@Michelle FrancoIt is normal to purchase multi-family buildings with tenants already on-board  - after all, would you really want an empty 50-unit apartment building?

Hi Chris,Welcome onboard!

Hi Shaelyn- good to have you on board!

I’ve talked with my local small town bank about real estate investing and financing (they are onboard), talked with my realtor here in Peoria (who has done flipping herself in the past) about helping me find properties, will soon be talking with a realtor friend in Springfield (who also invests herself) to help find properties in that area in addition to already having in place general contractor/handyman and an electrician and a neighbor who used to manage rental properties and apartments and is willing to help me out with that aspect of real estate.

Once you prove that you can do it successfully, those people will come on board. 

At least that's what happened with my wife.However I didn't make a move and had to turn away from some deals because my wife wasn't on board yet.

This can be a quick deal killer or a very slow death due to delays, requests, neighborhood meetings, costs, studies ...Cash on hand is critical to developing.Many begin the process, think they have lenders on board, and then later discover the lender is no longer interested in loaning a red cent.

Maintenance is getting heavier and management in general is more time consuming with more units on board. 

I was able to find a lender that would fund it as we did preliminary underwriting, and I had to pay the point up front to  get them on board regardless of if I got the deal or not.  

Also looking to meet other investors in the Columbus, GA area.My wife isn't 100% on board YET with REI so deal #1 has to be a winner or their probably won't be deal #2.