Love your mindset, especially recognizing early on that real estate is a team sport and focusing on long-term impact through quality housing.I’ve got some entry-level experience on the personal investing side myself, and I also work with investors daily here in the Houston market.

Eric, what has your experience been and what do you enjoy doing the most with REI?

I'm a worship pastor and I am doing a flips as well. I've completed 2 since last June and plan to do more now that I'm building a team and systems that will allow me to scale. I'm looking for advice finding the right ...

Hello, my husband and I are interested in renting out a guest bedroom and bathroom on the side of our home. We have four small children. Rules would need to be established. The guests we would be renting to would be m...

I have zero experience in real-estate, but I do not want to have a 9-5 be my main source of income.

I don't want to turn the property over to a property management company but I am looking to bring in some help to support the tasks I don't enjoy.

This is the very essence of why investors buy a truly Turnkey property and experience.

Timeline and Summary of Real Estate Experience with Altus IG Real Estate LLC / Altus Investment Group and Kevin DuganInitial Introduction (Approx. 7 Years Ago)My daughter and I attended a real estate expo in Los Angeles.We reconnected with my daughter's former schoolmate, who was active in real estate management and construction in Chicago.He introduced us to his company, Altus IG Real Estate LLC (also known as Altus Investment Group), managed by Kevin Dugan.First Property PurchaseWe purchased our first rental property.Kevin Dugan personally inspected the property and estimated renovations at \$30,000 (verbal estimate only).Over six months, we were billed \$59,000 in renovation costs.After delays and several emails, the property was finally rented.The first year yielded a 12% CAP rate with no missed rent payments.First Private LoanEncouraged by the initial success, my daughter convinced me to provide a private loan to Kevin.After one year, Kevin repaid the loan in full.Second Property & Second LoanWe purchased a second rental property and extended another loan to Kevin.Renovation costs escalated to \$75,000 without an itemized estimate.Escalation of IssuesRental income became inconsistent.We received invoices for unexpected expenses (e.g., cleaning and utilities that tenants were supposed to cover).Communication with the management team deteriorated.Tax documents were incorrect and required significant effort to amend.We began experiencing financial losses.Conclusion and Legal ActionWe sold both properties in Chicago, to halt further losses.Kevin stopped repaying the second loan—interest payments ceased completely.Multiple outreach attempts via phone, text, and email have been ignored.We are currently seeking legal counsel to recover the unpaid loan.The loan includes a personal guarantee from Kevin Dugan.Public WarningKevin Dugan presents himself as a real estate investment expert on Instagram.In our experience, his business practices were unethical and unsustainable—seemingly using new investments to pay off old debts ("robbing Peter to pay Paul").

I understand these questions are more personal decision based but I enjoy hearing feedback and experiences from others. 

A well-designed space makes a huge difference, not just for photos but for guest experience and reviews.You’re right—Chicago isn’t exactly the easiest market for STRs these days.