Quote from @Jason Taken: Quote from @Toni Husbands: Hey All,Has anyone purchased real estate through the Cook County land bank?

I would tell myself - 1) Do not always buy food, clothes, shoes, junk, etc.

We also keep dog bowls for food and water, extra blankets, leashes, and waste bags on hand so guests don’t have to pack as much.

It is like a loaded gun, it can used to target practice, it can be used to hunt for food or it can be used to rob people.  

The tenant has paid for a mold test and has texted me that he has asthma and cannot stay in the townhouse although the utilities are on and he can sleep, go to the bathroom, shower and cook.

Unlike typical 'eatertainment' venues or sports bars, this concept puts wellness, family, and active living at the center—complemented (not driven) by food, beverage, and social programming.Core FeaturesSports & Activity ZonesIndoor pickleball courts (climate controlled, 4–6 courts)Indoor/outdoor beach volleyball courts (convertible for basketball/futsal)Golf simulators & mini bowling lanesTrampoline park + gymnastics/karate zone for kids/teensWellness & RecoveryYoga, Pilates, meditation, & HIIT studiosSauna, cold plunge, cryotherapyStretch Lab–style recovery center (guided stretching sessions, memberships, group classes)Waterfall garden + relaxation space away from active sports areasFamily & CommunityDog park with outdoor games + beer garden/shaded seatingRunning/walking trail with landscaped connectionsOn-site trolley to connect 10 acres of amenitiesSignature lazy river wrapping the propertyEntertainmentLive music stage (concerts, DJs, open mics, festivals)Event lawn for community markets, tournaments, and seasonal activationsFood & BeverageFood hall with rotating local chef pods (entrepreneurship focus)Morning coffee, juice, and healthy breakfast service tied to wellness classesLiquor license for controlled, property-wide sales (alcohol as complement, not driver)Programming & ActivationA 7-day calendar ensures consistent traffic and appeal across demographics:- Mornings: wellness classes + healthy breakfast service- Afternoons: after-school clinics + corporate team sessions- Evenings: leagues, trivia, karaoke, esports, family game nights, markets- Late nights (weekends): concerts, DJ sets, festivals, after-hours crowdRevenue StreamsCourt & bay rentalsMemberships & leaguesFood & beverage sales (partnership rev share)Wellness services (stretch lab sessions, day passes, memberships)Events (concerts, markets, corporate rentals)Sponsorships & naming rightsTrampoline/fitness zone admissionsTarget MarketPrimary: Adults 25–50 seeking active, social recreation with wellness focusSecondary: Families, sports leagues, and corporate groups during daytime/weekendsTertiary: Tourism and visitor spillover from SWFL’s growing destination marketDifferentiatorsWellness + family integration (unique for this type of complex)Signature lazy river as both a wellness and entertainment attractionLocal food entrepreneurship via rotating vendorsYear-round activation calendar to ensure constant useAlcohol as complement—not driver—to active recreationClimate-controlled indoor facilities for consistent playPhasing the BuildPhase 1: Core sports courts, food hall, bar, family/kids activity zone, and event lawnPhase 2: Wellness + recovery center, simulators, bowling, dog park/beer gardenPhase 3: Lazy river, trolley service, expanded outdoor landscape, and concertsPotential Challenges to Solve EarlyZoning & Permitting: Mixed-use recreation, wellness, and entertainment will require layered approvals (PD recommended)Site Selection: Large footprint and 200–300 parking spaces required; access is criticalCapital Requirements: Likely $10M+ at full scale; partnerships or phased funding may be neededOperations: Complex amenity mix requires strong GM and specialized team leadsLand NeedsPhase 1 – Core Sports & Food Hub:- Indoor pickleball courts: 20,000–30,000 sq ft (~0.5–0.7 acres)- Beach volleyball courts: 12,000–18,000 sq ft (~0.3–0.4 acres)- Bar & rotating kitchen hall: 8,000–10,000 sq ft (~0.2 acres)- Parking: 150–200 cars (~1.5–2 acres)Total: ~3–4 acresPhase 2 – Entertainment & Wellness Expansion:- Golf simulator lounge + mini bowling: 8,000–12,000 sq ft (~0.2 acres)- Yoga/sauna/wellness center: 5,000–8,000 sq ft (~0.1–0.2 acres)- Event lawn/live music: ~0.5 acres- Additional parking: 0.5–1 acreCumulative Total: ~4.5–6 acresPhase 3 – Signature Lazy River & Enhancements:- Lazy river: 20–30 ft width x 1,000–1,500 ft (~0.75–1 acre water + deck, ~1.5 acres total)- Expanded courts/event space: ~0.5–1 acre- Landscaped greenbelt areas: ~0.5 acresCumulative Total: ~7–8.5 acres minimumWhy target 10+ acres: Provides buffer zones, future growth space, and avoids maxing out footprint too early.Zoning & Entitlement PathThis project spans several land use categories, so a Planned Development (PD/PUD) overlay is the cleanest path.

Throughout the area, many residents love the lively music and arts scene, robust food culture and eclectic vibe, where diversity is celebrated.

EG: there was a Cook County grant available a few months ago (not sure if it still is) up to $25k (which could be put towards your down payment) forgiveable over 5 years.LMK if you'd like a referral to a great lender!

Free food, free booze, and a bunch of investors, contractors, and agents.

"Lot 5, Block 7 of the Meadowbrook Subdivision) - I add this because may of the documents (unless you open the attached documents which are often pdfs or images), won't have the actual full property address (some counties such as Cook county in Illinois will have both the parcel ID# and address which makes it easier to search your local property appraisal district and pull the property information.Some counties have hundreds of document types which may be a bit overwhelming (You can always ask ChatGTP or similar to tell you which are highly relevant as some states have additional docs or they may call them something slightly different) below are few others that may be relevant , or sometimes they may just give you an acronym - for example in Harris county you may see L/P as Lis Pendens.Notice of Default (NOD)Notice of Substitute Trustee Sale (NOSTS)Appointment of Substitute Trustee (AOST)Mechanic’s/Materialmen’s Lien (MML)Tax LienHOA/POA LienAbstract of Judgment (AOJ)Lis Pendens (LP)Deed of Trust (DOT)Loan ModificationBankruptcy Filing NoticeRelease of Lien (ROL)Partial ReleaseAssignment of Deed of Trust (ADOT)Notice of AccelerationFederal Tax LienFTLProbate Filing / Affidavit of HeirshipEviction FilingQuiet Title ActionNotice of Trustee's DeedI wanted to give a bit of background as many of you are trigger happy on commercial products by selecting “Preforeclosures” without really knowing what it means (Many of you who are seeking easy money and aren’t running a viable real-estate business ).I will say the primary challenge you'll have is that there's a lot of manual processing involved here such as- Reading manual documents (PDFs or images) - This is how you'll find the true address, or find the deed of trust instrument # so you can reference the deed of trust and find all the property information.- Some may only include the legal description - So you'll have to manually cross check with the county property appraisal district sites to pull the property.- Some counties (Specially in states like Georgia) will want you to register and pay for some of these documents.Anyways, I hope that helps as many commercial products will publish these after 30+ days!