Chicago Real Estate Investing Blog

By Mark Ainley

What You Need to Know About IRAs

There are two main types of IRAs: traditional and Roth. Each has its own pros and cons, which makes choosing one over the other more difficult than it seems at first glance. This article will discuss the differences between them and help you to choose which one is right for you b...

By Mark Ainley

How To Screen For A Bad Chicago General Contractor

Hiring a bad contractor to lead your Chicago rehab can be a costly learning curve. Below are a few tips on what you need to know to avoid some of the pitfalls when hiring a general contractor to complete a rehab for you in Chicago.Hire a contractor that has a general contra...

By Mark Ainley

Best Areas To Invest In Chicago Real Estate

The Chicago metro area is made up of 77 wards inside the city limits and surrounded by over 130 suburbs across 6 counties. That means for people starting their search here with no knowledge of the100s of pockets to buy in, it can become overwhelming fast!Chicago has a lot t...

By Mark Ainley

3 Questions Chicago Real Estate Investors Need To Ask Before Starting to Invest

If you’re thinking about investing in real estate, the first step you should take is to ask yourself three questions. These questions will help you determine whether this form of investment is right for you, and if so, how to invest effectively and make the most of your inv...

By Mark Ainley

Tokenization - 4 Things Chicago Real Estate Investors Know

To understand what real estate tokenization is, let's first look at its definition and the three main types of tokens that are created as part of the process. Real estate has existed since the beginning of civilization, and it’s one of the oldest forms of investment tha...

By Mark Ainley

Three Tips for Applying for an FHA Home Loan

If you’re looking to buy your first home, you might be eligible for an FHA home loan. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insures loans made by private lenders, making it easier and more affordable to qualify for a mortgage. While the FHA loan approval process can some...

By Mark Ainley

Mistakes Real Estate Investors Make in Chicago

We have seen firsthand many of the mistakes that are made by Real Estate Investors here in the Chicago market. Most of these mistakes could have been avoided just by having maintained focus.For example, you go into a market you're not aware of and you take on a number of unit...

By Mark Ainley

2022 New Conventional and FHA Loan Limits

The Conventional and FHA mortgage loan limits for 2022 will be increasing significantly over the 2021 limits in the United States. These loan limits are also known as Conforming Loan Limits. Any loan size above the limits is known as a Jumbo loan. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may o...

By Mark Ainley

Five Motivation Factors to Consider When Building Solid Direct Mailer Lists

Direct mail outreach campaigns to owners of C-Class properties have a proven track record of getting results. Much of that success depends on determining how motivated an owner may be to sell. To increase the likelihood of success, investors should take the time to learn how to b...

By Mark Ainley

Affordable Housing an Option for Low Income Tenants

Section 42 is the Internal Revenue Service tax law section. It provides a low-income housing tax credit for "investing in certain low-income housing". As a general rule, real estate owners can claim an annual tax credit if they provide a certain number of units in...