Hello all -- after a decade of noodling on the topic and building up a general but abstract concept of real estate investing, I've now set a goal to buy at least one investment property (thinking buy & hold, 2/3/4-plex) by my wedding date -- that's six months time. I've currently shifted my day job time to a consulting business that will be flexible over this time period, thus the impetus to declare this goal. 

I'm in Chicago for the time being, so I'm game to consider property here, but it's just 50/50 that I'm here past mid-2017, so that is a consideration. I grew up outside Philadelphia with all my family still in that area, so that would be a great place as well -- both because of my familiarity with the area, and that my father has spent a career in commercial facilities management and thus has an extensive network of contractors and other potentially useful contacts. 

I have some money saved up that would be sufficient and some family / friends who are interested in putting some money to work, but would also be interested in alternative methods of financing to scale without the constraint of my personal capital.

I'm saying all of this out loud for the social pressure on my new endeavor / goal! 

If there are successful duplex/multi-unit investors in Chicago (or MontCo / Philadelphia around Thanksgiving/Christmas), I'd be willing to share some of my time and expertise in exchange for some exposure to your efforts. I'm a real estate newbie, but I've got a lot of applicable skills from 13 years in start-ups, running businesses, a Kellogg MBA, masters of engineering in design thinking / innovation, etc. Happy to barter my brain for yours :-)