In my area I can get a little over a $1 per square foot for say a 5*10 and about half that for a large unit at about .50 cents for a 10*20..The self storage in this post that I am talking about does not have any of the big franchises in it.

But im not exactly sure how to get started and so I had a thought…If I couldn’t afford a down payment for, let’s say a duplex, on my own, but partnered with someone who could help me pay some of that, would it be reasonable and fair at all for me to live in that duplex, rent free (as long as someone else is renting the other half) and let my partner keep all the profit on it (if any is made)?

We estimate repairs to range from $35,000-$60,000.The company who gave us estimates to clean, made an offer on the house of $30,000 and say a remodel would cost up to $80,000.

I personally haven't done MTR just yet, but I can say as an observation I've worked with a growing amount of buyers who stayed in an AirBNB / MTR type of place because they sold their house, or moved to Tulsa.  

Let’s say a typical park of 10 pads with all occupied and are TOH.

I would say A) they are not telling the truth or B) its such a small mom and pop one branch bank that they don't care about the negative implications of dealing direct with the buyer.On the SECOND one - the foreclosure is already on their credit report (If the lender reports to the bureaus).

Ask any HML survivor how they did in the 2008 melt-down and if they agree with your statement about risk.The comment that an HML will keep the house if you don’t pay them in say a year is just flat out wrong.

I would say a lot will depend on the cash flow of both properties and the rental markets.

Would you say a condo would be a good first investment in the current Chicago market right now ?

Is it possible to open say a $10k LOC, and then withdraw the entire amount and pay that balance in full w/ a brand new credit card that offers 0% for the first 12-18 months, and possibly repeat that several times?