Great advice from Bruce here.

BiggerPockets is a great place to learn.

There is a great group of members on here to connect with.

Great weather and very low crime rate.I am humbly looking for seasoned syndicators and sponsors to  advice or team up with me on this new venture.

That Chicago near Southwest side is a great little area. 

However, hauling away a truckload of items and cleaning beyond standard expectations could reasonably be charged to the tenant, as it goes beyond normal use.Goodwill Gesture: Since this tenant was great for 5.5 years—paying on time and caring for the property—you might consider waiving part of the cleaning cost as a goodwill gesture.

I don't recommend throwing the baby out with the bath water, and definitely make sure you understand the nature of the Mentor you choose.BP is a great resource to meet some amazing people. 

This was a great way to keep the home in the family and avoid the house going into tax foreclosure.

@Fabio Cattolico"if I could get an out of state property for a great price and the numbers seem promising, wouldn't it be good to start off like that if I'm in a place where buying is unaffordable?"

Out of state vs. in state is such a great question.