All Forum Posts by: Eudith Vacio

Thanks for the shout - out @Jonathan Klemm 😃 I appreciate it . 

@Joseph Turano - Jonathan is a 203k General Contractor, someone that you can link up with and can you walk through some of his current and past rehabs. Definitely ask the contractors if they have any current jobsites that you can visit. I never soley rely on photos, I want to view the properties that they are currently rehabbing & get some references because there are really bad contractors out there. It is SO easy to get your GC license in Chicago so definitely do your due diligence. Always keep in mind that you can change contractors even after you close on the property so you are not tied to anyone! best of luck, keep us updated!

Hey @Joscelyn Johnson 👋🏽

Welcome to the awesome BP community & I'm sure you will meet other like-minded individuals here. I'm a real estate agent / investor in both Chicago & Northwest Indiana (East Chicago / Gary / Hammond) and both areas are really great places to invest. Just keep in mind that Chicago is a tenant friendly state & Indiana is a landlord friendly state. 

I wish you the best of luck in your journey!

Hey @Asim Purses 👋🏽

Most house hackers will live in the basement + rent out the other units to maximize their return. You can also rent it out like everyone on here mentioned, but it is risky if you rent because the tenant can call the city on you and you would have to de-convert the unit + possibly pay the tenants back rent for the time that they lived there OR you can airBnB the unit - probably the best way IMO. Let's us know what you end up doing! options are there but you just have to weigh your options! 

Hey @Liz Cole 👋🏽

You should definitely consider an FHA 2023k loan, probably one of the best decisions I made. Lenders / other realtors advised against it, but honestly I think it was due to a lack of knowledge and understanding. This loan give you the opportunity to take advantage of cash from the bank + build up equity. Even if you wanted to do a small rehab, its worth the time and effort!

Hey @Aahil B. 👋🏽

I love the ambition to scale to the next level and branch into flips. You can tap into your equity through a HELOC and purchase another property and either BRRRR it or flip it depending on what makes sense. A full gut rehab is a lot of work if you don't have the time for it, it can become stressful. Even if you hire a GC, you still need to manage the GC and make sure they are doing what they're suppose to be doing.

I am always in favor of finding mentorship or paying to get more knowledge through a program (at a reasonable price) but there are plenty of free programs here on BP that you might want to explore before paying for mentorship. It sounds like that's what your leaning towards, so I would listen to your intuition and just go for it!

Hey @Chandan Das 👋🏽

Welcome to the world of real estate! Since you’re newly licensed and operating in multiple states, finding the right managing broker is crucial—not just for compliance but also for maximizing your business potential. 

I have been with eXp Realty for years!It is a cloud-based brokerage that provides:

✅ Multi-State Licensing Support – You can operate in different states under one brokerage.
✅ Great Commission Splits – Keep more of what you earn with a competitive split structure.
✅ Revenue Share & Stock Rewards – Unlike traditional brokerages, eXp allows agents to earn passive income through revenue sharing and company stock.
✅ Investor-Friendly Community – Many top eXp agents focus on wholesaling, flipping, and investment strategies.

Let me know if you'd like to talk more about the benefits of eXp realty - I am also an investor in IL & IN so would be great to connect on your off-market deals!

Thanks for the shoutout @Jonathan Klemm

I live in Chicago but definitely a pretty big fan of Northwest Indiana. Cristian & I connected last week so hopefully he will make a move in Gary, Indiana - that's one of my favorite places to invest right now. 😃  

Hey Natalie! 👋🏽

Welcome to the biggerpockets forums, I see you are from Hammond, Indiana which is a great area to get familar with including other portions of NWI. Is that where you are looking to start wholesaling? 

Awesome that you're still super young and have the ambition to get into real estate investing. 

I would also consider reaching out to local real estate investment groups or networking events to connect with experienced professionals. Their guidance can help you avoid common pitfalls and accelerate your learning curve..

@Cory Kerr "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" - I have boilers in one of my buildings and only recently transitioned to electrical baseboards because we were having to the bill for the entire building. Now, we are no longer responsible! 

If you plan on eventually selling, central air would add a significant value increase, so you may consider if that's the case. 

that's awesome @Tieirra Singleton I love those areas for real estate investing - there is so much potential for cash flow + equity build up.