All Forum Posts by: Joe Ramirez

Hi @Ariel O.! Thanks for the feedback - we are still working hard to perfect our marketing strategy. We agree that some of our points may not be as clear as they could be.  We are focused on being a full service property manager with a different model for doing business. We agree that boots on the ground is very important, but we also believe that most property management firms are very fragmented and have lots of room for improvement to be more efficient and high-tech.

Please follow us and keep the input coming!  Thanks.  -Joe

Hi @Alex Hamilton, Thanks very much for your insights. This is exactly the type of feedback and critique we are looking for. We actually don't think that finding good contractors or doing any part of property management is a breeze at all. In fact, we believe it is the biggest hurdle for beginner investors. This is why we want to make it as easy as possible for beginners to get started with real estate investing while providing a unique and innovative service model to existing landlords at the same time. We know that we will have to work incredibly hard ourselves to make this model work. We are focused on developing a model that makes managing properties much more efficient in a number of regards, which relies heavily on a software element as well as a pricing element.

I hope you follow the progress of our company and give us further feedback along the way!  Thanks!  -Joe

Hi @Joe Fairless,

Thanks! As far as I know, Cozy only offers online/app rent payments and tenant screening services. While we intend to provide those services as well, the main aspect of our company will be a new paradigm for property management. Our 2 main differences would be our pricing model and our software/app service that allows landlords to quickly find top-rated contractors in their area to schedule services instantly with less hassle.

Hey folks.  Thanks for the replies! We are in the very early stages of funding right now. Our model is based extensively on custom software that we believe can make the management of properties and tenants much more efficient. Instead of a per month subscription fee that traditional managers charge, we will collect on a per event basis (i.e., when the furnace breaks or an apartment needs painting). We believe this is a much more efficient and enticing model for landlords and helps align the incentives between the property manager and the property owner. Please sign up on the website for updates as we make progress and share with other investors you think may be interested!

Thanks,
Joe

www.LandlordHero.com

Hi all,

I've been in the landlording business for several years now, and I've finally mustered up the courage to quit my job in Finance and start my own property management company. We are 2 MIT grads (2007) that are looking to disrupt the real estate investing arena. Our first stop is to simplify the property management aspect of RE investing such that it is cheaper, faster, and a more pleasant experience for all parties involved. Our company, Landlord Hero, aims to offer a 0% per month management fee, unlike the 5-10% charged by traditional managers. Finding contractors in your area and collecting rent from tenants will be a breeze with our app. We want to make RE investing as simple as buying stocks and bonds on your mobile device! Our extensive experience in the financial and software development worlds allow us to bring a whole new face to the real estate investment game.

Please head over to  to sign up and follow our progress as we launch within the next several months. We are offering landlords 1 month free and a 3-month trial period with no contract for those who sign up before June 30, 2015! Come explore what we have to offer and we welcome any advice or comments below!

Thanks,
Joe

Hi all,

I'm a small investor in the Chicago area, looking to buy another property for which I'll need a PM. I've been looking at Pilsen, Bridgeport, Wicker Park, Bucktown, and UK Village. Anoyone have any PM recommendations in those areas? Thanks.

Hi all,

Just wondering if this is common practice or my bank is trying to pull a fast one. A few months ago I put in an offer that was accepted by the seller. As such, my lender (Chase) started the actual application process. After the inspection revealed big structural issues, I withdrew my offer. However, Chase has not refunded my $655 application fee. I am currently in contract with another property and Chase has charged another $655. Is this normal? Should I really be charged for the deal that did not go through? 

Any info would be much appreciated! Thanks all!

That's absolutely true @Zach Shepard . Sometimes it's hard for me to get over the idea that the seller knows so much more about the property and its problems than I do going into a deal. But going about it your way is the best route to securing the deal. Thanks for the advice!

Hi all,

I've been a member for a while now, but this is my first post to the forums.  Lots of great information here and it's great to hear stories about how others approach real estate investing.

I currently hold 1 property on the South Side of Chicago (my home town) and am looking to pick up another (specifically in the Pilsen area). I live in NYC and because of this, it can be difficult for me to get a good handle on doing research on a specific neighborhood or property. For example, there are often many questions I have after seeing a specific property, but the market is so quick to move that I don't have time to go through the middlemen brokers to get answers (or the seller just doesn't care to answer them).

The reason for my post is to see if others in the Chicago area have a set of resources you use for finding "hidden" information about a property.  For example, I'd like to see the status of permits, inspections, violations, zoning issues, etc. I'll start with the resources I use below, but if anyone has other data sources, it would be great to hear about them!

Chicago Building Violations

- this is great to see past violations, but its not really clear whether or not they were actually corrected. There are permit and case numbers, but is there a way to get more details on each item?

Chicago Building Permit Status

- this shows the status of currently open building permits

Chicago Building Related Court Actions

Chicago Zoning Map

- zoning is important if you are looking at multi-unit buildings, but zoning is just half of the equation. multi unit buildings must also meet certain building codes. anyone know if there is a place to determine how many units a given property is certified for?

Chicago Blockshopper

- can reveal current and past building owners. not sure what the underlying data source is

Everyblock Chicago

-some good info on crime, neighborhood happenings, etc

Padmapper

-quick way to find comparable rent prices