Straight Up Chicago Investor

Jessica Ryan, Head of KSN's Landlord/Tenant Department, joins us to educate Chicago Landlords on the eviction process and best practices! Jessica begins by explaining the first step in the process; properly serving a 5-day notice. She talks about utilizing process servers for notices and summarizes the filing fees associated with an eviction. Jessica then gives a detailed breakdown of the phases o...

Nick Yassan, President of Rany Management, grew up in a family of real estate investors and has been instrumental to growing his company's real estate portfolio! Nick begins by explaining how he was involved in real estate from an early age and the competitive advantage that it has given him. He shares what the 2008 housing crash was like and how that impacted his real estate investing. Nick jumps...

What goes into an insurance premium and what are some items investors should look out for? Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Guest: Josh Steigelmann , State Farm Insurance Link: Investor Stories Featuring Sean Morrisey ----------------- Production House:  Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2023.

Real Estate Broker, Developer, and Entrepreneur Luke Blahnik joins us to discuss his neighborhood of expertise: Logan Square! Luke knows the neighborhood block by block and outlines some of the premier streets that feature phenomenal housing stock on oversized lots. Luke elaborates on the different pockets of the neighborhood including the higher priced areas around the Boulevards and other more a...

Rick Ofman has over six years of experience in commercial real estate and is a Director at Essex Realty Group. Rick kicks things off by defining underwriting and associated terminology. He provides a thorough breakdown of income, expenses, and necessary assumptions. Rick shares insight on forecasting variables such as rehab costs, rent increases, and tax increases to name a few. He explains some v...

What is Forewarn? How does it benefit agents and housing providers and how can I utilize the tool? Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Guest: Megyn Christensen, Forewarn   ----------------- Production House:  Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2022.

Marisa Novara was appointed as Commissioner of the Department of Housing (DOH) in 2019 and has since led the creation of policies to promote equitably distributed affordable housing across the City. Commissioner Novara starts by explaining the purpose of the DOH. She dives deep on a fascinating study on segregation across the City that her team conducted. She speaks to the results of the segregati...

At the age of 32 years old, Scott Trench has already become CEO of BiggerPockets, and his contributions have helped countless investors build wealth. Scott discusses meeting Josh Dorkin and the early start-up days at BiggerPockets (BP). He speaks to BP's rapid growth, challenges along the way, and of course, BP's loyal customer base. Scott fills us in on BP's current vision and some potential upco...

What are the new FHA limits and what do investors need to know when exploring these FHA options? Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Guest: Chris Puleo, Puleo Group Link: Episode 130: Chicago Mortgage Lending in this Inflationary Environment with Chris Puleo ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of S...

Collete English Dixon has overseen over $8 Billion in real estate transactions and joins us to discuss how the industry has changed. Collete explains how large real estate transactions are different today compared to 25 years ago and discusses the impact that large institutional investors have had on the market. She breaks down the difference between large scale deals and smaller transactions. Col...

Vince begins by talking about his previous career as a rockstar manager (Styx)! He shares stories about Roseland and Humboldt Park in the 60s and 70s. Vince transitions into his journey as both a real estate broker and investor. He dives deep into the pros/cons of getting a broker's license as an investor and the requirements to get licensed. Throughout the episode, Vince speaks to the power of re...

What are the steps I should take to vet my Chicago contractors? Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Guest: Bolanle Ogunmakin, Quality Builders Link: Straight Up Chicago Investor Episode 76 ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2022.

Return guests Bibek Das, Eric Workman, and Matt LaCosse join us to discuss a 5-unit deal with a lot of hair on it! Matt (buyer on this deal) starts by talking about how our very own Mark Ainley (buyer's agent) brought this 5-unit property in Batavia to his attention. Eric (the lender on this deal) dives into the lending aspect of this deal and the group discusses the offer formulation and negotiat...

From a rough upbringing to a successful REI career in Chicago, Mike Baker joins us to discuss his journey and his vast knowledge on wholesaling, flipping, and consulting.  Mike begins by outlining his troubled past involving drugs, gangs, and prison. He shares some of the lessons learned in prison and the mindset shift required to get started and to succeed in real estate. Mike, Mark, and Tom shar...

What are my options to remove maintenance costs on smaller pieces of lawns? Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Guest: James Galvin, Chicago Lawn To Garden ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2022.

Sam Sharp has over 20 years experience in the Mortgage Industry and joins us to discuss rising interest rates. Sam begins by talking about his vast experience in the mortgage industry and the lending environment during the last housing crash. He shares tips that have helped him be a top-producing loan originator and provides advice for professionals trying to build their brand. Sam gives his take...

Danny Spitz of Greenstone Partners joins us to discuss the ins and outs of investing in commercial real estate. Danny kicks things off by sharing his start in real estate with a 3-flat in Bridgeport. He explains the differences between residential and commercial properties including insight on taxes and financing those assets. Danny speaks to the types of tenants and leases on mixed-use, retail, a...

A real live example of how beginning investors can separate themselves against known buyers without overpaying. Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Guest: Derek Kaptanoglu, Essex ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2022.

Corey Oliver has over 20 years of experience acquiring and repositioning multifamily buildings in Chicago's South and West Side areas. Corey talks about his start in real estate and how he acquired his first buy and hold buildings in North Lawndale. He speaks to the struggles of investing in C/D class areas including dealing with squatters, non-paying tenants, and gang activity. Corey dives deep o...

Kevin Krasney is the third-generation owner of Cole's Appliances, which is still situated on the same Lincoln Ave corner in North Center.  Kevin talks about his family-owned and operated business and how Cole's provides tremendous value to investors. He walks through the appliance ordering and installation process and how the recent supply chain issues played into this process. Kevin gets granular...

What are lenders taking a harder look at in this market? Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Guest: Eric Workman, Renovo Financial ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2022.

Robert Waz of Exterplexy Real Estate & Management joins us to discuss the ins and outs of investing in the North Lawndale neighborhood. Robert kicks things off by explaining why he started investing in North Lawndale. He dives into unforeseen challenges and underwriting considerations to ensure investors accurately account for all expenses and. Robert goes deep into the neighborhood, including its...

Sonia Del Real of Third City Consulting and LREIC join us to discuss her involvement with Chicago Housing Provider Advocacy groups and how investors from all ethnicities can benefit from this group.  Sonia shares her background as a second-generation immigrant and a Chicago native along with her investing journey prior to the housing crash. She speaks to her transition into education and advocacy...

Return guests Casey Smagala and Steven Vance of Chicago Cityscape join us to discuss the revised Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) ordinance and other development trends in Chicago! Casey and Steven start off by explaining the TOD ordinance and the changes resulting from the recent revision. They dive deep on the impacted neighborhoods, zoning districts, and provisions of the ordinance. Casey and...