But now Kamala is going to give 25K to people to qualify for a house, so a lot of brainless people will vote for her.

I think what really went wrong here is the number of people you had to work with.

It is definitely a buyer beware scenario, and understanding the state's landlord/tenant laws is a must when making any of these decisions.

And definitely better to ask here with people who may be able to help and than assume. 

There really is a shift between the 'retail' mindset and the more of a business to business professional mindset that is critical to understand when hiring professional services like this. 

Not doing this is the mistake people often make and puts them underwater.

Not sure if it would make sense for you specifically, would need to know a bit more about your situation and everything, some people we help that are looking to consolidate debt consider refinancing to lump all their payments together since a primary residence lending option has lower rates than some of the alternatives. 

Most people prefer a SFH with a yard.  

Waukegan is huge, over 100k people. 

My first recommendation is to look for a real estate agent to help you understand the market.You can also do your own research by finding where other investors are buying properties by Zip code in your target area.Best way to find properties outside the MLS is to get in contact with wholesalers in the your market and reach out to sellers directly by targeting the subdivisions you want a house.Also, you have to consider how much rehab you are willing to do or if your just want a property that I moving in ready