Chicago Real Estate Investing Blog

By Mark Ainley

The 3 Best Investing Options for Getting Started in Real Estate

I get asked this question frequently: “What would you do if you were starting over?” The answer is: It depends. It depends on life circumstances. It depends on the amount of money available. It depends on the amount of time I’d have.What I’m going to...

By Mark Ainley

Is Real Estate the Best Alternative Investment?

Are you an executive who just retired after being in corporate practice for several years?Or an entrepreneur who just sold a business? Perhaps you are a new graduate who received an inheritance unexpectedly? Or, you may be the lucky one who won the biggest jackpot in ...

By Mark Ainley

What is Passive Income?

What is Passive Income? Passive income is an income received on a regular basis that requires minimal or no work to maintain the source. It differs from active income – a job for example – which requires specific performance in order to generate the paymen...

By Mark Ainley

Is Real Estate Investing Right For You?

Simply stated, real estate investing is not for everyone. It can, without a doubt, be a phenomenal wealth-building strategy, but without the proper set of expectations and goals, it may not be the best fit for you. I often hear people talk about real estate as this sure-thing mon...

By Mark Ainley

The 3 Most Common Myths Beginner Real Estate Investors Believe

Every single year, many individuals get into the world of real estate investing. Some of them think of it as a speedy approach to profit. This is a result of the famous “get rich quick” attitude that makes many of the beginner real estate investors fall flat.Newbies t...

By Mark Ainley

6 Golden Rules to Follow Before You Invest in Turnkey Real Estate

Real estate investing is not for everyone. It requires patience, consistency and persistence and it comes with its share of challenges that must be considered before making the leap.A lot of new investors are interested in investing in turnkey real estate because they think ...

By Mark Ainley

Watch Out For Property Taxes in Cook County!

On multiple occasions, throughout this podcast, we've said you have to watch out for your property taxes.In February each year, the Cook County Treasurer releases new tax rates to the public, which are then used to determine the tax bill. Often the numbers are a mystery, but ...

By Mark Ainley

Three Signs That Prove a Community is Moving Forward

When deciding to invest in a community, there are three telltale signs that show that the community is moving forward and in the right direction. Ciere Boatright, Vice President of Real Estate and Inclusion at CNI shared with us three things to keep an eye out for. In t...

By Mark Ainley

How Tom Made 200k Into Millions Of Net Worth

The Tom that I speak of here is none other than my great podcast co-host Tom Shallcross. Tom was born and raised in the northwest side community of Dunning and 30+ years later he has not made it much further away into Jeff Park where he resides with his wife and 4 children. Altho...

By Mark Ainley

5 Tips When Investing In REO Properties

Many investors overlook bank-owned properties when looking to add to their portfolio. Savvy buyers who take the time to understand the REO process can uncover a huge opportunity for themselves in the form of great bargains. REO, or “Real Estate Owned”, is a term...