Chicago Property Management Blog

Andrew Holmes is one of the most well-known names in Chicago Real Estate Investing. Andrew explains his incredible journey, from his early days as a hustling agent, to how he structured his first few investment deals. Andrew dives into specifics on how he finds deals, what attributes he looks for in an investment property, how he underwrites properties, and how he teaches others to scale. There is so much to break down here it’s a...

I have flirted with the idea of this article for quite some time now because I do truly believe in the use of Property Management from the investor standpoint. However, my hesitation in publishing this topic has been countered by the idea of the negative feedback I may receive for my comments below.   To head off some of those comments I will start by saying there are plenty of poorly run Property Management companies across t...

Chicagoland is home to an enormous real estate market that includes an equally large amount of sub markets. Anthony Citriglia, of Essex Realty’s, has a submarket that covers many of the near north and near northwest suburbs. Here he breaks down exactly what those markets are like, how they differ from the actual city of Chicago, and how they differ from each other. Following the post-war boom, cheaper access to cars and the d...

As investors ourselves, throughout many markets and class types, our primary goal is to attract and retain the best tenant possible for our properties.The “Best Tenant” can be defined by qualifications on their application, potential willingness to stay for a longer term, and/or ability to be a satisfied resident when we, as the Landlord, successfully perform the duties as required by the lease agreement. (We try to avoid hi...

For a potential investor, there are many property investment options available. These options vary in the rate of return and the degree of risk involved. Real Estate has long been a favorite for investors wishing to grow their wealth and it’s easy to see why.There are countless reasons for property being a sound investment for a potential investor – here are 5 of the most important ones:1. Inflation hedgeEvery investor looks...

Have you ever looked at your significant other and wanted to build an empire with them? That’s exactly what Nicky and RJ De Leon have been doing since the early days of their relationship. Today, they tell their story from start to current day, diving into how they had all those hard conversations about deciding on the first location, getting on the same page as your partner and so on. Since that initial househack, they moved...

In order to provide an incentive for property owners to utilize the CHA voucher program in “Mobility Areas,” the Chicago Housing Authority has implemented a series of benefits or incentives for property owners who are looking to participate in the Program.The primary objective of this program is to make it easier for voucher holders to move into neighborhoods with low levels of poverty and less violent crime, and where renta...

Luminita Ispas has been a determined and successful investor, broker, and coach in Chicago for two decades. As someone who lost it all and gained it all back, she has some pointers to share with our community. Podcast key points:How important is it to be an agent if you’re an investorFinancial education for investorsEarly mistakes to avoid as a first time investorWest Side neighborhoods to pay attention toLand vs. Rehab proje...

ROSELLE, March 16, 2021 – Inc. magazine has revealed that GC Realty & Development LLC., is No. 173 on its 2021 Inc. 5000 Regionals: Midwest list. This list is the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, where the company ranked 2,861...

With more than 50,000 real estate brokers in Illinois and over 1.4 million across the county, it’s hard to believe that very few of these brokers can and are willing to work with real estate investors. A specialist that can assist an investor in growing their real estate portfolio is much different than an agent who practices common real estate.To be an investment-minded real estate broker, you must first possess specific kno...