He still owes me for the services I rendered and saw through to consummation.I filed a mechanic's lien against his property.

@Steve Harris Great breakdown — especially the emphasis on killing deals early and not underestimating timeline risk.One thing I’ve seen repeatedly is that the mechanical steps can all be completed “correctly,” but the real inflection point is whether the approved lot count and conditions still support the original economics.In other words, entitlement success isn’t just getting a vote — it’s whether the discretion exercised along the way (conditions, design adjustments, off-site requirements) reshapes the deal enough that pricing, sequencing, or exit assumptions need to change.The process is remarkably consistent across markets, but the economic durability of the approvals is where experience really shows up.

That's your shortcut to real experience instead of GCs who've done single-family work and think it translates.One thing I'd add: for a triplex conversion with full mechanical separation, you want a GC who's done that exact work or similar.

So, we have a built-in mechanism for being notified whenever we require that the tenants list us on their policy as an interesting party.

Background: 20-year veteran mechanic and business owner.

I truly appreciate the perspective and the emphasis on balancing strong fundamentals with meaningful relationships.

But a full gut rehab with structural or mechanical surprises?

Hey Chicago investors -
Quick technical question on the Cook County AHSAP (Class 9) incentive.
I am under contract on a 16-unit in Phoenix, IL, and we just received our formal approval letter from the Assessor reduc...

If you're taking a training course at the Holidome this weekend from a guy that says "this time last month I was working as a mechanic, but then I discovered the secret to getting rich in just 30 days in real estate...and for a $10K mentorship I'll teach you my secret."

Between my own deals and what I run through my pipeline, I’m typically around 20–30 flips a year, 20-30 investor clients a year, and 2-4 larger development deals with a big emphasis on off-market acquisitions-- 2-4 a month on top of the flips.