We have access to all public records in Illinois and Indiana and thus do not have to pay fees for tools and apps other investors use for access to those records. 

I currently have about 9K saved up and was wondering, is it better to pay down 9K of my 70K debt now?

With that in mind, here would be my priority order based on what you have written:1) Have all the houses inspected so you know about major deferred maintenance. 2) Pay for an appraisal on all homes so you know if you are getting a good deal. 

Once they are stabilized, he refinances at 75% LTV to pay back the investors and have extra capital for the next deal. 

If the rent of that 2 bedroom was $1600, that person would expect to pay $800 rent and maybe another $250 for electric, water, heat, internet for a total of $1050 all included.

Anything you find in these areas you're going to have to pay a very high premium for because all investors want to buy in this location.

My stance is that the PM did not uphold their end of the contract when they evicted a tenant paying on time for not paying.  

I believe that successfully navigating this initial investment will pave the way for future opportunities, whether in the same market or elsewhere.Living in New York City, I faced a challenging market ;)I chose Montgomery, Alabama.Here's my process:I compiled a list of states with favorable landlord laws.Using Brightinvestor, I identified cities within those states where the median home price falls below the national average ($420k).I excluded cities with negative income growth and rising unemployment rates.I focused on cities with strong appreciation rates over the past five years (over 10%).I compared price-to-rent ratios.I did break two rules: Montgomery has a slight decline in population, and its largest employers are an Air Force base and government agencies.One significant factor that influenced my decision was the promising price-to-rent ratio, suggesting potential for positive cash flow (though I remain cautious about appreciation).Regarding my acquisition strategy:I plan to employ the BRRR method with cash.

You thought they would have more time to focus on your property and treat it like it was their own?

A family member is currently living upstairs and paying rent while the basement is vacant.I'd love to hear your ideas on how I could make the best use of the basement space.