Straight Up Chicago Investor

Return guest (Episode 15) John Casmon drops in to share golden nuggets on how he separates himself from the competition in this tight market! John starts off by reminding us of his humble real estate beginnings which came via a house hack in the North Center neighborhood of Chicago. He explains how his flipping experience helped propel his growth despite facing adversity. John provides tips on how...

What is a condo deconversion and how can investors benefit from purchasing a deconversion opportunity? Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Guest: Jake Parker & Andy Friedman from Kiser Group ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2022.

Interested in Modular Housing? Josh Braun explains modular housing and how he's been able to be a pioneer in Chicago Modular Housing Construction.      Josh starts off by talking about his start in real estate and his early interactions with the City's Building Department. He discusses the specs of his different finished products and lessons learned that have helped him evolve his business. Josh s...

Did you know that you can raise or deploy funds found in IRAs to invest in Real Estate? Adam Sypniewski joins us to break down how this can be accomplished. Adam kicks things off by defining an IRA and explaining the limitations when withdrawing IRA funds. He dives into the different ways investors can leverage their IRA funds or someone else's funds to invest in real estate. Adam talks about rule...

Jake Fugman walks us through the numbers, rationale, and challenges of a recent househack in Hermosa that our listeners can learn from. Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Guest: Jake Fugman, The Axon Group (EXP Realty) ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2022.

Want to know how to take your real estate marketing to the next level to grow your business? Our guest Aram Ghazaryan provides insight on how to differentiate yourself from your competition! Aram explains his tremendous story of how he got into real estate at the young age of 21 and methods used to achieve great success after 5 years in the business ! He shares how to consistently put out engaging...

Return guest Chris Puleo drops in to share a lending market update! Chris starts off by commenting on the volatility in the market and looks back on how the pandemic shaped what is happening today . He explains "bait and switch" and the questions you should be asking your mortgage lender. Chris dives deep into the different loan programs available in today's market. Chris also delivers Chicago-spe...

What are the many factors investors must consider if they are looking to sell in this hot market? (And buyers need to know this info as well!) Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Guest: Ron Plonis & Jeff Leibovich from Kiser Group ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor...

Ever wonder what it takes to convert a condo building into rental apartments? Sean Connelly of 33 Realty explains the ins and outs of deconverting condos as an investment strategy. Sean starts by defining basic terms and the strategy associated with deconverting condos. He then dives into the more technical aspects of underwriting and handling negotiations with owners and associations. Sean closes...

Think it's possible to scale to 80 rental units while working a W2 job? We know it sounds tough, but our guest David Pezzola explains how he did that and then continued on to build a massive portfolio! David shares insights on how was able to grow and manage his large portfolio while having his W2 job . He then talks about his post W2 investment journey including his acquisition strategy and lesso...

How is inflation affecting the Chicagoland market? Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Guest: Danny Mantis & Matt Halper from Kiser Group ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2022.

Thought about taking down a mixed-use building to improve your neighborhood's streetscape? Not sure where to start? Our guest Nicholas Katsafados explains how he found a niche in mixed-use buildings and what other things he is doing to contribute to redevelopment in his neighborhood! Nicholas provides insight on how investing in mixed-use buildings differs from other types of buildings . He talks...

Wondering who is partnering with big developers to sell and lease their finished product? Our guest Aaron Galvin explains how his company is capturing a large market share in this space! Aaron provides insight on how his company's focus on people and relationships has led to tremendous growth . He talks about the mistakes he made while growing his business and how he had to learn to "elevate and d...

What should buyers expect in 2022? Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Guest: Rosario Terracciano from Clickinvest Link: AttomData.com ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2022.

Can't find a deal in this Chicago Real Estate Market? You are not alone! John Warren of Presto Properties joins us to discuss how he acquired his 3 most recent properties. John discusses properties he purchased in Bellwood, Albany Park, and Cicero. He shares how he acquired each deal, the strategy implemented, the nuances, and lessons learned. While breaking down the deals, John elaborates on part...

Dr. Brad Hunt of Loyola University's Department of History joins the show to educate us on the complicated history of Chicago's Public Housing developments and why real estate investors should care.  Brad is the author of Blueprint for Disaster , in which he traces Chicago's Public Housing history and transformation under various government administrations. Leveraging this knowledge of poorly oper...

What are the new 2022 conventional and FHA loan limits? Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Guest: Perry Farella of Prime Lending ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2022.

Thinking about buying Real Estate or a Yacht in the Metaverse? Want to learn more about the Metaverse, Blockchain, and other innovations that will impact your real estate strategy? This episode will scratch that itch! Simon Enwia of Flawless Homes shares mind-blowing insight on developing technologies in real estate! Before jumping in, Simon lays out his background as a Chicago investor and breaks...

New development strategies, hot Chicago areas, derivative financing trading, long-term holds, and an Englishman! This episode is packed with nuggets across the board. With a background in finance and derivatives trading, Lawrence Dunning has shifted his analytical skills to real estate and is making a name for himself by linking developers to long-term investors before inventory hits the market.  ...

As a buyer, how can I find wholesalers, get them to work with me, and what should I expect throughout the process? Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Guest: Blake McCreight of Express Property Solutions ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2022.

On today's episode, our guest Tom Benedetto explains how the Chicagoland Apartment Association (CAA) is a strong voice in the fight for fair and lawful protection of Housing Providers across Chicagoland. Tom shares CAA's mission statement, the issues they are currently tackling, and the biggest challenges in the push for advocacy. Lastly, Tom closes with the goals that CAA has for the near future...

Wondering if it's time to jump into the Chicago Real Estate Market? Brie Schmidt provides a recap of the 2021 market and dives into the current trends and expectations for 2022.  Brie explains how low inventory has impacted the market and how buyers have had to readjust their expectations. She also discusses lending challenges on properties in her area of expertise, Chicago's North Side. Brie drop...

How are lenders handling ADU requests from investors looking to add a legal unit to an existing property? Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Guest: Perry Farella of Prime Lending | Perry's Blog ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2022.

World Relief Organization (WRO) Chicagoland is a humanitarian organization whose focus is to aid refugees and immigrant families in finding housing and rebuilding their lives in Chicago. As a Chicagoland housing provider, there is not only good that you can do by partnering with WRO, but you can also benefit from a stream of applicants with specified subsidies.  Today WRO's own Susan Sperry and Na...

So what happened in the Chicago real estate market in 2021 and where are we headed in 2022? Our guests today, Casey Smagala and Steven Vance both of Chicago Cityscape, are here to share data you won't want to miss.  Casey and Steven explain how their data aggregation software allows them to efficiently analyze neighborhoods and identify paths of progress. They present which areas in Chicago with p...