i.e. cafe, lounge area, art gallery space, co-working creative space.I would first like to:1) Build up a larger client base for my brand online and see the the need for a brick and mortar location2) Evaluate the trend of brick and mortar retail / coworking space going forward3) Store up enough cash reserve to accommodate the increase operating expense tied with a commercial retail lease4) Gain commercial residential experience which in my opinion has less risk of vacancy. 

We cannot accept the payment online (changing bank accounts) and they do not have checks. 5.

Most of them have their pdf brochures online you can pull up, zoom in..lol.., and read.

I’ve bought a multifamily on lines of credit and have the deed free and clear .. just waiting to brrr it in 8 months and use the refi loan money to buy another multi free and clear  

Here are a few for you:Pros- Online account access- Online payments- Prompt responses to e-mails and voicemails- Good criminal background and credit checks- Actually calling past landlords, employers, etc.Cons- Charging a credit card processing fee- Lack of advertising (e.g. only posting the rental on the company website)- Lack of communication during vacancies (e.g. not providing me with updates on repairs, tenants applications, etc.)- Only using in-house maintenance (e.g. if your one guy can't get to something for a couple weeks then hire a contractor)

Bad deals cost you time, money, and your reputation.

If I can play that game online, I'm all for it!

Put yourself in the seller's shoes: if they have two offers on the table and one is from an unknown out of state lender (or national, faceless, on-line lender) and the other has closed tons of deals with your agent and is a known quantity, who do you think you'd go with?

They came to my house (I could have chosen a public location if I wanted) and signed alll the paperwork in about 15 minutes as I had reviewed it all online.

Also using online income maps and the census website helps you analyze which area is best to rent in based on owner occupancy ratio, population growth, income, etc.Best of luck in your journey!