Keep your goals in sight and stay adaptable to changing circumstances.

I know you're looking to buy in the suburbs but I created a Chicago House Hacking Guide and the principles are overall the same.You won't find $100k SFHs in most suburbs around Chicago except the south suburbs close to the Indiana border.

The next day I spoke with a principle at Secured Investment Lending who was very responsive and I closed earlier this week.

However, if your sights are set on long-term appreciation, Columbus might be more appealing.

Regarding a listing agent showing a property to an unrepped buyer and potentially triggering what is called "implied agency": this is when an agent performs agency duties for a principle (buyer in this case) who they don't have a written agency agreement with, and establishes an agency relationship through their actions: https://www.prepagent.com/article/creating-agency-relationsh...Hope that helps!   

I use numbers I can quantify, purchase, renovation costs, actual rent, tax, PITI, property management, principle pay down.  

@Redgy Saint-Germain I'm currently in the process of a 203k loan and my mortgage officer said they would apply the left over balance to my mortgage balance as a principle payment, but the monthly payment would stay the same.

I've bought property sight unseen.

I had been looking at Indianapolis, but think my sights are set on other markets for now.

Paying $40,000 for “mentorship’s” which teach you nothing about real estate principles, real estate finance, or real estate law3.