Those connections and first hand experience are great stepping stones to future success.

I am assuming there are go-to retreats within a couple of hours of Chicago. 

Cash flow positive properties I know are always the goal, but in the current lending climate and with the hours I work I need really hands on property management to be as passive as possible.

There have been a couple of duplexes for sale in the township but they were way outside my price range.

Any big projects coming around downtown in the next couple years that you have heard of?

This is exactly what property managers do and believe me its not that much of a deal, especially if you have a handful or properties to manage.

I'm a normal man in search of normal people who understand this industry and would be willing to lend me a hand in the pursuit of generational wealth.

Yet, there are downsides like fees for early withdrawals, the unpredictability of the market, being hands-on with property management, and the challenge of accessing your money when needed.

Whether you're trying your hand at wholesaling or house hacking a duplex, getting real-world experience is priceless.Best of luck on your real estate investing journey!

The following week, I resigned from my job of 3 years in Sales, took the money I saved up, leveraged my good credit/high income and borrowed as much money as I could get my hands on, then dove in to the world of Investing and haven't looked back since.