Our current tenants are already very wasteful when it comes to utilities (they never turn the furnace/lights off), so our averages from the past year are already on the high end of the spectrum. 

Or would I be wasting my time going to different branches of the same bank?

As such, we went to a "guru" seminar which was a waste of time (Nick Vertucci... got our money back) and are now trying to read everything we can and are talking to others for advice.  

It keeps me from not wasting my down payment money on mediocre deals.  

Do not waste your time and keep the bulk of your work income productive.  

Hi @Paul Christopher the last Noteworthy I attended was in LV about 3 years ago and found it to be a major pitchfest, it was mostly a waste of time.

The internet is loaded with sites that lure people to pay for documentation through them and strategies for getting pets into housing under false pretenses.

Great advice about following a system; why waste 10 year catching up or trying to reinvent the wheel?

Also, I do not want to get an appraisal only to find out that the new appraisal appraises my property at less value than my original appraisal, meaning I just wasted money and now have less money to pull out.I live in Chicago.

Even if/when you move out, it'll still struggle.If you can't get into this one cheaper than renting, I suggest: keep looking for better value.There's no reason why you should WASTE the "opportunity to learn and create systems" on a poor deal.