12 November 2025 | 124 replies
I was too busy in the trenches helping investors build out individual portfolios.
17 November 2025 | 3 replies
As in all things in life (like choosing a spouse)for instance, it's incumbent upon us to examine our individual personalities regarding whether a proposed partnership would be a good fit or a disaster in waiting.In 2007, when I lost more than $130,000 in the stock market,I learnt a permanent lesson that stuck with me till today.I discovered that I was a control freak.I needed to always know how my actions directly related to my results, and most often like to retain the ability to change my mind even if others would find such reversal a stupid idea.Seeing how much control I didn't have on how my stocks performed in 2008 despite all the information I had consumed for several months regarding value investing and how to analyze a company's fundamentals scarred me for life.It made a real estate investor out of me.The safety and assurance that I was taking sole responsibility for the calls i made and the risks I decided to take was a calming refuge.Having been a Pro-member on BiggerPockets for as long as I've been has its perks.It gives one a front row seat to see in slow motion the interesting evolution of the component parts that make up this mammoth industry.I watched in amusement as one member arrived as a total newbie in 2018 with a welcome post, voraciously consuming unsolicited counsel on the member forums for a few months and then posted a "success story" of his deals after 6 months.Within a year, he had his own podcast and is now buying large apartments as a syndicator pooling investors' money.To be clear, this is not a hate post.I certainly do not begrudge people "crushing it" in record time.Nonetheless, as a 'senior' member of this community who has seen this movie before,I do feel a lonely cautionary voice in the wilderness is needed at this point.We are in an environment of unprecedented cap rate compression and record low interest rates which is only headed in one direction after this is all over.Yes, make no mistake, the music will soon stop.That has very little to do with an upcoming election and is regardless of who wins the White House or who controls congress after November.If you've listened to Kevin Bupp and Rod Khleif, you know what happened to their portfolios in 2008.These were no amateurs, as a matter of fact, they had many years of investment experience when the music stopped.They both weathered the storm and came back stronger and that is why I remain a shameless fan of both men till today.Several others were not that lucky, and you will never hear their names.In this space today, there are investors and there are educators.The educators have taken over the habitat.That is why there are now more podcasts on real estate than I can get through in a working week.Real Estate education is so very lucrative now that it is possible to make way more money from podcasts and books than in actual real estate investment for some gifted marketers with smooth tongues and gifted content creators.We are in the information age after all, and youtube millionaires are now perhaps outpacing patient real estate buy and hold landlords in the passive income/ cash flow game.Belonging to a $25,000/year mastermind and attending a syndication bootcamp does not insulate anyone from catastrophe.
19 November 2025 | 383 replies
I have not seen any public responses from Crew (Wettengel or Muro) yet.
13 November 2025 | 39 replies
(Based on or subject to individual judgment or preference) When Alan Greenspan was Fed Gov, he built the model that led to 2008.
19 November 2025 | 30 replies
Ignore the responses that are not from local investors, in Chicago an eviction takes 8+ months so you should NEVER take on any risky tenants.
19 November 2025 | 7 replies
They are a large company that has buying power and a network of contractors realtors and others to do the work. the owner, Zach also here on BiggerPockets and has a stellar reputation for customer serviceFor cons - people will view some companies in a negative light because of this, but the reality is the individual who is thinking negatively is typically inexperienced and doesn't understand the businessbut....this is a reality as someone who has been in this space for almost 30 years.Contractors realtors, and others one day could be an A player and do great work.
7 November 2025 | 12 replies
He is willing to sell at a discount (with or without a seller note) or to put them into a trust with me as beneficiary as long as I agree to take over all management responsibilities (directly or indirectly).
20 November 2025 | 3 replies
Setting up a new LLC for each flipping project is a common approach to limit liability, but as you mentioned, it can get tricky with all the bank accounts and bookkeeping.One option to simplify things is to set up a holding company (LLC or C-Corp) to own the individual LLCs for each project.
10 November 2025 | 13 replies
Chicago’s landlord-tenant laws do tend to favor tenants, so it’s super important to familiarize yourself with the Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RTLO) — that’s the best resource for understanding your rights and responsibilities before you buy.That said, I’m also licensed in Northwest Indiana (Hammond, East Chicago, and Gary), and while I live and invest in Chicago, I’ll be the first to say that Northwest Indiana is another great area to consider.