Although my wife has many connections in the industry, I’m more interested in a few close contacts to bounce ideas off of and help navigate the smaller markets where I can get some skin in the game!

I like your idea of house hacking a distressed multi fam in Chicago, sounds like in adventure, if you don't have thick skin now you will develop it.

I will admit that I rely on wholesalers far too much, but they have dried up over the past year.

Probate leads are very delicate and you probably need some thick skin because you're going to get some upset calls at times.

This could be perceived as buyers being stretched thin with little skin in the game.

I prefer a lease over revenue sharing ( option 1)as it places full responsibility of Property manager to maximize revenue while having “ skin in the game” via paying for furnishings.

If I was having an addition done, I would consider dried-in state - foundation, doors/windows in, framing done, roof in place and shingled - as 50% complete.

inside the unit inspections on rentals has been only on accpeted contracts for the last 25 years that I have worked in the rental property space.One 100 unit property i brokered even at inspections it was only 25 % of the units they could get into and it was only kitchen and bathroom dry rot.. 

If the roof is leaking you definitely want to dry the house in first.

I don't want to give sellers false hope by tying them up with a contract while I shop for buyers.This is also a bit different than wholesaling or bird-dogging because I will have skin in the game.