KY still in general is well positioned IMO.

Left me feeling like a basically have a retail/fulfillment person on my team so I'm a big fan and would recommend giving them a shot, especially if you're in a similar position as I was: Needing to furnish an STR quickly and cost-efficiently. 

Given that I'm not positioned to buy just yet, and simply running the numbers, is there a rule of thumb for estimating insurance costs that would make sense in Cook County?

They maynot want to do this if they are using a Bank to finance, since thebank will want “First” lien position and you won’t want to do“Second” position.

:Class A Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, 3-5 years for positive cashflow, but you get highest relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% the more recent norm.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 680+ (roughly 5% probability of default), zero evictions in last 7 years.Class B Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, decent amount of relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% should be applied only if proper research done to support.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 620-680 (around 10% probability of default), some blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 5 yearsClass C Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, high cashflow and at the lower end of relative rent & value appreciation.

The investor who bought this home owns an asset that is cash flow positive from day one and one that will benefit from all 5 profit centers of rental property investing for many years to come.

As of now, I'm still up in the air...no major results to justify an overwhelming positive review yet. lol 

Now that I am in position, I would like to place a mobile home to generate some passive income, but I don't want to use my savings for the down payment.

A lot of the basis of my position on this can be described as “gut feel”.  

Columbus is definitely a solid area for MF and duplex properties with positive cashflow and appreciation potential.