Reyna Ayala

I’ve been interested in real estate investing since the fall of 2018 when I was living in Syracuse, NY for school. I was renting a bedroom in a 5-bedroom house for $650 a month, and it clicked—I realized the potential of real estate. After returning to Chicago, I dove into research on buying a home, working for years to meet the necessary requirements: decreasing my DTI, growing my credit score, saving, and maintaining a strong job history with good income. In November 2023, I took a step further by joining local groups and connecting with lenders who gave me the first push toward getting pre-approved. That was the spark I needed, and it set off a domino effect. With the support of that first lender, I realized I was ready and qualified for something I had been hesitant about due to fear of not meeting all the requirements perfectly. From there, I began searching for my first multi-unit property and different DPA programs while still trying to secure my job title. After 1 year and 22 days of hard searching, and multiple bids lost along the way, I finally got my first duplex under contract in December 2024. With that, I’m starting off 2025 as a newly 25 year old investor!