@Jonathan Klemm, to answer your question my next steps from now until December 2022 is to bulk up my savings (my goal is to have 50-60k liquid to begin my search), research neighborhoods actively (I have a tentative list but sine I am originally from NY I'm still learning, research which folks  I want in my team (investor friendly loan officers, real estate agents, etc.), keep working at deal analysis so by the time I'm ready to buy I can run my numbers, and finally explore other options to investing in Chicago.

For me, the most common thing I've seen has been loan officers who are unwilling to admit they have no idea what they're doing when it comes to VA loans.

This is a lot easier than trying to explain it to a desk officer, who won’t understand everything he tries to write down.

Just purchased an office building rental and need to get it insured.

When I last spoke to a retired police officer, he said that there is crime not reported.  

I purchased the campus with 7 total buildings including 4 office buildings, a gymnasium and two apartment buildings with 93 units.

My wife and I are active duty Air Force officers and eager to use our VA loans/sink our teeth into REI in the states, but it feels hard from this distance.However, I think there could be some unique benefits to adding someone 16 time zones away to an investment team.

As long as a you have enough equity and a competent loan officer this should not be an issue. 

By cold calling lists for you remotely from my office here in Las Vegas.

I have started a local We Sell Restaurants office in the Jacksonville area, providing unmatched expertise in Restaurant Brokerage.