I'm not sure that paying taxes meets the open and notorious test; only the tax collector and the payer are aware of who is paying taxes.

Could I call right away so she could talk to me.I did some test marketing in a new area 6 months ago, with low response rates, which is what I expected.

I took an agents course, but had to leave the week before the test for work.

The local forum for Illinois would also be good place for networking https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/556-illinois-real-estate-q-a-discussion-forum. 

Your strategy will really be tested as you grow.

You can also check this local forum for any recommended meetup https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/548-california-real-estate-q-a-discussion-forum

I took classes from a real estate 'university', was ready for a real estate test in NY but ended up moving out of state.  

A good place to start is by researching different marketing strategies and then testing them in your area.

People love to throw the word mold around but there has to be a biologist test to verify.

You've got association dues, MLS dues, E&O insurance, brokerage fees/franchise fees/admin fees, continuing ed classes, commission splits, testing fees, lockbox access, business cards, signs, materials, and the list goes on.