Regarding Chicago, the 2024 property tax re-assessment in Cook County should cause some inventory to hit the market, specifically on the mixed-use and multi-family side of things which will be hit especially hard.

I've run into my first issue, in that, the potential tenant has a mixed breed, no surprise there.

I'm looking at a mixed-use property (cafe on bottom floor, 2 apartments above) with an asking price of ~850k. 

Torn between using my VA loan or use my investment property below to help fund my deal.Been losing deals left and right due to the owner occupied rule with VA.I have about 30k in savings, 30k retirement fund, no debt, low expenses (living with parents until find a place)I Own (under my name) a 5 unit mixed use building (4 residential, 1 commercial) fully occupied.

Know the Rules:No personal use – the property can’t be used by you or family.All expenses/income go through the IRA.Watch for UBIT tax – some income types can trigger it.Tips:Non-Recourse Loans Only: If financing, make sure it’s non-recourse.Diversify: Mix property types, REITs, or loans within your SDIRA.Anyone here investing in real estate through their IRA?

Another way to supercharge this strategy is to mix in the power of assumable loans! 

An example of this would be mixing your personal money and LLC money in the same bank account.3.

Whether you get access through an agent or other means, it’s crucial for finding the best deals quickly.These tools offer a mix of free and paid features that can be tailored to your investing needs.

I have a property management group in Hawaii that offers both STR and MTR services, but we don't mix for the reason that he mentioned - a single STR booking on an island can totally kill any ability to run MTR.

You can get a nice mix of appreciation and cash flow in most areas.