One thing I’d say right away is to focus on aligning your investing strategy with your goals.

Plus, there are investor-friendly property managers and turnkey teams already in place, which makes scaling a lot smoother and more hands-off.To move forward:Pick a market—run rent-to-price, cap rate, and cash‑on‑cash projections across a few potential areas.Research property managers—check reviews, interviewer local investors, and ask about occupancy, tenant screening, and maintenance protocols.Request sample P&Ls and eviction process details—that gives insight into how they perform under pressure.Analyze a few real deals—evaluate cash flow then compare Chicago vs your out-of-state target to see where the numbers align best with your goals.A 25% down payment is reasonable, but the key is finding deals that let your cash work harder.

One of the most important things—possibly more important than the strategy itself—is making sure you and your partner are aligned on the vision.

Some offers may come from investors but others may come from those who are unable to get traditional bank financing.Also be mindful that the interest component of seller financing will be treated as interest income and taxed.Best of luck to you!

If you're doing most of the legwork and still not feeling confident in the numbers, it’s a sign that you may need someone more aligned with your goalsHere are some tools you could use for help with analyzing: Mashvisor, Pricelabs’ Market Dashboards, or Rabbu.

You'll meet people that interests will at least somewhat align with yours.  

(As long as your degree aligns with your job.

The elevator was 20ish years old, the elevator company said the part was too old and can not be sourced, they quoted us 10k to find a new component.

A well-designed asset protection strategy limits liability, preserves wealth, and strengthens your defenses if challenges arise.To navigate these areas with confidence, build a team that includes a tax professional experienced in real estate and an asset protection attorney aligned with your long-term goals.

That's the key component that is usually missing when I hear other entrepreneurs/investors say they don't like QBO.Something else to keep in mind is your entity structure and how your entities file tax returns.