Again.... from professionals I haven't met and friends whom I know personally that run their own companies...I am curious, what is your policy on hiring friends (whom own their own companies) to work on your properties?

(This should be cheaper because no personal items are insured.) and then insist the tenant’s get renter’s insurance.

I personally like white trim, but if everything is in good condition and stained-just keep it.

After 1 investment property it's easy to be over your personal DTI ratio and to keep going you'll likely need a small local bank that looks at the debt service coverage and the risk.  

If you can't keep control of your personal finances, you are highly unlikely to succeed in real estate investing.

My loan person said we might be able to do a escrow withholding where they keep the money for repairs until after closing. 

I have personally invested in over 30 individual deals.

I usually don’t post my personal business in here but RE has put me in a very good spot.

Team up with another investor or a person who knows a lot about real estate to help with the money needed upfront or extra cash.

I don't live in IL, and I'm by no means an attorney, but let me say this - when you wholesale, you're selling an assignment of the contract, which is personal property.