I've found that the harder it is to reach people, generally speaking, the more profitable it is to do business with them because they tend to have fewer choices in front of them.

Jon ..I am primarily looking for SFH (condos, duplexes or standalone homes) preferably less than $80K.

Given choices, agents show the homes on the market more than 90 days after they have looked at everything else that meets their buyers requirements.

I would prefer to go that route instead of closing before it's done.

I'm a bit hesitant, because if I ask a tenant to pay $1700, wouldn't he/she prefer to just buy a house, and pay the same amount of money for mortgage?

If you're talking about a hard money lender (who may prefer to be called private money lender), they will lend the money into the LLC once the deal has been reviewed and approved, taking a security interest in the property (mortgage or deed of trust), and most likely a personal guarantee from at least one partner in the LLC.if you're talking about actually taking on an investor partner in a deal, then they would be a member of the LLC and how the money comes into the partnership would be negotiated up front and dealt with in the partnership agreement.

We prefer not to have pets but do a through screening of tenants and pets so hopefully avoid some of the excessive damages by getting good owners.

@Ed Wood Provident Funding is far from being the lender of choice, unless a loan is a cookie-cutter.

To do this compare rent prices of 3/1s to 2/1s (order of preference if available: both condos in same complex, condos in same area, SFRs).

In fact, I had several tell me it was illegal.I live in the S.W. burbs of Chicago, and prefer someone fairly close as travel is difficult.Thank you in advance for any help.Keith