All Forum Posts by: Brian H.

@Corey D. McCray Thanks, your website looks good, I'll PM you. 

@Alex Bok Thanks, yours too! I will check you out also.

Hi Marcus, 

Sounds like you've thought out your plan pretty far ahead! I don't have any experience with trailers at all (or much with real estate either!), but I also would like to make a more serious go of investing. One thing I have learned, is that it's always great to have someone in your corner who knows more than you about what you're trying to do. Also, I like to try and put some emergency money aside in a hard to get to place, so that if things go wrong, you have money for yourself - not for your projects, but for yourself if something bad happened or things take longer than expected you're not sudddenly scrounging to come up with food money. I know that stuff is all probably obvious to you, but just my two cents. Best of luck!

Good evening, 

I'm wondering if anyone has a recommendation for a real estate agent in the Grand Boulevard (south Bronzeville) area? I've been watching things there for awhile now, and am looking to get a 3 or 4 flat to be owner occupied. I've found a few things to investigate myself, but I'd like to work with an agent regardless. I'm definitely leaning towards something that needs some work, and will probably do some myself (I work in architecture and have a construction background) and contract out some, depending on the amount needed. This would be my first purchase, so finding someone communicative and patient is important. I'd like to buy (and sell) in the future as well, and would like to start developing relationships. I'm really hoping to find someone specifically familiar with Grand Boulevard, and the surrounding areas.

Thanks, Brian

Dang, I missed it! 

Do emails go out about them, and on what schedule? I signed up after the last meeting, but didn't seem to get anything. Maybe I mis-typed my email address or something. I've re-entered it. I think I missed that it was 3rd Tuesday, I guess that would've shown me.... 

Thanks for sharing! It's really helpful as a newbie, to see the numbers of what and how others are starting out. Best of luck!

Best of luck @Nathan Hemming! 

I'm in a very similar boat, looking for a 3 or 4 unit to house hack, then hopefully get more property to renovate. I think I'm more on the renovation side than build new side (at least for now). Keep us updated with what you find and do. Also, I don't know if you go to the Chicago meetup, but the one I've been to was good!

This is great info, I've been pondering some of this myself. Ready to get started! (Though I think I will get a real estate agent on my "team" before I find what I've been looking for :)

There are several precedents for this happening around the country. Two examples on different ends of the spectrum are in Texas. 

I think this one functions more like a second home.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/bestie-row-4-coupl...

This one is dealing with homelessness. 

https://austin.curbed.com/2016/5/17/11686368/tiny-...

I think of seen a few other examples, which you can probably find if you do some searching (Sprout Tiny Homes is developing in Colorado, and TinyHomeBuilders has a map of homes on their website). Definitely an interesting idea, and I think could be accomplished with careful planning and the right circumstances. There's also the "microapartment" movement happening mostly in big cities. One is supposed to be coming up right down the street from me here.

@Elbert D. Well, you could look at it like that, but I thought there was a lot of great free information as well (and I tend to have a cynical eye for that sort of thing). Neighborhood Lending Services (non-profit lender) told us about their available loans, but also about the $7,500 IHDA grants available, the $15,000 MMRP grants available, the $75,000 Renew Woodlawn grants, etc. Most of the information was provided by an entity that sells something, but it was not overly sales based. There were also tables for vendors, but also people like the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, etc.

@Elbert D. It was at Malcolm X College on Saturday. A lot of great info on available loan products/grants/etc. Sorry, I meant to figure out where to post that sort of thing on the BP Forums, but didn't have time. I imagine you can look up the website still, and get some of the info on organizers, etc. I think this is their 2nd or 3rd year, and from what I heard, it keeps getting better.

@Michael Facchini Yeah, things have seemed to be heating up there for awhile now. Hoping to get in before it's too late. And thanks, will do! 

@Mark Ainley Hi Mark, thanks. I don't see any nearby on your website. You have others available in that area?