Hey @Henry Lazerow - I would tend to agree that most of the NW side of Chicago 2-4 units don't play out perfectly well for BRRRR deals.I always looked at any potential house hack vs. having to rent - if my overall payments were less than the rent I generally considered that a win.For me...the house hack is just the ticket into the amusement park and then the fun rides come after...getting started can be overwhelming and hard so I can see why people might take a discount.I think one of the keys to strong equity creation is square footage creation which is basically what you outlined with duplexing up or down.

Find one that meets your needs as far as flexible pricing, no high volume minimums if you're just starting out.

However I read books about real estate and thought that when I come to the USA, I'll start building my real estate portfolio, so here I am.I read several real estate books in the past, but now started to explore more while I'm in the USA.

Lower ROI, but safer for you to start off with (probably ?)

Google zombie mortgages.Note if a loan is charged off the loan can no longer accrue interest unless the lender starts issuing statements again

Should I focus on paying that off first before I invest or does it make sense to start my real estate journey and use the cash flow to help pay it off faster?

Initially, I started with a project called Dealsletter, which has grown quite well and has received positive feedback from the real estate investing community.

Hi All, I’m just starting out and, following the advice of a mentor, I’m trying to find an attorney who deals with real estate transactions and issues.

It may not cashflow from Day 1, but will in 1-3 years and you'll have nice appreciation.That's how my manager started out and what he still tries to do.DM us if you'd like to chat more.

Obviously we're seeking to do an inspection and have the property appraised, but I think we are in a good starting position.