If so, what precautions should I take to ensure everything is legitimate with their trust? 

Day three of the webinar, the host brings up a service he provides, essentially creating the business for me with trained VA’s to find those sellers and buyers, an account manager to ensure I continue on the path the success, and lifetime access to their alliance + flagship programs.

In practice, I ensure permits are pulled for HVAC, gas work, major electrical and structural changes.

We can take care of your project quickly and ensure we will keep it within budget and provide you equity; providing free estimates for architectural design and comprehensive construction services with our team of licensed and insured professionals giving you the peace of mind knowing we saved you time and money through great quality and attention to details.

The best way to ensure you’ve met all your local requirements is to check the laws in the city your property is located in.""

I don't have any experience with that one though.Specifically, for your househack ensure you're not commingling funds as you mentioned.

You just need to make sure you take a few important steps on the front end of the purchase to ensure they go smoothly. 

@Jeff Dzado get the paid version of Airdna so you can ensure you’re looking at the whole picture (although Airdna is not gospel, the data is getting better all the time).

You'll also want to ensure you have a good property manager to look after the upkeep of the property if you are not there to notice anything deteriorating or which may need attention.This article goes into a lot of the considerations about whether to form an LLC or not: https://www.mmpph.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/May-2019-newsletter.pdfCreating an LLC in California would cost you a minimum tax of $800 every year.

Chicago might be the place, just ensure multiple factors support the decision.