Now, you need to figure out how to find deals and pay for them.

Offering to compensate them for their time can go a long way in maintaining a good working relationship.Let me know how I can assist further—best of luck with your project!

Agents are also advising you to look for expensive mistakes (like checking the sewer which could cost 5-40k) and using their network and contacts to find homes off market or FSBO.  

15% on top of the normal month charge is a rip off.

Ebooks, podcasts like @Bonnie Low suggested and start running numbers on every deal you see until you know how it all works.

We weren't super happy with anything we were seeing on the market, so my husband and I had just started writing letters and looking off-market... until we saw this property.It'd been sitting on the market for months.

Chicago, with its vibrant neighborhoods and strong rental market, is a prime location for this strategy.

I'm all for an appreciation play, but this seems like the reality of the current rates and the market in this area.Just curious, how did you find your househacks? 

For small MFH/SFH you have to find the deal, inspect, estimates and decide what to do, make a deal, get financing, get contractors, manage contractors, pay contractors, then turn it over to a property manager.

Hey Nhan, welcome to BiggerPockets!