I found that most people who were successful in real estate didn’t start with everything figured out—they learned a lot along the way.

Sometimes if you are renting the unit and it is not insulated properly, then you hear footsteps and conversations from next-door units, so tenants complain a lot, but there is not much you can do.Also, one time the unit above mine leaked water into my unit, and the HOA said I needed to talk to people living above mine to fix the issue and they didn't have the fund to fix the bathtub from leaking into mine, so I had to pay for the repairs.Sometimes working with HOA and is painful, but other times is easy if the unit does not have problems

I see a lot of people self-sacrifice, which I try to avoid along the journey to the top.If you aren't stuck on staying downtown Chicago, I'd consider finding a condo along the Blueline, but it would likely be in a smaller building (2-4 units. 

@Chris Price I will be interested in the answers to this, but it seems if you ask 100 people you will get 100 different answers.

I wish more people would use their primary home as an investment property later - it's one of the best techniques out there.Now, to help with some things:1.

I also have significant equity in my home, which I believe gives me a HELOC option for acquiring my first property to BRRRR or flip once I feel educated enough to  do so.The BP podcast has already taught me so much, and I'm gratefully here hoping to learn, share, and apply all you amazing people have to teach. 

After further research, I discovered that an OpenDoor Real Estate agent owns this startup, which claims to be a knockoff of Rentlinx.

The thing people aren't talking about is that it is up to the buyers sole discretion on what house they want to purchase, who they want to help them accomplish that purchase and if they are willing or able to compensate a buyers agent in the unlikely event the seller is not offering cooperative compensation to the buyers agent.

I always hear all the stories of people scaling fast.

This is a great place to learn and to connect with people so take advantage of all the great resources.