Have non-refundable earnest money that keeps growing with contingencies in the original agreement and with each extension they ask for.Have a (right to continued marketing clause ) where you can kick out their offer if they do not perform.

Hi I am brand new to the BP community and I was wondering If anyone knows of a good attorney and accountant in the Winston Salem, North Carolina.

None of my properties do, and the capital tied up in them continues to perform just fine.That said, it's more difficult to find a property locally where the free cash flow is better than, say, the dividend income thrown off by investing in a Blue Chip dividend mutual fund.If you're looking at small Multifamily properties locally and want a first pass "rule," I suggest using a GRM target of 12-14 as a first screen, assuming you're looking for a property that will throw off free cash flow with a 70% leveraged mortgage.If you want to more than basic long term buy it and hold it, you can do it.  

Even if you buy the property in the name of an LLC, you will probably be required to sign the promissory notes personally since they are trusting you to repay the loan and not a brand new LLC.Mike

I stumbled across a parcel of land that seemed to have potential, and I performed the requisite preliminary market demand and economic feasibility analysis.

I'm brand spanking new to both real estate investing and Chicago.

You would first have to distinguish between performing and non-performing notes.  

I'm brand new to the world of real estate investment.

Is it possible to buy a Bay Area house in this market and have it perform well as an investment?

If you don't bring money to a partnership then you need to bring the time.Time is putting it together, dealing with the problems, and performing all of the management tasks.