Investing in AZ, NV, ID, where you have family or friends that is a day away and you can start to build a network and team to help manage a property.  

Seller financing can be a fantastic way to get into a 4+ unit property, especially in a competitive market like Chicago.Have you started reaching out to owners directly or networking with agents who specialize in multifamily properties?

If you build your investor network while working on wholesaling skills, when you find a real deal you can sell it for a profit.

Network with other local investors and always have a solid emergency fund.2.

Feel free to inquire about their staff qualifications if it's a larger organization.2.

. - You have no recourse against an agent or PMC once you pay them for the placement and it turns out to be a terrible tenant:(If you have the time and network and post here for assistance, it's always a good idea to learn the rental business from the "ground up".Of course, one mistake can also cost you thousands of dollars.

Do you focus on networking events, direct outreach, or something else?

A PMC is the ONLY one that will deal daily with your property.Here's some copy & paste advice on hwo to screen PMCs:Recommend exploring as many sources as possible to get referrals AND cross-reference them to get as much accurate information as possible.Check out NARPM.com, BP’s Property Manager Finder (BiggerPockets: The Real Estate Investing Social Network), etc.Also, encourage you to learn from the mistakes of others - by reading posts here on BiggerPockets about owners not having their expectations met by their current Property Management Company.

to the OP, i hope airbnb never decides to ban you from their network.  

We're always looking to add inventory and providers to our network.