"please don't open windows if running HVAC"   Or.. a note by the thermostatIf people aren't paying electrical/gas bill - they don't care in most cases.

Although many variables are valid the statistics support that the market is not quite heading for a 2008 type collapse or adjustment. 

@Josh Carr  advice is right if you bought it at tax sale or auction and IRS is redeeming if they are they have to give you your money back.If you just volentarily paid their property tax's for them.. and thats what we are assuming.. and the guy gets arrested or what have you.. and you have a valid purchase contract you can sue for performance if you dont get wiped out by a prior foreclosure/I had this exact scenario in Portlandia 3 years ago...

Same for utilities (gas, elect., water) do you know who's responsible for what?

Gas and vehicle wear and tear ought to be  if it’s for your real estate business .

This is really good input everyone, and validating a lot of my thoughts when I posed the question.

Yesterday I met the new tenants at their future home to hand them the keys and go over the operating basics for their home, gas, water, electric, filters etc.

Account Closed I have to say your points may be valid for certain areas of Chicago but not a qualified reflection of the city as a whole.   

You're in the right place, if you read the posts here and the blogs you'll find lots of people who are profiting from real estate.You mention that you want to find people using their own money to invest, I think what you're probably really looking for is validation that real estate is a profitable venture and that you're not going to be one of the horror stories and lose all of your money.

Thanks for the 40 minutes driving and gas wasted.