't even look at a MH), and 2) they definitely do not appreciate at the same % rate as a traditional house....So you're starting off with 2 strikes against you.

While we do appreciate the steady income from mid-term guests (which is a real plus in these economic times), we're trying to strike a sweet spot between our short-term and mid-term rental approaches. 

Unfortunately, it is doubtful that you could agree to a deed in lieu of foreclosure in advance, but if you strike the financer as a reasonable buyer who isn’t going to be a pain in the rear or a jerk who is going to leverage his own financial misstep into a give me cash for keys, then you might be able to persuade the financer into accepting your sweetened financing terms. 

But, there is perhaps a great deal of difference between both of those and the single family home. the striking difference between MF and SF is MF is buying and selling cap rate, while cap rate is derivative of rent index.SF is different animal, which is valued based on supply/demand metrics and not rental.SF is almost always perform better because of these supply/demand valuation metrices.

FWIW, I have yet to strike here but have a few offers out there since Xmas and have had more back & forth than I expect.

Delve into the strategic considerations property managers weigh as they seek to strike a balance between securing stable, long-term tenants and adjusting rental prices in response to market dynamics.

"It" has seemed to me to be a viral feedback loop of reinforcement.