That's just way too low for me to feel comfortable...even in an extremely cheap city.

Yard care is not cheap, it is a big yard and the quotes I've gotten are $80-$100 for bi-weekly service, plus $200 for initial clean up and lawn redevelopment (weed control, fertilizer, etc). 

Property taxes are low and houses are cheap. 

Personally I recommend buying a cheap rental and learning on the fly if you are a hands on person with sometime which it sounds like you are.

I can't imagine a 40 mile radius within Bolingbrook where a property could be that cheap, even if it was in the rougher areas of Southside Chicago.

The roof had a leak and now there is water damage and mold, anyone has recommendations on either fixing/removing the mold ourselves or a cheap mold specialist?

Investors like cheap fixer properties and they like to look at many and then make many offers that often get rejected.

@Cristian Rivera, Dallas is BIG, they have multiple REIAs, tons of investors, rehabbers & hard money (cheap).

But you can definitely pick some condos up cheap that bring in a solid rent return. 

What I want is to find a cheap 3 bedroom duplex and buy it outright.