In the old days (40 to 50 years ago), my father's favorite way to get paid the rent was "any way he could get it".For some tenants, we used to knock on doors every Friday or Saturday and get paid cash.I remember one time, before I started driving, my father was in the hospital and I had to ride all over town on my bike and collect rent.

Past Bridgeport it becomes a very long train ride to grand central, most buyers don't want to go past Bridgeport or maybe Stratford. 

@Brie Schmidt what are the price ranges I’m looking at for a safe neighborhood 1-1.5 hour train ride to downtown Chicago.

You and I, as the little guys, get to ride on the coat tails of their greed.

If the neighbors know about him, I would just ride out the lease and not renew when the time comes. 

I mean I have 10 million plus of those but that's inventory and I have a bunch of equity and well I never hold anything .. also coming into a little slower market I just wont get over my ski stips I might build 10 homes on spec in the 400 to 700 range but that's it.. if they don't sell I rent them and suffer a little negative to ride out the market and don't sell if prices are not in our favor.. so to use Thomas leverage ideas I do that a lot.. but just not on long term contingent debt..

Most newbies to intermediates are doing alot of substandard work and riding the hot market right now. 

I recommend sitting back (crunching numbers along the way of course) and letting others ride the wave of low returns as you build up reserves.

Real estate is a rollercoaster of a ride and if you're in it long enough, you will see it all.If you diversify your revenue stream with 5 properties making up your ROI as opposed to just in one, now all of a sudden "that one" vacant property has a far less significance on your bottomline.I always tell me investors that the party starts after property #7 as that is when you start replacing the national income average through cashflow generated by your portfolio.Why cash only? 

Finding new properties and debt to acquire them will be a fun and crazy ride.