Timing, interesting neighborhood How did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

It was honestly luck, I didn't know much about real estate I just knew I needed a house that was unappealing to others to be able to buy it and have it fit in our budget.

If you approached them in a way that you had a solution to the eyesore in their neighborhood they would be very receptive to talk and perhaps share contact details about the home owners son if they have them.

I’ve had to widen my search radius to smaller suburbs or target properties needing light cosmetic work to make the numbers work.Value-add opportunities: Adding amenities tenants love, like finished basements or upgraded kitchens, seems to justify rent premiums in this market.Navigating the competition:Be creative with financing: Seller financing or partnering with other investors has been helpful to secure deals when conventional offers didn’t cut it.Work with local agents and wholesalers: They often have their finger on the pulse of off-market opportunities, which is critical in a hot market.For those new to suburban Chicago investing, I’d say the key is finding the “sweet spot” neighborhoods—ones on the rise but not yet maxed out in price.

.🎯 Your 6-Month Timeline:Month 1: Foundation (5-7 hours/week)Morning routine: 1 hour daily market researchEvening routine: Deal analysis practiceWeekend: BP forums & networkingKey Goal: Analyze 10 deals on paperMonth 2: Education (8-10 hours/week)Complete 1 RE courseJoin 2 local REI groupsSchedule lunch breaks with agentsKey Goal: Build your initial power team listMonth 3: Systems (10-12 hours/week)Set up deal tracking systemCreate document templatesEstablish banking relationshipsKey Goal: Ready to make offersMonth 4: Lead Generation (12-15 hours/week)Drive neighborhoods after workWeekend open housesSetup automated MLS alertsKey Goal: Generate first 5 qualified leadsNow, the Owners and Brokers you deal with may not enjoy this, but you can certainly "practice" making offers.  

When you say you want to prioritize cash flow over equity, you want to watch out for people honing in on that and selling you "good cash flow" deals which will be in D neighborhoods and will come with high capital expenditures and harder tenancies.

Make realtor connections to understand what makes each house and neighborhood valuable.  

They are often located in desirable neighborhoods and are close to good schools.

Every Market (Detroit) has a series of Micro-markets (neighborhoods) of which they are all different in cost, value, cash flow, rents, etc... 

And, many agents that I have dealt with won't do much more than ask you what neighborhoods you like and setup MLS notifications when a property with your criteria comes up.