If you've ever seen regret in a man's eyes after he's become too old to do what he's always wanted to do, you'll realize that fear of failure pales in comparison.

Unless you are rather experienced with this type of damage, it may be hard for your to tell the extent of damage.The challenge with fire damaged properties is that there is more than meets the eye.

It's understandable that the idea of investing in a property you haven't seen in person can be daunting, but with careful research and the right agent, it can be a rewarding venture.Since you're eyeing the Columbus, OH area, one actionable step is to deepen your market research.

Chicago has caught my eye due to all the development that is happening (i.e.

This was a nice “trick” to get eyes on the inside of the home.

Have you been keeping an eye on the caselaw with regards to single member LLCs?

One benefit to using hard money, at least until you get your feet wet, is that you’ll get an experienced set of eyes on your deals.

In any case, it is important to work with professionals that invest themselves, as there is a lot more to real estate investing than meets the eye. 

If I could get a lesser loan, and thus reduce the minimum to $100 a month, would this for sure help, in the eyes of the Lender especially ?

Make a list of your strengths and weaknesses... be brutally honest with yourself.Get on every wholesalers list you can.Get plugged in to your local real estate investment club.Read Bigger Pockets till your eyes bleed, Try to figure out what ONE or TWO methods of investment will work best based on your strengths.