By the time it makes it to the Clifton MLS your profit margins are thin.  

I am assuming this is also more of a local, or landlord specific topic.

The way they work is very state specific so I can't tell you much about how they work in Maryland.

You need to see if that margin meets your investment goals and can give you enough contingency for a major repair if and when it happens.

., but I'm honestly not sure what those figures and calculations should be, for buy and hold investors who are looking to invest in the Chicago suburbs, specifically DuPage and Kane counties, but I'd love to know!

Then you want to get into specifics about the condition of the home.. condition of the: roof, exterior, hvac, water heater, plumbing, floors, walls, etc.

I have a great personal attorney, but this is not his specialty and he charges by the hour, which is hurting my margins.  

The service they offer is title insurance, which insures that the title to a specific property is free from defects and nobody but the buyer has claim to the property.  

My question is how can I negotiate how much I make in commission or fees off this deal and are there certain contracts specifically used for off market properties?

Can you be more specific zip, neighborhood,price range(all-in cost),Cap rate, area and property that definitely off the table and when were you looking to close