If you would like to grab lunch or coffee even sooner feel free to let me know.

You could join WLA (walandlord.com) and attend their meetings, invite other people from BP to coffee, find a real estate agent to volunteer time to, and/or do a lot of reading and listening to podcasts.

There is also Jonny Cartier from London in BP, how about three if us catching up in London over a cup of tea or coffee?

I've been looking for my 3rd property now for nearly a year - I haven't found the right one yet.Ironically - it took 1 day of house shopping, only looking at 4 houses total, to pick out the house we currently live in.

It had the most shopping/restaurants/etc, and since the hospital is there, that's where we ended up renting an apartment.

Chicago NW side here (Edison Park)Coffees for Closers!!

IKEA stuff shows great when it's new, is all matching which students like, and I can order replacement parts online.I purchased: Sofas, Coffee Tables, Beds, Desks and Dressers.Does anyone have experience with this?

I owned and operated a small automotive repair shop there for 16 years.

When you find the property you are interested in you can submit your Agreement of Sale and they will supply you with a Good Faith Estimate which you then can compare with others; and your shopping for a mortgage has begun.

I would try to "shop local" as a regional bank or credit union is more likely to think out of the box than your big banks will.