IMO here- stay away from rentals in the western states.

Seems like this is a very spotty area but if I stay within Normal Station borders , it is generally OK.. 

Make sure you have some extra $$ budgeted in for surprises...

@Raymond King Finding properties is all about connections: 1) Reach out and stay connected with RE brokers in your desired areas.

Also stay away from Cuyahoga and Cook counties, as the magistrates there highly favor borrowers and can really drag out the foreclosure process and rack up the legal fees. 

Oh ok great - though I wouldnt be surprised if she contacts you again in a few months. 

First, the most simple approach is to join all your local Facebook REIA groups and stay active in those by letting everyone know what your goals are. 

The low down payment helps me keep a lot of cash in my own pocket to support the rehab and stay liquid.Private money is nice, but sometimes can be difficult to use in conjunction with hard money. 

Side note; trying to collect a pet deposit from 5 year tenants who have already been there with a pet is like trying to stay dry after you jump in the pool.

What I have actually done with my Airbnb account is I use it to advertise my own personal business by using the business profile page and driving those that are looking to book a corporate stay to my personal website while giving those that want a shorter stay the option of booking through Airbnb/VRBO or coming to me directly.