Hi,I'm just starting out and I'm looking for an investment property (SFH) in Crystal Lake IL.

This is a great time to ask questions, determine the back story facts and circumstances of the family's financial situation and perhaps plant some seeds that can be harvested when the family is ready to sell.Offering to buy the property with the contents (after the family members have picked through any sentimental or value items) allows the family to move on without the emotional experience of watching the $150 crystal vase that was given as a Christmas present be tagged and sold for $1.00.

@Crystal Smith  So you're proposing I submit 2x concurrent offers?

Records are discussed in Publication 526.The phrase “similar items” means property of the same generic category or type (whether or not donated to the same donee), such as stamp collections, coin collections, lithographs, paintings, photographs, books, nonpublicly traded stock, nonpublicly traded securities other than nonpublicly traded stock, land, buildings, clothing, jewelry, furniture, electronic equipment, household appliances, toys, everyday kitchenware, china, crystal, or silver.

@Crystal SaltonUsually the best thing to do is go with a list source like listsource.com, rebo gateway, etc.

She base on Crystal Lake, il

@Eli SunderlandI have a four plex in Crystal, and four SFR in Southern, MN. 

Not to mention that making it legal/permissible may come with a revenue grab: read fees and I don't know anyone with a crystal ball that can forecast that.

(Better to decant the roast into smaller packages and refrigerate, but anyone who can't make the effort to put the leftover pizza into the fridge can't be trusted to property repackage the pot roast.)

Buying and predicting what the area will be like 20 years down the road is the number 1 rule.I agree with the mentality that they are not saying you need a "crystal ball".