And services have been cut to the bone.At some point we likely see bankruptcy (as predicted by the bonds), but even if we dont, its fair to say Illinois is not a growth state, and that costs for fees, and property taxes are likely headed up.So declining population, radical tenant friendly laws and high government costs all point to me as a place I would not want to invest.

Oh, and thanks for your service.

My advice would be to treat service members the same as everyone else. 

I have seen legitimately better and worse by a wide margin as local area rents / utilities / taxes / building services each play a big role.Also, from a landlords perspective, it depends on what gets passed on to the tenants (e.g.

Growth: 0%Renter Population: 30+%City Description: The city is the service hub of the county, it contains all the big box stores as well as a struggling downtown.  

I have a local pest control company service 5 units for mice every month

Many times when borrowers are current, the servicers do think everything is alright.

They are a great service to use once you really get going with a large number leads.

Using their services and paying them for it?

That last question is good too but I would not totally rely on the current owner and check with a local professional service or verify it myself.Who the hell is this guy anyway and why should I rely on his answer?