In hindsight it's easy too see.I don't see any unhealthy development, at least not yet.

Is this a foreclosure or are you working with their Department of Neighborhood (DND) development?

Terminating a leaseTo get out of a housing lease, under the relief act and without penalty, you must: Prove you signed the lease before you entered active duty, and that you will remain on active duty for a minimum of 90 days.Provide your landlord written notice of your intent to break the lease and a copy of your military orders, ideally no fewer than 30 days in advance.If you signed a lease or rental agreement after you began active-duty service, you may still be able to terminate it without penalty under the relief act if you: Received permanent change of station or deployment orders that will last for more than 90 daysProvide written notice to your landlord and a copy of your orders, preferably with at least a 30-day noticeIf you are successful, your lease should end 30 days after your next monthly rent payment is due.

Knowing the territory and developing relationships are essential to finding investment opportunities.

Exception is managing your own property, or hired by, for example, a developer to show only their units.If they are not licensed, you could tell them you will report them to the Department of State (or whatever agency licenses Real Estate agents/brokers in your state) if they don't give you a full accounting of funds and all the paperwork involved--lease, records, etc.Your attorney could also subpoena them to appear in court during the eviction hearing if they don't turn over the documents and accounting. 

I am 25, originally from the northern Chicago suburbs, and will be moving back home in about a week.After a lot of reading/listening, I have "decided" that I want my first investment to be a house hack on the north side of Chicago, ideally in Lakeview/Wicker Park/Logan Square/Bucktown areas, but I'm open to other neighborhoods. 

A duplex, tri-plex, or even four-plex would be ideal.

While I'm certainly hoping to buy for the cash flow, not for the appreciation, this home is a couple blocks from the beach, as well as one of the hottest towns in Maui - a town that has no room for further development, but has people moving here every single day.

It is very easy for those who sell convenience to develop a deep sense of contempt for those who buy convenience.

You get long term finance and if one renter goes out you still could possibly have cash flow to pay the note.Another option is to buy a house in stage zero of a new home development where homes are just going up.