Podcast appearances and mentions of mark ainley

Some important changes are coming to the real estate market in Illinois in 2025, and it's crucial that you know about them as well as how to adapt and thrive despite them. In this episode, Andrew is joined by Mark Ainley, owner of GC Realty Investments and host of the Straight Up Chicago Investor Podcast, as they dive into the upcoming changes and how to tackle them.The Cashflow For Life podcast is about one thing: using real estate investing as a tool to create consistent cashflow every month for the rest of your life. Our mission is to help everyone in America buy their first 5 properties in the next 2 years, and have them paid off in 7 years. This is the 2-5-7 Cashflow For Life philosophy. Tune in to witness how ordinary people in our community have put this philosophy into action to increase their net worth and create consistent monthly cashflow as they continue their journey to build wealth for themselves and their families.

In this compelling episode of What Are You Made Of? with Mike "C-Roc" we dive into the incredible journey of Mark Ainley, a seasoned investor, entrepreneur, and co-host of the top 1% podcast Straight Up Chicago Investor. Mark shares how he founded a property management company at just 23 years old and grew it into a 1,500-unit enterprise over the course of 22 years. Through candid storytelling, Mark opens up about the challenges of entrepreneurship, battling shiny object syndrome, and navigating a devastating personal tragedy that forced him to grow up overnight. He reveals his transformation from simply surviving to unlocking his superpower—an unrelenting drive to become the best version of himself and help others achieve their goals. Mark and Mike "C-Roc" explore the invaluable lessons learned from building and sustaining a thriving business, strategies for conquering self-doubt and silencing the inner critic, and the profound importance of service and giving back. They discuss how identity and purpose play pivotal roles in shaping both personal and professional success. Mark's journey is a powerful testament to resilience, self-improvement, and the perseverance needed to turn challenges into opportunities. Whether you're an entrepreneur, investor, or someone seeking inspiration, this episode will ignite your motivation to push beyond your limits and seize your potential. Tune in to discover what Mark Ainley is made of and how his story can inspire you to strive for greatness! Website- Straightupchicagoinvestor.com Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/markainleyrei/

Jan 8, 2025 In this episode, Mark Ainley, co-host of the Straight Up Chicago Investor Podcast, shares insights into podcasting, marketing, and leveraging real estate knowledge. The discussion covers using podcasts as a marketing tool, integrating social media and SEO, and the importance of authenticity in branding. Mark highlights the evolution of his podcast, the value of retaining control over marketing to reflect true personality and culture, and offers advice on starting a property management business on a low budget.

Joining us on this episode of Living Off Rentals is someone who has been a real estate investor for two decades.  Mark Ainley is the founder of GC Realty & Development, one of the most successful property management companies in Chicago. He is also the host of the Straight Up Chicago Investor podcast. Listen as he discusses how he built his company, focusing on property management–one of the most difficult parts of the real estate investing process. Enjoy the show! Key Takeaways [00:00] Introducing Mark Ainley and his background [03:10] Starting GC Realty and Development [12:40] Biggest turning point that shaped the business [19:30] The past and future of real estate investing in Chicago [23:24] Mark's advice for starting a property management company [36:25] Investing in industrial properties [40:07] Mark's real estate investing goals [44:53] Connect with Mark  Guest Links Website – gcrealtyinc.com    Show Links Living Off Rentals YouTube Channel – youtube.com/c/LivingOffRentals  Living Off Rentals YouTube Podcast Channel – youtube.com/c/LivingOffRentalsPodcast  Living Off Rentals Facebook Group – facebook.com/groups/livingoffrentals  Living Off Rentals Website – livingoffrentals.com  Living Off Rentals Instagram – instagram.com/livingoffrentals  Living Off Rentals TikTok – tiktok.com/@livingoffrentals 

Join us on this exciting episode of Property Profits Podcast as Bryce Kaminsky chats with special guest Mark Ainley, a seasoned real estate expert from Chicago. Mark shares insider tips on avoiding costly mistakes in real estate investments and talks about his journey in the bustling Chicago market. If you're interested in learning how to make smart real estate choices and hear inspiring stories from a top podcast host, this episode is for you! Tune in to gain valuable insights and take your real estate knowledge to the next level.   ================================== Want to grow your real estate investing business and portfolio?  You're in the right place. Welcome to the Property Profits Real Estate Podcast

343 Incremental Improvements Our environments influence how we function and how we are able to deal with the things in our life mentally and emotionally so that we can choose to rearrange or shed the stories or things that no longer serve us.  In today's episode Sarah Elkins and Mark Ainley discuss the importance of giving everything our own style, facing the parts of ourselves we hold onto that need to be reframed or allowed to rest, and finally how we all collect little trophies of our adventures and that these “imperfections” should be treasured.   Highlights Give your own style to whatever you do. Make it unique, make it You. What part of your story that you aren't dealing with needs to be reframed so that you can move on? How your environment shifts your roles. What are your adventure dimples?   Quotes “When we have that resistant, usually there's something behind that resistance. There's a reason for that, And if we cannot push but follow through with shall we say gentle persistence, we can get to the root and that expression can change.” “We're so busy trying to change behavior, trying to change the face of things, rather than the root.” “Clutter is the sign of a nonintegrated relationship of how something expresses.”   Dear Listeners it is now your turn, What will you do, which room will you start in, where you stand there for 60 seconds. Close your eyes for a moment, sense what you're feeling or hearing in that room. Are there any noises? Is there a hum, do you have wind chimes outside? What are you hearing? Are these sounds that are agreeable, do they light you up, do they inspire? Then open your eyes, look around you, does that room make you feel good or does it make you feel dizzy and heavy? What can you change today, in that room, something small, that will inspire you to make more changes. Incremental improvements.  And, as always, thank you for listening.    Mentioned in this episode  Atomic Habits by James Clear When by Daniel Pink   About Mark A professional Feng Shui consultant since 2001, Mark Ainley of Sense of Space has consulted and taught all over the world, particularly in Japan, where since 2003 he has had an active practice both in person and on Zoom. Well-known and respected for his practical, easy-to-grasp approach to Feng Shui principles (which he refers to as Contemporary Feng Shui), he writes, teaches, and consults internationally, bridging the ancient wisdom of Feng Shui with common sense and aligned insights from the latest environmental psychology research. Be sure to check out Sense of Space! As well as Mark's Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn!   About Sarah "Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision." In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I've realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don't realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they're sharing them with. My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home. The audiobook, Your Stories Don't Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available! Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana. Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!

Growing a property management company can be a challenge. Usually, when a company starts, the owner is the BDM until they realize they need one person focused on landing new clients. In this webinar replay, you'll hear Michael Krause and Mark Ainley, both of whom have been in the BDM seat and have grown their PM companies through unique marketing and sales strategies. =================================== Connect with Matt and Spencer at Evernest: Evernest.co Guests: Michael Krause of Atrium Management Company and Mark Ainley of GC Property Management in Chicago Visit the Podcast Website: Evernest.co/podcasts Email the Show: podcast@evernest.co =================================== Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Evernest 2024.

The tables turn this week as Mark Ainley gets interviewed by Tom Shallcross, returning the favor from Episode 235 (episode link in show notes)! Tom starts by asking Mark about his childhood and upbringing; spoiler alert - there is mention of Mark's frosted-tips phase while vacationing in Mexico!! Mark breaks down his start in real estate, the genesis of GC Realty & Development, and the early REI ventures that he and his business partner Bryan took on. He discusses his experience with repositioning office buildings and industrial investments displaying the range of his investing journey. Mark closes with tremendous insights on his most recent project involving rehabbing of a residential property and partnering up with a younger investor. This episode is full of golden nuggets and funny stories that you won't want to miss! If you enjoy today's episode, please leave us a review and share with someone who may also find value in this content! Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Guests: Mark Ainley, GC Realty & Development Link: Mark's Instagram Link: SUCI Ep 235 - Tom Shallcross Link: John Warren's Meetup Link: NBOA - 2024 Summer Soiree Link: Bibek Das (Network Referral) Link: The Psychology of Money (Book Recommendation) ----------------- Guest Questions 04:15 Intro to our special guest, Mark Ainley! 15:04 The Genesis of GC Realty! 19:50 GC Realty's shift to property management. 21:55 Navigating the Housing Crash. 39:23 Shift to industrial investments. 48:00 Jumping back into rehabbing properties! 61:11 What is your competitive advantage? 61:38 One piece of advice for new investors. 62:08 What do you do for fun? 63:05 Good book, podcast, or self development activity that you would recommend?  64:04 Local Network Recommendation?  64:46 How can the listeners learn more about you and provide value to you? ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2024.

On this episode of the Cashflow for Life podcast, we're joined by none other than Mark Ainley and Tom Shallcross from the renowned "Straight Up Chicago Investor" podcast, as they chat with Andrew about their journey as real estate investors in Chicago. Then, we flip the script as Mark and Tom put Andrew in the hot seat and ask him about lessons learned from his own journey as well has his vision for the future.The Cashflow For Life podcast is about one thing: using real estate investing as a tool to create consistent cashflow every month for the rest of your life. Our mission is to help everyone in America buy their first 5 properties in the next 2 years, and have them paid off in 7 years. This is the 2-5-7 Cashflow For Life philosophy. Tune in to witness how ordinary people in our community have put this philosophy into action to increase their net worth and create consistent monthly cashflow as they continue their journey to build wealth for themselves and their families.

Please be sure to subscribe and ring the little bell, to be notified of future Awesome Life Podcast Conversations! And watch us on YouTube Conversations: https://youtu.be/mLNn-LllWnA A professional Feng Shui consultant since 2001, Mark Ainley of Sense of Space has consulted and taught all over the world, particularly in Japan, where since 2003 he has had an active practice both in person and on Zoom. He shares some simple things that anyone can do to apply Feng Shui principles in their home with ease. Reach out to Mark: https://mailchi.mp/fd8adb3ba054/welcometosenseofspace www.AwesomeLifePodcast.com https://karenstultz.com/letschat #podcast #Fengsuhi #AwesomeLifeSuccess --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/awesomelife/message

In this episode, Matthew and Spencer welcome returning guest Mark Ainley of GC Property Management in Chicago. Mark discusses the unique perspective property management offers in real estate investing and how giving comes back to you in life and in business. We talk about creating memorable moments for clients, leveraging knowledge for marketing, and the success of Mark's podcast aimed at Chicago investors. Additionally, Mark shares insights on sales and lead generation, emphasizing the value of authenticity and transparency in content creation to engage the audience effectively. You can listen to Mark's other episode (episode 28) with us here. =================================== Connect with Matt and Spencer at Evernest: Evernest.co Visit the Podcast Website: Evernest.co/podcasts Email the Show: podcast@evernest.co Today's Guest: Mark Ainley of GC Property Management in Chicago =================================== Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Evernest 2024.

Craig and Mark Ainley, a contemporary Feng Shui consultant and the founder of Sense of Space based in Vancouver. Ainley sheds light on the intricate interplay between design, colour, and functionality in retail spaces. He emphasizes the need to move beyond conventional perceptions of Feng Shui, showcasing its relevance in optimizing the layout and ambiance of homes, businesses, and, notably, retail establishments. Mark Ainley Ainley discusses his expertise in aligning the design of spaces with their primary functions, offering a blend of aesthetics and functionality. He dispels common misconceptions about Feng Shui, illustrating its application in creating spaces that resonate with individuals, whether they live, work, or shop there. The discussion delves into the impact of subtle design elements on customer behaviour, from the positioning of tables to the psychology of colour and the importance of maintaining an inviting exterior. The conversation extends to the nuances of retail, exploring how small details like cleanliness, lighting, and signage play a pivotal role in attracting customers. Ainley draws from his experiences, including a fascinating observation of a store with a table angle affecting foot traffic. As the dialogue unfolds, the focus shifts to the significance of visual merchandising, the changing dynamics of window displays, and the role of technology in enhancing or detracting from the overall retail experience. Ainley concludes by urging businesses to prioritize the physiological welcome and call to action within their spaces, fostering an authentic and enjoyable shopping experience that goes beyond the convenience of online alternatives. Interviewed this episode:Mark Ainley, Flow Optimization Specialist, Contemporary Feng Shui Facilitator and Instructor, WELL APSense of Space Subscribe, Rate, and Review our Retail Insider Podcast!Follow Craig:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/CraigPattersonTorontoInstagram: @craig_patterson_torontoTwitter: @RI_EICFollow Retail Insider:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/Retail-InsiderFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RetailInsider/Twitter: @RetailInsider_Instagram: @Retail_Insider_CanadaListen & Subscribe:Apple PodcastsSpotifyOvercastStitcherShare your thoughts!Drop us a line at Craig@Retail-Insider.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!Background Music Credit: Hard Boiled Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In Episode 9 of the Inspired Money Podcast's live stream series, “Investing for Impact: The Rise of Socially Responsible Investing,” hosted by Andy Wang and produced by Bradley Jon Eaglefeather. In this soul-nourishing episode, we are joined by an extraordinary panel of experts—Leo Babauta, Katie Cassidy, Matthias Olt, and Mark Ainley—to guide you through the transformative journey of intentional living and holistic home design. Overview In a world where our surroundings profoundly influence our well-being, this episode serves as a sanctuary of wisdom. Whether you're yearning for a home that aligns with your values, nourishes your soul, or contributes to planetary wellness, this episode is your blueprint for creating spaces that are not just aesthetically pleasing but also soul-satisfying. Segments Segment 1: Sanctuary of Well-Being: Holistic Home Design for Intentional Living and Sustainability Embark on a journey into the realm of holistic home design, where balance, flow, and wellness converge to create a sanctuary that nourishes both body and soul. Segment 2: The 14-Day Minimalism Challenge: Declutter for Health, Happiness, and Purpose Take the transformative path towards a clutter-free life. Discover how minimalism can serve as a tool for enhancing your health, elevating your happiness, and imbuing your life with purpose. Segment 3: Unlocking Mental Well-Being: The Environmental Psychology of Home Design Delve into the fascinating psychology of space. Learn how your home can be a sanctuary that positively shapes your mental well-being and emotional landscape. Segment 4: Eco-Conscious Home Makeover: Energy-Efficient Design & Sustainable Living Practices Uncover the secrets of giving your home an eco-conscious makeover. Learn how energy-efficient design and sustainable practices can make your home a friend to Mother Earth. Segment 5: Creating Mindful Spaces at Home: A Journey into Self-Care and Conscious Living Discover the art of carving out mindful spaces within your home. Learn how these sanctuaries can serve as havens for self-care, mindfulness, and conscious living. Guest Profiles: Leo Babauta: Renowned author and minimalist lifestyle advocate, Leo Babauta's influential blog, “Zen Habits,” has been a beacon of wisdom on simplifying life and embracing minimalism since 2007. Katie Cassidy: Versatile American actress Katie Cassidy, known for her roles in “Supernatural” and “Arrow,” brings a unique perspective on the intersection of art, space, and intentional living. Matthias Olt: Celebrated architect Matthias Olt is a pioneer in integrating modern aesthetics with sustainability, setting new standards for environmentally responsible architecture. Mark Ainley: With two decades dedicated to the practice of Contemporary Feng Shui, Mark Ainley aids individuals in achieving life integration through a modern interpretation of ancient principles. Guest Links: Leo Babauta: https://zenhabits.net Katie Cassidy: https://www.instagram.com/katiecassidy Matthias Olt: https://matthiasolt.com Mark Ainley: https://senseofspace.com

Special guest Mark Ainley joins us for Season 3, Episode 10 of Owner Occupied. In this episode we discuss: (00:00) Sponsor - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LeadSimple (01:11) Mark's background (02:58) Mark's experience with BiggerPockets (08:30) How have you used your function as a connector to grow your business? (11:26) Mark's email strategy (13:11) How big is your management company? (14:32) Do you have any competition in terms of the scale you've reached? (17:38) What expectations did you have for these 3 avenues of online content creation? (20:58) Sponsor - RentWerx (22:34) Do you have separate sites for owners and managers? (24:23) How did you come to terms with delegating sales? (28:28) Mark's approach to marketing & operations (38:04) Sponsor - Second Nature Learn more about Mark Ainley & how to connect with him here: GC Realty Straight Up Chicago Investor Podcast BiggerPockets Chicago Property Management Blog Learn more about Peter Lohmann & how to connect with him here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Peter on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Peter's Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Peter's Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠RL Property Management⁠

Return guests Bibek Das, Eric Workman, and Matt LaCosse join us to discuss a 5-unit deal with a lot of hair on it! Matt (buyer on this deal) starts by talking about how our very own Mark Ainley (buyer's agent) brought this 5-unit property in Batavia to his attention. Eric (the lender on this deal) dives into the lending aspect of this deal and the group discusses the offer formulation and negotiation process. Bibek (the buyer's attorney) explains the meaning of appraisal waivers and “AS-IS” offers. Navigating a plumbing leak the day before closing and escrow holdbacks are also topics of discussion on this show. The episode is closed out with lessons learned from this “hairy” but ultimately amazing deal! If you enjoy today's episode, please leave us a review and share with someone who may also find value in this content! Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com Guest: Bibek Das, Eric Workman, and Matt LaCosse, Das Law & Renovo Financial Link: SUCI Ep 145 - Matt LaCosse Link: SUCI Ep 17 - Bibek Das Link: SUCI Ep 19 - Eric Workman Sponsors: Appeal.tax and GC Reality ----------------- Guest Questions 04:14 Housing Provider Tip: Utilize the main water shut off valve on vacant properties to prevent plumbing issues related to cold weather. 05:55 Intro to our group of return guests: Bibek Das, Eric Workman, and Matt LaCosse! 08:15 Matt introduces the deal that will be discussed in this episode! 14:04 What happened after Matt's initial walk through? 20:02 Matt talks about his initial conversation with the lender on this deal, Eric Workman. 22:30 Matt and Mark talk about the offer and negotiation process! 30:24 Eric weighs in on waiving an appraisal as part of an offer. 32:42 What does it mean to make an “as-is” offer? 36:23 Mark talks about the multiple PIN situation on this deal. 39:27 What did the loan structure look like on this 5-unit property? 40:43 How did the inspection and attorney review process go? 49:47 Matt talks about closing day and reflects on the deal as a whole! That's our show! Thanks for listening! ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2022.

Welcome, Closers! Today, I'm interviewing Mark Ainley, founder of GC Realty Investments.Hiked the Grand Canyon? CheckHost a podcast? Check Reality TV? Check Mark Ainley has done it all and shows no signs of stopping. Starting from the ground up he has built a business that's always one step ahead, proving that grit and determination ultimately lead to success."Part of the journey is not knowing where it's going to go" - Mark Ainley-Mark's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-ainley-216a007/ -GC Realty Investments: https://www.gcrealtyinc.com/ - Simplify sales, streamline operations, grow faster, and scale your business. Learn more about LeadSimple - click here.

https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/rental-scams-landlords-can-avoidSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I believe it was Jon Jost, our very first guest on this podcast who first put me in touch with Beth Levin. I am most happy he did because Levin is an ideal guest if you want to hear about the world of the piano as instrument and classical music more generally. Many decades ago - in the middle 1980s to be exact - I was exciting a period in which I was strictly trained in what is called the Classical field and decisively entering the jazz and popular field. I learned so much through my classical training and, though part of me did love it, my greatest wish and dream was to do original music rather than that written boy others - even if those others were the best composers of all time. A major theme in this podcast is that of artistic choice and every artist needs to decide what choice best reflects who they are. I feel that in having Beth Levin on the show, as corny or highfalutin as the following might sound, is a something like a living link to the world of Beethoven - and much more. Beth Levin is that good and also that deeply rooted in that particular musical tradition. I can't think of a more exciting or pleasing episode for your your pianist-host and my only hope is that our enthusiasm for the piano is communicated thoroughly as you listen to our episode. Bio Brooklyn-based pianist Beth Levin is celebrated as a bold interpreter of challenging works, from the Romantic canon to leading modernist composers. The New York Times praised her “fire and originality,” while The New Yorker called her playing “revelatory.” Fanfare described Levin's artistry as “fierce in its power,” with “a huge range of colors.” Debuting as a child prodigy with the Philadelphia Orchestra at age twelve, Levin was subsequently taught and guided by legendary pianists such as Rudolf Serkin, Leonard Sure and Dorothy Taubman. Another of her teachers, Paul Badura- Skoda, praised Levin as “a pianist of rare qualities and the highest professional caliber.” Her deep well of experience allows an intuitive connection to the great pianistic traditions, to Bach, to Mozart, to Beethoven. Critics hail the immediacy of her performances. “Levin plays with a rare percussive audacity, making notes and phrases that usually rush by in the background stand out in high relief,” writes Richard Brody in The New Yorker. Website: https://www.bethlevinpiano.com/ Social Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ beth.levin.music/ Link'd In: linkedin.com/in/beth- levin-30909332 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ bethlevinpiano/ Twitter:https://twitter.com/op109 Links to Beth's beautiful piano works: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7phxpwTfe2OtH043hJ4nfO https://soundcloud.com/bethlevin1/ravel-gaspard-de-la-nuit- no1-ondine https://soundcloud.com/wkcr/beth-levin-on-wkcr https://soundcloud.com/bethlevin1/dante-sonata https://open.spotify.com/artist/7phxpwTfe2OtH043hJ4nfO Excellent article about Marian Filar by Mark AInley of the Piano FIles: https://www.thepianofiles.com/the-magnificent-marian- filar/ Beethoven 3rd concerto of mine/ 2017, Germany https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awd_h_XwFos Links to Beth's written works: Over the years I've written articles for: lafolia.com https://www.lafolia.com/a-look-at-schuberts-sechs- moments-musicaux-op-94-d780/ https://www.lafolia.com/?s=beth+levin **** https://soundcloud.com/bethlevin1/dante-sonata --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mitch-hampton/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mitch-hampton/support

We sat down for a talk with historical piano recording expect Mark Ainley. Since his teens he has been active in the curating of and research of historical piano recordings and has gained an international reputation as an expert in this arena: he has written about several legendary pianists for International Piano magazine, Classical Recordings Quarterly, and International Classical Recordings Collector, as well as CD liner notes for various international labels.

Mark Ainley has become quite an authority in historic recordings of classical pianists. His highly-regarded Facebook page, The Piano Files with Mark Ainley, delves into how pianists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries played the instrument. Concurrently, he is a consultant in the Chinese art of Feng Shui and has been helping people integrate principles of nature to create a sense of balance in their homes and businesses. I spoke with Mark specifically on how you could draw parallels between these two worlds -- the Western art of classical music and the Eastern art of Feng Shui. To my surprise, there are more related ideas than you might think. Mark articulates both art forms in a way that is digestible, and I hope it stimulates your own thoughts as you approach your work. I know I personally find value in being able to look at something that might seem disparate, but draw parallels. That drive for curiosity keeps me fresh and I hope it will for you, too. -- Classical Post explores the intersection of classical music, style, and wellness, diving into meaningful conversations with leading artists from an array of different backgrounds. Based in New York City, Classical Post is a touchpoint for tastemakers. Visit our website for exclusive articles or subscribe to our monthly newsletter to be notified of new content. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.

Another wonderful conversation with Mark Ainley. He provides the perfect primer into Feng Shui. It's more than a design philosophy or superstition - it's a beautiful way of thinking about our environment and how it effects our lives. Check out Sense Of Space: mark@senseofspace.com www.senseofspace.com Instagram: sense_of_space Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ContemporaryFengShuiWithMarkAinley   Mark Ainley has worked as a Contemporary Feng Shui Consultant since 2001. Focusing on both the practical and aesthetic qualities of living and work spaces, Ainley applies both the philosophical and pragmatic tenets of this historical form of environmental alignment to help create spaces that support those who live and work there.    Since 2003, Mark has taught extensively in Japan, where he has trained dozens of consultants and released two DVD sets. He has been profiled in Hong Kong's exclusive Elite Homes magazine and in other publications worldwide, and continues to consult with both professional and residential clients around the globe.    He has additionally been certified as a WELL Accredited Professional through the International WELL Building Institute's standard of science-based building construction and management protocols. Ainley is also internationally recognized as one of the foremost experts on the history of piano recordings, working as a lecturer, writer, and researcher in the field of historical recordings and performance practice.   

Mark Ainley is the host of the Straight Up Chicago Investor Podcast and founding partner of GC Realty & Development. Though GC Realty & Development is a full service Chicago property management company, Mark works closely with “small portfolio” investors looking to buy investment properties without the headache that comes with managing them. Though originally started as a commercial brokerage firm, their first listing was a “million dollar house,” representing both the sellers and the buyers. With their first commission bringing in $55,000, they decided they were in the luxury real estate market. Ironically, that would be the last luxury listing they'd get. From there it was fate that would bring them into the business of property management. However, the path to building a successful firm would start a little rough for Mark. “The first investment property I ever bought, before I got my real estate license, I did everything wrong. I put a bad tenant in there. I gave her a second chance. I didn't collect the full deposit upfront. I was driving over to the house collecting like $17 to $25 at a time. I did everything wrong and ended up having to file for eviction. I said at that point I am never managing a property again.”It wasn't until he was at the closing table, as a broker, for his client (who also happens to be an attorney) asked Mark to manage that very property. “I said, Paul, you helped me get out of the worst thing I've ever done, why would you ask me? He said ‘I know you're smart enough that you're not going to do that again.' I said, ‘Paul, I don't even know what to charge you.' He's like, ‘I'll give you 50 bucks a month.' ‘Paul, you're an attorney. You're gonna want a contract. So, at that point, GC property management was born. He (Paul) is still our first client. He still owns that one condo and we still use a modified version of that same management agreement.”Mark's typical investor client profile consists of one to six door properties and one to six total properties in their portfolio. Tune in as Mark shares real estate investor insights…

How does one recognize a great piano performance? Do you need special training or musical knowledge? Today we speak to Mark Ainley of The Piano Files to try and answer some of those questions.  www.thepianofiles.com Mark Ainley is an internationally recognized authority on the art of piano playing and historical recordings of great pianists. His clear insights provide important details about the mastery of the pianists of the past and present through his magazine articles, blog and social media pages, CD productions and liner notes, and lecture-demonstrations. Mark's work in the field of historical recordings began in his late teens, when his pre-university writing and research on this topic won the admiration of Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times music critic Harold Schonberg. His first CD liner notes, for VAI's release ‘Liszt: The 19 Hungarian Rhapsodies Played by 19 Great Pianists', were co-authored in his early 20s with International Piano Archives founding president Gregor Benko, coinciding with Mark's pioneering work in discovering previously unpublished recordings of the legendary pianist Dinu Lipatti. His internationally acclaimed efforts led to the world premiere award-winning release of over two hours of ‘unknown' performances by Lipatti, among them piano concertos by Liszt and Bartok.

Mark Ainley does it all. He is the Marketing, Sales, and Onboarding specialist at GC Realty and Development in Chicago. His aggressive approach to educating potential clients through podcasts, e-books, investor tools and much more has helped grow their business from 300 to 1,200 units. Learn more about how Mark structures his marketing funnel and follow up sequences in Leadsimple to stay in front of his potential clients and position himself as the market expert for Chicago. This episode will wrap up our sales series and give you plenty of actionable items you can implement in your own journey from 300 to 3,000. ----------------- Connect with Matt and Spencer at Evernest: Evernest.co Guest: Mark Ainley of GC Realty and Development in Chicago | Email Mark Visit the Podcast Website: 300to3000.com Email the Show: podcast@evernest.co ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Evernest 2021.

https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/find-investment-broker

Thank you Mark Ainley! Mark is THE go to guy when it comes to historical piano recordings. His knowledge and appreciation for the great artists of the past (and present) is top notch. This episode is special. Consider listening with a pen and paper so you can write down names and note the recordings that are mentioned here. It'll absolutely increase your appreciation and love for great piano music. Here are some recordings for you to reference: Ilona Eibenschütz talks and plays: Reminiscences of Brahms (1952) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLGIRHCPqN4 Carl Friedberg teaches and plays Brahms Ballade in G Minor Op.118 No.3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLW-rO8fPuU Ignaz Friedman Mazurka, Op. 7,3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpmWQ6t5iTM Jan Smeterlin plays Chopin 3 Mazurkas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pu9QUiGupA Josef Hofmann, piano - Beethoven - Sonata in C# minor, Op. 27 No. 2 ('Moonlight') (1936 - complete) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0xMzbfy_1g Solomon plays Beethoven Moonlight Sonata (1945 recording) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK__kS2R3-w Rachmaninoff plays Rachmaninoff: Newly Discovered Recording https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3Xp2Djqh3s Listen to a lecture given by Mark here (includes recording clips): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKo6zBtg9QM Subscribe to his Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/ThePianoFilesWithMarkAinley/ His website is here: https://www.thepianofiles.com/ Mark Ainley is an internationally recognized authority on the art of piano playing and historical recordings of great pianists. His clear insights provide important details about the mastery of the pianists of the past and present through his magazine articles, blog and social media pages, CD productions and liner notes, and lecture-demonstrations. Mark’s work in the field of historical recordings began in his late teens, when his pre-university writing and research on this topic won the admiration of Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times music critic Harold Schonberg. His first CD liner notes, for VAI’s release ‘Liszt: The 19 Hungarian Rhapsodies Played by 19 Great Pianists’, were co-authored in his early 20s with International Piano Archives founding president Gregor Benko, coinciding with Mark’s pioneering work in discovering previously unpublished recordings of the legendary pianist Dinu Lipatti. His internationally acclaimed efforts led to the world premiere award-winning release of over two hours of ‘unknown’ performances by Lipatti, among them piano concertos by Liszt and Bartok. Mark’s articles about Lipatti for International Piano Quarterly, International Piano, and Classical Record Collector magazines, as well as liner notes for the labels APR, archiphon, and Opus Kura, have debunked myths surrounding the life and art of this legendary musician, and he has received support for his work from some of the Rumanian biographers, diplomats, and producers who have worked for decades in publicizing this musician’s legacy. Mark has also written in both International Piano and Classic Record Collector magazines about the great French pianist Marcelle Meyer, the muse of Le Groupe des Six in 1920s Paris who additionally worked with Ravel, Debussy, and Stravinsky. Mark has given lectures at the Manhattan School of Music in New York, the Leschetitzky Society in Tokyo, and the San Francisco Conservatory, speaking about Great Historical Recordings in general and about Dinu Lipatti specifically, and was featured on WNYC radio in New York City in 1992 for the premiere broadcast of some rare Lipatti recordings. In September 2010, Mark co-chaired the panel discussion after the screening of a documentary about Dinu Lipatti at the Besancon International Music Festival, and the following month he opened the 2010 Great Romantics Festival with a presentation entitled “Schumann—The Poet of the Piano” for the bicentennial of Schumann’s birth. In 2016 the Romanian Cultural Institute in Bucharest sponsored a trip for Mark to visit Romania and lecture about Dinu Lipatti in conjunction with a new Lipatti website; Mark additionally appeared on Romanian TV and radio on this trip. He also presented at the Romanian Cultural Institute in Vienna in 2017 to mark the beginning of Lipatti’s centenary that year. Mark’s international research has led to meetings with many musical luminaries, among them Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, Yehudi Menuhin, Hugues Cuenod, Franziska Ackermann (widow of conductor Otto Ackermann), Stephen Hough (who has referred to Mark’s blog in his own for The Telegraph), Idil Biret, the family of Marcelle Meyer, Lake Como Piano Academy director William Nabore, and renowned artist manager Jacques Leiser. Mark has most recently written in International Piano about the evolution of Alfred Cortot’s playing as heard through his recordings, in addition to a centenary tribute to Dinu Lipatti. Previous articles in International Piano include features about the challenges facing young pianists as related by Jacques Leiser, an interview with British-Canadian pianist Valerie Tryon, and biographical articles about Dinu Lipatti and Marcelle Meyer. Mark has also published an extensive 9-page article about Dinu Lipatti for Classical Recordings Quarterly, and for Clavier Companion magazine has produced an article about recording producer Walter Legge, a feature on the ‘rediscovered Romantic’ pianist Jascha Spivakovsky, and interviews with Stephen Hough and Livia Rev. Mark continues his research into the life and recordings of Dinu Lipatti and has prepared a commemorative website devoted to the artist at dinulipatti.com . Mark has been a regular guest lecturer in both Sara Davis Buechner’s and Corey Hamm’s piano literature classes at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, and he guest lectured at Manhattan School of Music in April 2017. He is available for writing projects such as CD liner notes, articles, and interviews, as well as lecture-demonstrations on a variety of piano-related topics. Amongst his repertoire: In The Groove: An Introduction to Historical Recordings Dinu Lipatti, Prince of Pianists Marcelle Meyer, Muse of Les Six The Great Romantic Pianists Legendary Chopin Interpreters ‘Live, from New York…’ Fabulous French Pianists Unknown Greats Off The Record: Rare Unpublished Recordings Additional topics available on request. For booking inquiries, please write to mark@markainley.com

Making mistakes is essential in order to learn and grow, which is why our guest on today's show is so happy to discuss the ones which he made when he began his journey in real estate and help others to avoid doing the same. Mark Ainley's first experience in real estate would have put a lot of people off for life. Instead, Mark persevered and went on to create the very successful GEC Realty and Development, which was recently voted Chicago's most responsive property management company. 

On this episode, we have Mark Ainley who is a Chicago area Real Estate expert. You'll learn a ton about Chicago Real Estate in this episode! Website: http://www.257cashflow.com/

https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/2016-03-05-manage-investment-properties

Eviction and Foreclosure Moratorium and the Proposed Cook County Tenant/Landlord Code! And in studio to educate with all of the up to date information in the Premier Property Manager, yes Mark Ainley from GC Realty and Development! “What to look for when leasing or purchasing Warehouse space” in studio to share with us all the […]

In this episode, Michael and Emil chat with Mark Ainley from GC Realty and Development about his experience with hundreds of BRRRRs.    Mark Ainley with GC Realty - c. 630-781-6744  --- Transcript   Michael: Hey, everybody. Welcome to another episode of The Remote Real Estate Investor. I'm Michael albaum. And today I'm joined as usual by,   Emil: Emil Shour.   Michael: and we have a special guest with Mark Ainley with GC Realty and Development. We did a deep dive on Chicago with Mark a while back. He's got a property management business, but today's going to be talking to us about the burst strategy. So let's get into it.   Michael: Mark. Thank you so much for coming back on the podcast. We had so much fun with you doing the Chicago deep dive for anyone who didn't catch that episode. Go give it a listen. We've got Mark Ainley with GC Realty and Development. How are you, man?   Mark: I'm good. I'm not as hot as you guys. You guys got a lot to fire in us out there.   Michael: So yeah, big time fire. It seems like the market's hot. The state is hot. You know, everything seems to be on fire these days. Um, so today I wanted to chat with you. Not just I, but Emil as well. One is chat with you about BRRRR. Cause we were chatting with you before we recorded the last episode. And you were telling us how you had done like 480 some odd BRRRRs out in the Chicago area. Is that right?   Mark: Yeah, no, we did between Oh eight and 18. We did a, just over 400, I think it's 482 to be exact units, which were all made up of like one to four unit buildings.   Michael: Fantastic. So for those of our listeners who might not be familiar, can you just give us a quick and dirty definition? What is a bur and how does it work?   Mark: Sure. Buy, renovate, rent, refinance and repeat the acronym goes. Now when I started doing it, I didn't know what it was. I just thought I was smart. I wish I would have pointed trademarked it or… I was thinking about that today when I was preparing for this call. I'm like, man, if I would've came up with that, that was so smart. So we started doing it and it was really a business model to us and how we were approaching it back then. So for us, when we started in 2008, I got my into real estate in 2003. And you guys know out there in California, just as much as we do here in the Midwest, you couldn't do those types of things in the two thousands, just because pricing was so high, the opportunity wasn't there. So I really didn't have a, that access to those types of deals until the market crashed. And when the market crashed, the math just made sense to me on a couple of things I was looking at how to go at it.   Michael: Right on. And so why do you think just at a high level, we're going to dig into some details of a couple of birds you've done, but at a high level, why is it such a powerful tool or vehicle, whatever you wanna call it.   Mark: So it is powerful because the concept of it is you are not leaving any of your money into the deal at the end of the day, instead of a there's tons of these late night commercials are vest with other people's money or no money down, or do seller financing, all that type stuff. You can do these types of deals without having to do these by these crafty sales type pitches or get some guy to tie you to his second loan. I don't know. They got some crazy things they do out there to find ways to not have to put money into a deal. And this one's halfway legit. Now don't get me wrong. You have to find a way to have money on the front side of things. And we can talk about that. But, uh, um, at the end of the day, you can get out of a deal having little to maybe five, 6% in the deal. And sometimes even we were successful. We even were able to exceed what we had in there on a cash out, depending on the lender we're working with.   Michael: That is so cool. So I know people talk about the rural all the time. People tell successful and unsuccessful burgers all the time, but you've got enough under your belt. It sounds like you've probably done some good, some bad and maybe I think in between, right?   Mark: Yeah, no for sure. That's how the, the quick story of, uh, in our adventure for an 80 units, our first property, we bought that we're going to Burr and we did, it was a little, had a little more hair on it. We were combining a couple of deconverted condos and rolling into one, and we're going to cash out at the end of the day with a three flat versus a few individual units. And, uh, got stuck with stop work, order permits. We, we did, we made all the mistakes we could, you know, and then, uh, when we were getting inspected for the stop work order permits, we had someone else that didn't have a permit, horrible, horrible, but we did 131 other units in the time. It took us to do that first project. So, uh, that's kind of a horror story of, of, uh, bad planning or really being too optimistic. And then obviously making a whole bunch of mistakes of permits and, and who are really dealing with.   Emil: Wow.   Michael: So when you were first getting started in that first unit, you refer back to we a lot. Who is we and what kind of experience did they have doing this type of project?   Mark: So I had a couple of partners when we started off in the four and 80, we're kind of broken up into two groups where I had one part in there. I was consistent on both a hundred for 480 units. The first group, I had a partner and he was doing rehabs all around the city. And again, the concept of just kind of buying it cash and then refinancing out w what we really started with. And then, uh, as we part ways with the first partner enrolled with our second partner, where we did the balance of the units, it really turned into, Hey, we have a bunch of, uh, uh, private money that we could use and, uh, move faster and be able to, uh, go that route. So I've always had partners, different skill sets. You know, my one partner at the time, you know, he had the money, the first partner had the money.   And then my other partner that was consistent the whole way through, he had the construction, no hallway at that point. So I've learned all that stuff since then. It was kind of the we.   Michael: Right on   Emil: When you guys are doing all these deals, and this is something I wonder for myself, do you need to buy everything, all cash when you're going out and buying these properties?   Mark: Yes and no. A lot of the properties where you're really trying to find the add value ends up being in properties that might not be financeable, uh, where it might be missing a kitchen. It might be missing furnace. It might be just, my mind would be habitable where conventional loan won't be. They won't finance you. Or, you know, they have the two or three K loan, which is a lot of hoops to jump through or would even make sense to do something like that for that.   So you're buying a property that is really going to be bought by an investor only, and that's going to require cash. Now, whether that cash out of your pocket, or maybe you have a uncle or a private lender or a partner that that's where the cash ultimately is going to come from, and that's going to be. So if you think about it this way, when you're buying properties that can only be bought by investors that are have cash or are not financeable, now you can beat your in kind of the section of a properties out there that only a handful of people can actually buy. So if you have a hundred thousand dollar property, that's not, financeable, you know, out of a crowd of 10 people, you might only have a couple people that really have the means to pull together that a hundred grand to do it.   So now the supply and demand laws that property's going to go even for cheaper, which means there's more of an opportunity as far as the gap of what you can put into it, appraised for and cash out for on the backend.   Emil: So what kind of properties would you guys target? I'm sure after doing this enough, you had like a, a model or a buy box. We were like, alright, this is the kind of property we really want to hone in on. I don't know if I'm asking for too much of the playbook, but..   Michael: Give us the secret sauce.   Mark: No, no. So when you, I guess when it comes to BRRRR, the name of the game is a for trying to do as many as you can. The name of the game comes down to speed. So we did hone in on that and we honed in on, on single family homes, two flats, whenever for a reason, even though it's only times two, it always took us so much longer to do it. Three flats, forget about it. It was, uh, we always, uh, screwed up the timeline and messed out up that side of things. So we started focusing on single family homes that were in that really eight to $1,200 range, um, two to three bedrooms, one maybe sometimes a two second bath in the bathroom. So we focus on that. We focus in a handful of neighborhoods and we focused on certain floor plans. So we even were able to focus on specific, floor plans where we knew it just based on that floor plan. And we did 12 other like that, that these were gonna be our costs going into it. And we knew that we were creating comps for ourselves along the way as well too.   So one of the important things about a BRRRR is your backend. If you gotta make sure it plays out now, we were working through probably what would be the hardest time when it came to appraising. Cause there were no comps and appraisers were ultimately scared to do anything that was kind of pushed the line. If you're the highest comp in the neighborhood. That was a red flag in that 2013, 14. So now there's comps out there and be able to control that backend to make sure that a you're compping out based on stuff you're doing is one of the bigger pitfalls that people run up against.   Michael And for our non maybe Midwest listeners, two flats and three flats are duplexes and triplexes.   Mark: Yes, yes, yes. Yeah. We call them flats.   Michael: Good deal. And so the vast majority, it sounds like you bought in cash. Did you ever purchase anything financed on the front end   Mark: In the coming out of the great recession? You know, we had a couple of banks give us some deals or get properties off their hands. And what we thought were, sweetheart deals never turned out to be sweetheart deals. So this, the best deals we ever did were the ones that we bought cash.   Michael: Okay. It's interesting. I was chatting with a meal a few months back about a strategy that I've used in the past for buying rehab and burn type buildings and the multifamily space. And what I did is I'll buy them for cash turn around day one and get a commercial refinance out of 80% because they were financial and then use that cash to then fund the rehab. Once it's done refinance again, and depending on what your refinance costs looks like, that can start to add up pretty quick. So you might want it to go about a different way, but for whatever reason, they only charge me like a thousand bucks to refinance. So it was the cheapest money I ever got.   Mark: When you're borrowing the money on the front side. Uh, you maybe like, people always refer to the uncle, that's got money or whatnot, or a partner, but you know, a lot of people are going through call hard money lenders, and that gets really expensive. And I always tell people, I really figure out what your numbers are. So we were paying 10% across the board, but we just rolled that money over. We never had any points. We never had to refinance it. Those guys, they just want to keep their money working. So we might even refinance a project and have sit on that money for a couple of weeks and pay that interest. And that's where the costs, we always had to be efficient about it, but we're able to, as long as they're getting their 10%, they trusted that they're in good hands with us. So making sure that you're measuring that money out of pocket, and then that comes into the timeframe of doing the deal or how long it takes you to get to the refinance point, which people have pitfalls on when it comes to that, or if they didn't plan.   Michael: And Mark, I want to get really specific on how you structured some of those deals. So that 10% was that interest only. And was that paid monthly or was there an end payment date to talk to us a little bit about how that work and how you structured it?   Mark: Yeah. So how we did it, we did it on a monthly basis, 10% interest only, and we tied them to mortgage it. We had a mortgage and a note for every property. So if we sold the property, we have them sign off on the payoff and then we would basically move it to another property to make sure that they were always protected on their side of things.   Michael: Perfect. And so I just want to give folks an idea of what those numbers look like. So on a hundred grand at 10% interest, only on a monthly basis, that's $833 a month. And so you're making those payments every month while you're using that money until you can refinance pay off the a hundred thousand and then look to go do it again. Right?   Mark: Correct. Correct.   Michael: I love it. Can you walk us through what your best Burr was? Cause I think everybody remembers the high notes and then we're going to ask you in a minute, what your worst one was.   Mark: The best deal, I actually had this, uh, I talked about this when Joel Fairless, I was on his podcast and uh, you know, we got this property and the cool thing was, you know, we buy on the auctions, auction.com and uh, the couple other, um, I can't think of top of my head, but a couple of our different auction sites and this particular property bounced around to a couple of different auctions and were able to finally bid it. And it was a sight unseen. You know, we had to do all our due diligence. We could from the outside and we got the property. It was actually a four flat, uh, so four units. And, uh, we were, I think we bought them for 20 or 25,000 each they're small units. And I think we only put about 50,000 into it altogether. You know, when you do it enough, you just get lucky sometimes.   And this is one of those ones where we had some luck on our side, defendants were happy with even the, not a hundred percent updated conditions. So a lot of that money, we did have to spend on what we thought we're going to spend. So, you know, we actually ended up putting it into a roof versus updating a couple of units. And then we ended up selling that building turnkey to an another buyer a few years later. But the real ultimate win was we ended up clearing probably about end be about $130,000 on that one, uh, when we sold it. So we got the cashflow for call that first year, and then we made 130. So that is probably the best deal. And I still think about that all the time. Cause like, man, you can only duplicate that.   Michael: That's fantastic. So I just wanna make sure I understood you, right. So you bought it for 25, a unit and four units or 25 total?   Mark: So I think we bought it for if we're going to be specifically, I think we bought it for 28, so we had 80 into it. We put 50 into it. And so we had about a 130, we were getting about 3,800 a month. So yeah, I see your mouth dropping. It was sick and that sense and refinance it out and we refinanced and went out to, because it appraised really good. So we actually got more. So we actually cashed out then I think it was about 160. It appraised out for like 200. So we got 160 out and then ultimately sell it for, I believe we sold it for right around. I think it was around two 50 to two 70. I don't remember the exact number, but it was a hundred K plus that we made on the gross let alone, we were able to cash out some and we cash flowed all the way. So that is the best deal that I hands down. I even thought about that today. Make sure there wasn't anything I was missing. And that was probably the best one we ever.   Emil: Yeah. Those are, those are those all star BRRRRs that you read about and people, I mean, you not only make your money, you cash out more on top. So you got paid for doing the renovation and you're still cash flowing. So it's like, yeah, the best of everything.   Mark: That was a win. And I got plenty of lackluster ones too that offset that. So yeah. I only stay high on a moment for a few seconds. So I started thinking about the other ones, but.   Emil: We try to always bring people back down to earth, have the right expectations, not always have Rose colored glasses. So tell us about a time when it didn't go so hot.   Mark: Will you start back to the first property that we bought? You know, we were trying to combine that with another two units and make it a legal basement. And then the city came in, we got stopped in violation. So by the time we were done, we had about $280,000 out of pocket that we're paying that heavy juice on, on a monthly basis for, I think it was about three years. Wow. That was a, a gone wrong. And that was a painful one to say the least the other thing we had go wrong is the we've had a couple, bad appraisals where all day long, like what are you talking about? Reproduction of the building or comparables, you know, they wouldn't accept the off market comps for us. We knew a bunch of deals that happened in the neighborhood. One was us. We sold, we don't sell everything on them a lot.   So a lot appraisers will not go deeper than MLS. So it's up to us and for anyone out there looking to do a burn, make sure you know what your comps are on your exit side. So even going into the deal. So you're planning a refinancing at eight weeks from now, 10 weeks from now, you better hope you have two of those three comps on file right now that you could bring to that appraiser. And if they're off market, you got to make sure that you're getting the information to the appraiser so he can account for it in his appraisal.   Emil: So now having kind of looked at like your best scenario, your worst scenario, it's kind of saving this for the end, but I want to ask it to you now. You've probably learned, okay, these are the types of BRRRRs I want to take on. And these aren't. So like, do you have like, like your tips or takeaways from the BRRRRs that go well, versus the ones that end up being just running really long and expensive   Mark: As far as, you know, you buy a property that might have city violations on it, or some sort of a, if you buy a property in the city, Chicago, and maybe it's been vacant for a couple of years, if your attorney didn't catch the injunction on it, or some issue that you have to clear up a court before you can put a renter in there, that's something I see people get hung up on all the time where, uh, they bought a property, they fix it up, but they cannot refinance until that rental injunction on the title. The city puts out on the title is lifted. So dealing with the city is a pain in the butt pre COVID, let alone having to deal with self post COVID. So just having a property that has violations that are almost beyond your control, you know, you could take any sort of problems that need to be fixed a rehab and kind of put a timeframe on it.   But when you start working with municipalities or cities or a big city like Chicago, and now they're controlling it and you have to wait a month for a court date and all that stuff, that's where I've seen a lot of people, including myself, kind of get tied up in these deals that they take forever to get your money out.   Emil: Is that something you see during title? Like when you run title during due diligence, but you just kind of say, Oh, we'll get through it later. Or is this something you couldn't foresee until like you bought the property?   Mark: I've seen it happen both ways. So for us, we, we took it on not understanding what it was and then we got bit by it. But we've also had scenarios where we bought a property and it was in the process of being put on the title where we got kind of dinged, just bad luck in that sense.   But I see the problem with a lot more people. They just try pushing through it, thinking we'll make it work. I like to be part of things or investments that I can control. Uh, almost everything go along and, and the BRRRR part, the one thing that I think you have the least amount of control of when it comes to that, is that appraisal on the backend. Um, as far as how much you're gonna get out. So you can pretty much control everything every other step up until that appraisal part. And even then you could have influenced not the right word. Cause it sounds like you're, you're paying somebody off, but you can have a, some inclusion on the data that's being included if you provide a valid comps. So   Michael: What a, what an eloquent w to say that you can have inclusion the outcome. So speaking of timing, Mark, a question that I, and Emil probably get all the time is seasoning period. How soon will a lender re give me a refinance based on a new appraisal, as opposed to the sale price? What have you seen in your work?   Mark: So funny, quick story. Um, I had a guy call me up last week, looking for a bank that will take a property. That's not six months seasoned. And I said, man, you didn't talk to the bank before you he's like I did. I didn't know what season meant. He's like, I heard him kind of ramble. So by being in season, I just didn't understand. I thought maybe he was talking about the time of year or maybe it's busier in the summer,   Michael: Or maybe he was talking about a cast iron pan.   Mark: Yeah, and he goes, I know Mark, just, just laughing, get out with it, please help me find somebody. I could take a, take the letter, tell him like, Oh my gosh, like it's horrible, like scenario to be in. And I could see. So the season part is something that post COVID I, you guys probably know this, uh, the banks have really cut back on a lot of the banks that were saying, Hey, listen, you get the job done, um, we'll, we'll give you the money, but now they're moving back to that season piece. So for us, we were able to work with a lot of local community banks. And you know, there's, you know, the community banks, you get that relationship. It's almost like a 60, 1960s feeling relationship with some of these local community banks where they might have the seasoning issue with anyone new, but because you've been banked with them and you might have x amount of dollars in their bank, they'll work with you. But when you come from out of state and you want to do it, then their risk levels go up and they usually don't work with it. So I found, I don't know, uh, it was down in San Diego, but a guy that was, he found a, uh, bank there that was giving a higher interest rate, but he was, they were doing non season properties.   I don't know if it was a credit union or whatnot, but finding that bank that will do it non seasoned and they're out there. It just ends up taking a, you just have to figure, use your resources to find that out there. But the bottle is tough to do altogether. If you want to continue to build on it, if you have to wait for that six months for it to be a season now for us, we never had to wait. Um, and that we wouldn't have done 482 units if we had to wait six months every property.   Emil: When I was doing research on this, I found that anytime you wanted to get a mortgage back… So any Fannie Freddie loan, they required a six months seizing period. At least every bank I called like four or five different banks. And everyone kind of told me the same thing where you guys getting different loans or were you getting Fannie Freddie loans when you were reading?   Mark: We were not getting any Fannie Freddie. So we were working with local community banks and we were able to whether they get a credit line, we're getting, they're holding our portfolio again. If someone looking to do it has to build that relationship. And, uh, you have a little money in a bank that people will be flexible, um, all around the country, as far as banks go and stuff like that.   Michael: And so for all of our listeners who just might not be familiar with what a seasoning period is like Mark's friend that called and asked him, it's basically the amount of time that you need to own the property for, until they will give you a reappraisal or refinance. And so that's often six months for those Fannie Freddie products, or it can be more flexible with those community banks. But so definitely have that conversation on the front end prior to, I would say, even purchasing the property and know what your exit looks like, who's going to do the refinance will do that. Will they give you a new appraisal? Are they only going to give you your purchase price, plus your costs? You just want to have a very clear picture and understanding of what that looks like. So you don't get caught looking on the backend.   Mark: The other thing, when it comes to that appraisal, if maybe it's not a Fannie pretty type a low and you might get into, but other banks, they might not do it against appraised value. They'll do it against what you have into it. So that's another way I see people get tripped up. So they might have a a hundred thousand dollar property and they put 50,000 into it. So they have 150 all in and it pays off for 200. And I know they could get a, um, all their money out, but the bank will say, well, show us how much you have into it. And we'll only loan to, uh, to that amount. Uh, that's where I see another way people get, uh, caught up with that.   Michael: I was gonna say, so shifting gears here, Mark, the podcast, you know, it's called the remote real estate investor. And so the vast majority of our investors are doing this remote. What would you say to them? Cause I think a question I get in the Academy all the time is how do I get started doing a BRRRR? I don't know anybody half. The reason I use Roofstock is because I don't want to have to get to know anybody. You already have these relationships. So if somebody wants to do a remote BRRRR, where do they start?   Mark: Um, it's a generic answer to start, but, uh, you know, having the right team and I tell people to find someone that's already doing it, and then they have the resources and they have the know about to do it. So example with just saying myself, you know, so for any property management company, they have the ability to do turnovers, right? And where we've worked best with out of state investors, kind of going after the birth strategy has been all right, you buy this property and we can do a, what we call it. We call it heavy turnover. So anything in that 10 to $20,000 range would be a heavy turnover and you take a 900 square foot ranch. You could do a lot for 20 grand in a sense of redoing the floors, redoing a bathroom, you can update the kitchen and that amount and possibly a replacing a mechanical or two. So you can get that and then get it to refinance out and get a majority of money out. So having, whether it be a property manager company that has a little more of an expensive maintenance apartment.   So for us, we have all in house maintenance. A lot of property managers will outsource that part, but any property manager that has in house maintenance has the capability to do those shops, any other sort of a developer that a local to whatever region. I mean, they can usually put you in touch with the right people to do it. So having just the right team that you can trust, I guess, and if you're able to find a proper manager that that's going to actually be responsible for the property all the way through, and then have to put the right tenant in there, find a tenant that's gonna fit, whatever rehab you just did. And then ultimately be responsible or be around six months from now, if something went wrong with the rehab or maybe the deck that was fixed broke or whatnot. So if you're able to keep one group, like some of our clients have done together, um, for the whole time, then that just lowers your risk as an out of state investor as well, too.   Michael: Perfect. And so for anybody interested in investing in Chicago or doing firs in Chicago, that's something that GC Realty can do for them.   Mark: What I ended up doing a lot is people call me up. They might be looking to buy a property. Maybe they were working with a realtor in our office. Maybe they're working with another local realtor, but I'll tell them either a it's something we could do based on the timing. Or I'll put you in contact with two or three guys that I know can get the place fixed up for you. At least I can help him with the scope and then they could do the actual work and then they'll come back to us to manage. So ultimately the end of the day, usually if we don't help directly, we help indirectly as far as set people out, as far as Chicago goes.   Emil: Michael you've had the same experience, right? Like you've your property managers in some of the cities you own property in, they've helped you find a contractor and kind of help manage the process. It seems like if you're an out of state investor, relying on your property manager to help with that whole process, they're like the key to this whole thing.   Mark: Yeah. And I, I put myself out, you know, in Chicago, I got a guy, right. That's what you need. And there's those people everywhere. I mean, there's just those, uh, networking people that are just machines when it comes to connecting people. And, uh, you know, there's a lot of people I talk to on a weekly basis. I might never talk to again, but they'll, or at anytime soon, but they pop up a few years later with six or seven properties that they want me to manage now or something like that. So just kind of drive the people to where they could succeed. And I think the number one thing is starting with the right person to direct you in any of these cities. And I'm sure you guys have property managers all around your network that can at least be the starting point for somebody you're a restock Academy. People to be able to go from there then.   Michael: Yeah, totally. And Emil to answer your question. Yeah. I reached out to my property manager and ask if they could put me in touch with, but then I still did screening interviews to make sure that it was going to be a good fit for me because the property manager wasn't involved because of the scope of work was just a little bit too much for them to handle. So I sought to make sure that it was going to be a good working relationship.   Mark: I'll get every so often, uh, a guy that will be like, he'll want to a GCA from California. He wants to just be part of all and that's fine. And what I'll do for him. It's like, alright for the foundation, call this guy for the roof, call this guy and I'll give him seven or eight people and like go for it and they'll knock it out and they'll bring back the property to rent. So that's another approach to it. You, you can literally, you know, nowadays, you know, I know a couple of investors from California that literally do a couple flips a month here, whether it be flips or rehabs, but they, they, they have their trusted guy on the ground here throw up those little cameras in the corners and they're practically on the job site every day, seeing what's going on. So with technology these days, and, uh, I can't think of the service, uh, that camera, the security service, but, uh, it can almost be there on the job. So as long as you have the people, then they can actually trust you. At least know if they're coming or going even.   Emil: That's super smart. I never thought of that. Like just putting up a ring cam and that's like hooking it up to wifi or whatever. And then you can check your job site.   Mark: That's all that too. And, uh, you know, so they actually have the locks as well to where you can, uh, change the code from, from your phone in California. And so when that, when that contract came back, cause he's saying, Hey, I can't get into the code's wrong. I see some guys do that too, because they don't want to pay someone like us, a few grand to oversee it. Your times was funny at that point, but, uh, that's fine. It is what it is   Michael: Right on. Mark, I'm curious to know, is there anything that you could see on a project or potential deal? That's an immediate, no, go for you. Like it's got a foundation issue or it's got a roof, you know, is there such a thing or do you, until you put a price on it, are you not scared?   Mark: So I've never been a fan of fire properties, um, properties that might had a fire, even if it's just like the second floor has got a partial fire, you just never know. I would never feel comfortable, um, going through without having to really take the part the whole place. So we've never really messed around with fire properties. As far as a foundation goes, we talked about last time, the housing stock and age here, you know, you deal with the foundation stuff all the time. It just ends up being what you do with that foundation. Now, if a house is leaning and it's a hundred years old, more like we're not gonna mess with it. There's a couple of cracks. There's plenty of guys around here that can seal that stuff and make sure that you don't get that moisture in that basement.   Michael: So, so the, the fire,It was like a dagger in my heart. So I don't think I shared with you Mark, but a lot of our listeners know that I have a mixed use commercial building that I'm converting to residential. And I had two fires, not one but two fires in the same building a week apart. Oh, wow. One in a commercial space and one up on the roof during the reroof project. So dealing with the insurance company right now, getting that whole thing adjusted. But yeah, it's a total nightmare.   Mark: I'll tell you a quick story. I I've been very lucky when it comes to fires. Um, and luckily I haven't been investigated probably cause the coincidence of them, but, uh, lucky in the sense of we had a, a, a, a property that, uh, we had a really bad foundation issue and, uh, and no one's ever been hurt. So I'll give the caveat that we've had fires and no one's ever been hurt. So we had that building that, uh, um, was almost leaning. It was like a hundred thousand foundation and December 9th, 2017, it burned down. I'm like, Oh my God, total loss. And then we had another one that just being done. We had a four unit and I converted it to a two larger unit and it just didn't make sense. And the building ran horrible and I had to do something. I maybe converted back to four solid, this kind of lose money and it burned down.   So I got lucky two different ones. I had another building, a vacant building, a burned. Now the one thing I went wrong with on there, because this story is, although I made money and I talk about profit-wise, I made a killing, but I was under insured for some of these properties. I could have almost walked away with another 40% of what I walked away with if had I insured it now, there's always the, what you pay monthly versus what you, you know, you're preparing for something that more likely is not going to happen, but, um, just always have that serious conversation with your, make sure you have a trusted insurance guy that you're talking to that can, uh, uh, put that all in perspective here, what that looks like.   Michael: It's so funny. Cause I come from the insurance world. And so a lot, a lot of people might be like, why the hell is this guy Mark laughing and celebrating that he burned his properties to the ground. And what people don't realize is that if you're going to have a loss, you kind of want to have a total loss. I want it to burn to the ground because then you just get the insurance money and you can go do with it. What you want. The issue is when you have partial losses, when the fire department's really good, or when the building was built, well, you're like crap. Now I got to go repair this thing. And it's, it's a whole nightmare. And that's what I'm dealing with right now.   Mark: We had the two total losses that they were so bad that the city even came in and tore them down, like within 24 hours. So the one property we even know about, we went there, it was gone. It was something we didn't get to yet. We had a kind of a backlog of properties and it was vacant, but yeah, gone.   Michael: Cause that's expensive. Property, you know, debris, removal, cleanup, all that stuff's expensive may or may not be covered under your policy. So yeah.   Mark: Yeah. We had to definitely pay them back for that. They liened it. So they actually got us two properties later. They liened, uh, the land actually for that one. So…   Michael: Well, that's crazy. That's crazy. Emil, you ready to start wrapping stuff up here?   Mark: I got a couple other things you want me to hit on real fast. Yeah. So just let me run through my notes here real fast. So I think for the people that come out of state, they don't realize how long that, that time to get from the day you close to the day, you could actually get it rented to either a, have the opportunity to get reappraised or start the seasoning process. So I think, uh, making sure that people are allowing enough time in there, whether it be their borrowed money or their hard money, or be realistic by the expectation. So just even doing a $20,000 rehab is still going to take probably about 60 days from the time you start, you're going out there verifying scope and all that stuff where people are like, Oh, I thought you'd be done in a couple of weeks.   It's like, Aw man. Like, no, we've got to get permits. We got to do these things. So making sure you understand how long you have to maybe have that hard money out there or when you're seasoning period actually real, really start is something that I see people go wrong on. The other thing that I see, and this is a big one and we are, we did this too. When we first started buying these properties, we did whatever it took to get it rented. Um, we only did let me reword that. We only did what it took to get it rented, where we left a lot of capital improvements like, Oh, that Ruffino made me, you know, you can see through the roof by your name. I got a couple of years out of it or that hot water heater. That's literally rusted in drip. It's like, Hey, as long as maybe we get another year and we did those things in a, you know, maybe the, the garage, we didn't, uh, do something with the garage where now we weren't, it wasn't part of the rent.   And, uh, so we, we, uh, we, we shot ourselves in the foot where we were able to see how bad our maintenance was, uh, from not really doing a full project and our average, uh, for our kind of our first 140 units versus the balance of, um, you know, I think we spent about another 12 or 13,000 hours, average per unit, just on making sure we did all those things. That way we're not nickel and dime on maintenance for the next two years.   Michael: That's really smart spending the money on the front end to making it more maintenance, proof, more tenant proof. You go so far.   Mark: Yes. You know, when you're getting the appraisal, another thing is, uh, you have the full scope out there. Hey, mr. Appraiser here is the laundry list of everything I did. We have about X amount of thousands of dollars into it. And just want to accompany this with a couple off market cops there. So you can put a nice little package together for the appraisal. You can't tell him he has to use something, but you can at least provide them with the data for him to decide if it's worth using or not. And here's the thing, when an appraiser, he walks in the house, he doesn't necessarily know what the house looked like before he was in there. So he doesn't realize or appreciate how much you actually did. So I know one guy he actually gives before pictures and after pictures to that appraiser, so he can justify the 40, 50 grand. He might've put into it. So that's, that's another, uh, kind of good one to make sure you can at least control as much as you can in that part of the process.   Emil: What type of investor is this a good idea for? Like, I'm sure you've done this with plenty of out-of-state investors who are interested in investing in Chicago, would you say there's a certain type of investor who like, is a good idea versus I don't know, some characteristics of people where it's like, like one thing I can think of is you have a super busy job and like all these other things where you make good money, it's like, is it worth all your time and energy spent in a BRRRR versus buying something turnkey? I don't know. I'm just curious if you've had that experience.   Mark: So in a BRRRR, you might just say you run through a whole Burr and you might have only, uh, you might only get 95% of it. Now you have typically 5% of the deal, but if you bought that right, there should still be some equity in the deal that maybe it didn't appraise for enough. So one of the tips I have, or one of the things I say is make sure that when these property or buying or the reward is worth the risk, because there's risk when you're doing this type of strategy, where even if you're not getting all your money out, you should still have a nice piece of equity. So that whole add value piece is why you do it. You know what I think a lot of a turnkey model type investors or investors that are buying, I don't know, you call it top of the market. Um, they might have something that they could get very hands off of, low touch, but they are buying at the top of the market.   You might not get all your money out, but you might still have another 10% equity in there even for a future opportunity to maybe borrow against and do something more to it, or at least have on against your, a personal financial statement as something that you have some equity. And so I think someone that's looking to add a little more value and kind of build that equity worth a faster, this is what it's for. This is like, if you don't have time to be a full time investor, but you don't want to do kind of the armchair type investment, uh, this is kind of the go-between.   Emil: Yeah, that makes sense. And you know, I've, I've always thought like, even if you leave five to 10% in the deal, like you're still getting a much better deal than you would had you just gone and had to put 20% down 25% down, whatever it is.   Mark: Oh yeah, for sure. For sure. And so you have that 5% in, and hopefully you have another 10% equity still because it didn't appraise out for the full max. So that's a way better spend than just putting 25% down that, you know, you're not gonna gain money on.   Michael: One additional point to on, on how long it takes to just get this stuff done. And what really surprised me and kind of caught me looking was the whole time and you're holding costs. And so if you're, you know, you're paying utilities for this property, the whole time folks are working on it. And the utility bill is going to be a lot higher than if people are just living in it. Cause they're using power tools and bathroom and water and all that kind of stuff. So I had a month where I had like 800 to a thousand dollars, just utility bills for this multiunit building, because there are a bunch of people working in it and I'm like, Holy crap, that's insane. And something else to keep in mind is you got to talk to your insurance carrier provider agent and ask them what a vacant property or property rehabbing insurance policy looks like, because that might be very different than a tenant occupied policy. And they're often a lot more expensive. So just make sure you're very accurately putting together what your numbers look like for your… whatever your cost of your money has. And then your, your insurance utilities, your property taxes. You still gotta pay those even though there's no one living in it. So just make sure you're very, you get a very clear picture of what the actual numbers look like,   Mark: Cutting the lawn, shoveling the snow and, uh, that, that builder's risk policy is yeah, it adds up.   Michael: Yes, it sure does. It sure. Does Mark. Anything else that you wanted to share with us and Neil? Anything else you got?   Mark: One other thing that you could do with the appraisal. If you are, maybe you get a bad appraisal, you can always contest that. And I'm not sure if everyone knows that. But if an appraisal comes back, you say, hey, listen, you know, they might've had low comps now. It's not smart to contest it unless, you know, uh, that there's actual facts out there that can help you get closer to your value. But, you know, even if that appraisal that comes back gets you another five or 10 grand on a hundred thousand dollar property, that's a, that's a big chunk. Contesting the appraisal. Now we ran into the issue all time of we're trying to turn money too fast. So to appraise, try to contest an appraisal for another four or five grand. We were, it was slowing us down. So that was one of the things that was tough when we were trying to compound, uh, these deals. But if you're doing, what are you doing to take the time to test that a appraisal and try to get that other five to 10% out of it.   Michael: Really good advice.   Emil: Does it cost money? Does it cost money to contest? Cause I remember I was doing a cash out Refi on a property earlier this year and it came in low and we just tried to contest it. It didn't move anywhere, but I dunno if maybe there was like a formal contesting process.   Mark: You know what, I want to say there's like a a hundred dollar fee. Um, but I might be confusing that with, if the guy couldn't get access and he charged you for it, I'm not sure. But uh, so worst case now I think it might be a hundred bucks. Yeah. Yeah. So again, risk versus reward is not that much, even if it keeps the fader $10,000 or even $5,000 out of pocket for an extra hundred bucks in a couple of extra weeks that there's value there.   Michael: Money well spent.   Emil: Totally worth it.   Michael: Once COVID ends, if you could go out on a plane and go anywhere, where are you headed?   Mark: Ah, just somewhere at the beach. I have not been to a beach for a long time. Um, I will literally take anywhere with an ocean. I've actually looked at like day trips, like flying down to quick day trips to like, fly out the morning, go sit on the beach for the day and fly home to Chicago down in Florida somewhere. Uh, but yeah, I've been to Vegas a bunch of times, but you don't get that beach satisfaction there for sure.   Michael: No, you gotta be careful what you wish for though. Cause my brother went to school in Canada and he told me he threw a snowball from the beach into the ocean once. So you don't want to go to over the cold beach. You got to go to a warm beach.   Mark: Nope. Headed down to Florida somewhere. That's the quickest cheapest flights it looks like. So right on time, change screws you up. I've told me down with it, but for a quick trip, the time change screws up too much.   Emil: Come hang in. LA man. If you're ever here   Mark: Yup Yup.   Emil: But a day trip is tough to California.   Michael: Awesome. Well Mark, thank you so much for joining us for round two. This has been super insightful, super informative, and I am sure we'll have you back on again. Soon   Mark: I look forward to it and anybody that, uh, like I, I try to point people in the right direction. So anyone ever interested in Chicago or anyone that is looking for the right context in Chicago, feel free to reach out   Michael: Perfect. And what's the best way for folks to get in touch with you?   Mark: We got, uh, we got our podcast Straight Up Chicago Investor Podcast now, which we started a Facebook group for. And then, you know what, I'll put my cell phone out there, uh, in the, in the show notes. So if you guys can help that   Michael: Fantastic and your website as well?   Mark: GCRealtyinc.com   Michael: Fantastic. Well, thanks again, Mark. Really appreciate it. And we'll chat soon, man.   Emil: Thank you Mark.   Michael: Alrighty, everybody. That was our show. Hope you enjoyed it and took some actionable takeaways. If you enjoyed it, feel free to leave us a rating and review as well as subscribe, wherever it is, you'll send your podcasts. It really helps us out. If there's anything that you'd like to hear covered on an episode, feel free to leave that in a comment that would be look forward to seeing them the next one and a big shout out and thank you to Mark. That was really, really great stuff.  

Michael and Emil chat with Mark Ainley from GC Realty and Development about what you should know about real estate investments in the Chicago market.   Link to the article Mark mentions: What Will Section 8 Pay For Rent In Cook County? https://www.gcrealtyinc.com/blog/what-will-section-8-pay-for-rent-in-cook-county

“Breaking News Just in Now! There’s a Nationwide ban on evictions in until at least December! President Trump just signed executive orders! and in studio to share with us all of the details, is the Premier Property Manager, Yes, Mark Ainley from GC Realty & Development! “5 Tips for Negotiating the Sale of Your Property” […]

Today we have Mark Ainley of GC Realty in Chicago, Illinois.  Mark's duty within the company, as part owner, is to focus on Business Development.  After committing to making some changes, Mark and GC have seen huge increases in both lead volume and sign ups.  Listen in to find out what Mark and his team are doing! https://www.facebook.com/BizDevMastermind/videos/1139937733053726/

In this episode, Jonathan Farber interviews Mark Ainley on his path from househacking his first property at 21 to owning with partners over 900 residential units and 2 million commercial square feet. Mark runs a property management and brokerage firm based in Chicago. In this episode, we unpack topics like: deciding management, mistakes to avoid, scaling traps, and more! Top Takeaways: How to make management decisions for your first properties - 18:30 - 22:15 Self manage if you can Only need external management if time or distance are too great Consider opportunity cost when deciding if you have the time Finding a property manager before buying will give you peace of mind Mistakes to avoid when starting out - 22:30 - 26:30 When self managing, don’t tell the tenant you’re the owner Use the distinction to your advantage and take the opportunity to ingratiate yourself Great responsiveness makes owners and tenants feel valued Pitfalls to watch out for when scaling - 31:00 - 36:00 Scaling without a process in place to keep things on track is a recipe for stagnation Anything repeatable, documentable, or easily doable by someone else can be turned into a system When mapping processes, find a tool that works for you While implementing systems, better to add capability incrementally than try to incorporate everything from the start How to bring value to Mark Ainley: Bring marketing experience, connecting with property owners in the Chicago area Resources: Article by Mark Ainley: The No. 1 Reason Rental Owners Fire Property Managers (& How to Avoid It) Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less by Sam Carpenter The Road Less Stupid by Keith J. Cunningham Am I Being Too Subtle?: Straight Talk From a Business Rebel by Sam Zelle www.lucidchart.com www.podio.com Social Links: BiggerPockets Profile: www.biggerpockets.com/blog/contributors/markainley Company Website: https://www.gcrealtyinc.com Straight Up Chicago Investor Podcast: https://www.straightupchicagoinvestor.com Connect With The host, Jonathan Farber Here! LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanfarber1/ Instagram: @jonjfarb FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.farber.9 Facebook Group: Real Estate Mentorship Mastermind BiggerPockets: https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/JonathanF29 Schedule 1 on 1 time: https://calendly.com/jonathan-farber/1-on-1-with-jonathan-farber-mmtr

Negotiation… Realtor vs Attorney” and in studio is the Premier Real Estate Attorney, Vince Auricchio with the top Commercial Realtor, Theresa Mueller the Managing Broker of the Trelleum Group! What you need to know about Village Rental licenses and in studio to share with us his expertise, the Premier Property Manager, yes, Mark Ainley! What’s […]

Renting Your Property with a Homeowners Association! in studio to educate us as he always does, is the Premier Property Manager in the Mid-West, yes, Mark Ainley from GC Realty & Development LLC. Easements and where they come from and how they affect Title. In studio to educate us is the Premier Real Estate and […]

#31: So, we’ve been talking real estate the last few podcast episodes.So far, though, we’ve only talked about buying and rehabbing rental properties.But buying/rehabbing isn’t enough.You need tenants to actually make money – and build wealth – from real estate. Tenants pay the rent!But how do you find great tenants? Manage them? And, importantly, keep them around?In this week’s podcast, I talk with Mark Ainley in depth about how to manage rental properties effectively by attracting and retaining quality tenants.Mark is a long-time real estate investor and co-founder of a Chicago-based property management company that currently manages ~1K residential doors + 2M square feet of commercial real estate.We chat about:Best practices for attracting quality tenants to your listing (and screening applicants)Tips for managing tenants effectively – including key lease provisions, dealing with lease expirations, and regularly inspecting unitsHow to retain good tenants and handle bad onesKey things to look for when hiring & reference-checking property management companiesIf you own rental properties, what are your best practices for finding, managing, and retaining great tenants? Do you use a property management company? If so, how do you make sure you’re getting good service from them? Let me know by leaving a comment when you’re done!Don’t miss an episode, hit that subscribe button…If you liked this episode, be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss any upcoming episodes!Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsStitcherI need your help, please leave a listener review If you liked this episode, would you please leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts? It’d mean the world to me and your review also helps others find my podcast, too!Links mentioned in this episode:GC Realty & DevelopmentGet Mark’s Tenant Scoring Matrix to help you screen tenants effectivelyHYW private Facebook communityIntro/Outro: Old Bossa by Twin Musicom.

Mark and Tom introduce the first podcast to deep dive into real estate investing in Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. We are going to take a look at specific neighborhoods and specific strategies, dissect obstacles that real investors have dealt and explore the solutions used to overcome them. Listen to Mark and Tom have a candid conversation about how the current environment has impacted their territories. Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.com Email the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.com ----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of Straight Up Chicago Investor 2020.

Do you struggle with hiring people because you cannot afford their annual salary. Mark Ainley is here to help you conquer that fear. Mark has a breakthrough strategy to help position you to grow your business. As a previous WTS client, Mark showcases how to systemize a business the right way. In this episode we discuss: How to prepare for the chaos created when you need to change your business strategy The necessity to put your processes in writing to grow your business Documenting repeatable tasks will allow you to outsource routine tasks and quickly train new staff members We hope this episode helps you learn about the power of documentation to grow your business quickly, effectively, and exponentially. -------- #WorkTheSystembook #BusinessPerformanceArchitect #JoshFonger #Makemoreworkless #certificationprogramforbusinessconsultants #JoshFongerandSamCarpenter #Joshspeaking #documentyourworkproceduresnow #JoshFongerSmallBusinessSpeaker #systemizeyourbizin2020 #growyourbusiness #casestudy #HR #hiring #businessstrategy

An off-schedule podcast interview with Mark Ainley, a retail flow analyst and consultant from Sense of Space in Vancouver. Mr. Ainley discusses the flow of retail and how physical spaces can be more welcoming to customers. Retail Insider Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.Interview Details:Mark Ainley, Principal & Consultant (LinkedIn)Sense of Space Contemporary Feng Shui Subscribe, Rate, and Review our Retail Insider Podcast!Follow Craig:LinkedIn Instagram TwitterFollow Retail Insider:LinkedIn Facebook Twitter InstagramListen & Subscribe:Apple PodcastsSpotifyOvercastStitcherGoogle PlayShare your thoughts!Drop us a line at Craig@Retail-Insider.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!

Mark Ainley takes his 16+ years experience as a property manager, developer, real estate broker, and entreprenuer to discuss when is the right time to hire a property manager for rental properties and how to go about hiring them.

Mark Ainley-  Mark Ainley is a specialist in multiple disciplinary fields. Since his teens he has been active in the curating of and research of historical piano recordings and has gained an international reputation as an expert in this arena. His website The Piano Files and corresponding Facebook page is a hub for thousands of fans of historical performances by the greatest artists. Mark’s professional life in the last 19 years has been focused on helping individuals bring integration to their lives, primarily through a contemporary approach to Feng Shui principles. His expansive view of the practice led him to coin the phrase Contemporary Feng Shui to better reflect the universal and timeless nature of the practice. Starting in 2003 he began making teaching and consulting trips to Japan, where he had spent half of his ‘90s as a teacher and DJ, and he still travels there annually to present workshops, consult on home and commercial properties, and train new consultants.  As a teacher, consultant, writer, and lecturer, Mark presents refreshing alternative viewpoints to expand his audience's perspectives and mindset.  Mark Ainley websites https://www.senseofspace.com/feng-shui/ https://thepianofiles.com/ https://www.facebook.com/ThePianoFilesWithMarkAinley/ Listen to another #12minconvo

Mark Ainley is the founder of GC Realty Inc, a realtor company that offers coverage across Chicago. GC Realty maximizes rental potential and offers services that best meet the investor’s needs. With their free rental analysis, you can find out what your rental investment is worth and how much rent you can offer it for. You can use their website to view their blog, which is filled with important investment information and tips to make this business endeavor worthwhile.

Running a successful investment operation, even in property management, requires a consistent and effective business mindset. Why is it important to plan ahead for any potential challenges or crises we may face? What does it take to maximize our profitability? When it comes to partnerships, how can we make sure we’re working with the right people and planning for the future? On this episode, we’re joined by expert investor, broker, property manager, and speaker Mark Ainley. He shares his personal journey in building his successful business, appearing on The Deed and how best to approach working partnerships. Property management is becoming its own sector, and with technology and different efficiencies, it’s becoming scalable. - Mark Ainley   Three Things We Learned Too many partnerships can erode any success faster than a bad deal It’s better to partner up with a few select and trusted partners on all of our deals. Otherwise, we end up with an extremely messy business, and a lack of consistency can harm our profitability and trust with our clients.   Plan ahead for partnership challenges  Partnerships don’t always end well, and these splits are often complicated and costly. It’s critical to plan for the potential end for a partnership from the onset, with operating agreements beneficial to all parties. We need to know the procedures, and inevitable consequences, of dissolving a partnership.     Overspending on property will destroy our profitability Following a max-offer model and buying for the right price will always put us in a more financially stable position. Overpaying, even by just a small amount, will add up across our property portfolio and hurt our bottom line.    Mark’s success as a property manager is that he thinks and operates like an investor. If we’re not thinking like business owners with a long-term vision, we can create many challenges for our business. A visionary entrepreneur will partner up with the right people to facilitate long term success, not short term profits. Planning for potential challenges ahead of time, allows us to maintain a high level of service for our customers.

Mark Ainley is an investor, managing broker, and property manager with almost two decades of experience in real estate. Mark is the co-founder of GCR&D, a full-service Real Estate Brokerage, Property Management, and real estate investment firm in the Chicago Market that consults with both local and out of state investors on the acquisition, stabilization, and management of their rental property portfolio.   Website: www.gcrealtyinc.com Email: mark@gcrealtyinc.com Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-ainley-216a007/   —   If you’re interested in real estate investing, particularly passive real estate investing Dwaine Clarke has the resources you need to achieve financial freedom and wealth. If you are an accredited investor you can partner with Dwaine in a passive investment opportunity, receiving all the benefits of an active owner without being an active owner.   http://dwainelclarke.com/invest-with-dwaine   Thank you and I appreciate you watching this video. Please like, subscribe, and share with others that you may find this valuable. Your comments are useful and helps us generate better quality content based on your feedback.   —   Subscribe to my channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb66-jA-WR4-LlJqp8Sn2wg?sub_confirmation=1   —   Dwaine L. Clarke is the Founder and Managing Partner of Jackson Clarke Capital Partners a real estate investment firm focused on the acquisition and re-positioning of Apartment properties in major metropolitan markets.   http://jacksonclarkegroup.com   In addition to Jackson Clarke Capital, Dwaine is also the Founder and President of GCT Net Lease an investment real estate services firm exclusively focusing on Single and Mult-Tenant Net Lease Properties. The firm provides a full range of brokerage and advisory services nationwide to High Net worth Investors, Developers, REITs and Institutional Investment Funds.   http://buynnnproperties.com   Dwaine is also the host of Wealth Through Real Estate Investing and Small Business, Big Ideas Podcasts. He is also the author of three best selling real estate investing books.   —   Follow Me Online Here:   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwainelclarke/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DwaineClarkeOfficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwaineclarke/ Website: http://dwainelclarke.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/dwaineclarke Medium: http://medium.com/@dwaineclarke Sound Cloud: https://soundcloud.com/dwaineclarke Podcast: http://dwainelclarke.com/podcast   Subscribe to my VIP Newsletter for upcoming investment opportunities, exclusive content and giveaways here: http://dwainelclarke.com/VIP

Mark Ainley has rehabbed and stabilized over 450 properties and currently manages more than 900 investment properties throughout the Chicagoland area. He appeared on CNBC and has been a guest on many real estate podcasts. Connect with Mark Ainley: http://www.gcrealtyinc.com Connect with Seth Ferguson: http://www.SethFerguson.org http://www.ALBACapitalGroup.com

Mark Ainley has rehabbed and stabilized over 450 properties and currently manages over 900 investment properties throughout the Chicagoland area.  Mark is the co-founder of GCR&D, a full-service Real Estate Brokerage, Property Management, and real estate investment firm in the Chicago Market that consults with both local and out of state investors on the acquisition, stabilization, and management of their rental property portfolio. GCRI has become one of the premier turnkey companies in Chicago, working with both US and International investors.    Key Market Insights Started investing back in 2003 Helps out of town investors looking on the South Side of Chicago Porches in Chicago can be a challenge if not up to code Preferred access to south side and cash flow opportunities Implemented the BRRRR model starting out Started by looking at the University of Chicago and their long-term expansion plans Focus in Woodlawn and the 60617 zip code  Looked for a standard house to renovate and replicated the model Started selling turnkey to international investors Turnkey = renovated property with no capital improvements, market rate tenants in place Turnkey has received a negative reputation Ask about property management GC Realty has taken over projects from other turnkey providers Tips for turnkey deals – find property manager first, then find a turnkey provider, and ensure you get a home inspection Every South side property right now is “near” the Obama library   Bull’s Eye Tips: Winning Your Market (as a property manager): Knowing the investor’s perspective Tracking Market Changes: Network Daily Habit: Get up early between 4am - 4:30am   Resources: Best Business Books: Ninja Selling by Larry Kendell   Dichotomy of Leadership by Jocko Willink    Digital Resources Podio   Tweet This: "Every [south side] property right now is near the Obama Library"   "Property managers have a stigma that they are just failed real estate agents"   Places to Grab a Bite: Russell’s Barbecue in Elmwood Park   Connect with Mark: Website: GCrealtyinc.com Phone: 630-781-6744     Leave us a review and rating on iTunes or Stitcher. Be sure to check out more info at TargetMarketInsights.com.  

Real estate investing is getting increasingly harder as the prices of property go up and fewer people are looking to buy in certain areas. As a beginner in investing, what type of neighborhoods should you avoid? What’s the best way to find deals even in highly competitive areas? Should you look for smaller or bigger properties? In this episode, Mark Ainley shares how he sold over 400 homes and manages over 750 rental units.   Go where other people don’t want to go. You can make money there.  -Mark Ainley Join our free Live Training: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/181906883837141506 Partner with us: http://www.tomcafarella.com/p/partner-with-us.html   Takeaways Don’t go investing first in C and D class neighborhoods. There is money to be made in those areas as well, but there are also challenges that beginners aren’t ready to face, such as security issues when the property is vacant. Markets shift, so always have an exit plan in place. Smaller homes are easier to renovate, and you can easily estimate how much it costs to make the repairs. Plus, medium to small homes are easier to flip as well. At the beginning of the episode we talked about what neighborhoods you should avoid when starting out as well as the importance of having an exit plan. Next, Mark Ainley shared his experience with trying to do all the marketing himself and what he does now to find deals. We also covered: The state of the MLS nationwide The importance of networking with wholesalers Why searching for homes yourself is not worth the financial investment As a real estate investor, the biggest challenge at the moment is acquisition. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend money on marketing to attract deals. There are other people who already do this for a living and they are looking for buyers like you as well. The market is flooded with signs and ads. Let others do the heavy lifting for you, and when they do have a deal, give them the answer in 24 hours and keep your word. Give them reasons to always come back to you when they find something worth flipping or renting out.

Mark Ainley is a Contemporary Feng Shui Consultant with a unique sensibility.  In this episode Mark talks about the powerful impact one's surroundings can have on the body, mind and spirit.   LEARN MORE Mark's Website

Peter & Dan Discuss: Lead Generation Partnerships Converting “We Buy Houses” Leads to Listings Running Multi-State Real Estate Businesses Generating as Many as 1,000 Seller Calls in One Day!   Do You Know Anyone Else Who’s a Real Estate Investor?  Or Trying to Become a Real Estate Investor? Do You Think they’d Also Enjoy this Episode? Share the link and tell them to:   Sign Up for the REI Diamonds Weekly Podcast Your Copy of “7 Sources of Off Market Deals” Just Go to www.REIDiamonds.com to Download a Copy & Check out Recent Popular Episodes. Recent Popular Episodes Joe Mueller on REO Brokerage, Turn Key Rentals, & Buying Houses through Non-Performing Notes Tom Olson on Turn Key Rentals, Construction, & High Volume Wholesaling Mark Ainley on Pulling Back the Curtain of a High Volume Turn Key Rental Business Josh Weidman on Turn Key Rentals  

Engelo & Dan Discuss: The Importance of Team Selection Engelo’s Favorite RE Developer 3 Steps to Correctly Networking “Rags to Hustle Your A** Off” Story   More Info About Engelo Rumora at: www.OhioCashFlow.com   Engelo’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheRealEstateDingo/?fref=ts https://www.facebook.com/engelorumora   Do You Know Anyone Else Who’s a Real Estate Investor?  Or Trying to Become a Real Estate Investor? Do You Think they’d Also Enjoy this Episode? Share the link and tell them to:   Sign Up for the REI Diamonds Weekly Podcast Your Copy of “7 Sources of Off Market Deals” Just Go to www.REIDiamonds.com to Download a Copy & Check out Recent Popular Episodes. Recent Popular Episodes Joe Mueller on REO Brokerage, Turn Key Rentals, & Buying Houses through Non-Performing Notes Tom Olson on Turn Key Rentals, Construction, & High Volume Wholesaling Mark Ainley on Pulling Back the Curtain of a High Volume Turn Key Rental Business Josh Weidman on Turn Key Rentals  

Jeremy Ricci & Dan Breslin Discuss: How to Wholesale Houses to Yourself “Tax-Free” Negotiating a Subject-to, Mortgage Take-Over Deal How to Structure the BEST Owner Finance Deals Best Thought Process for Building Wealth   More Info About Jeremy Ricci at: Addicted 2 Real Estate www.Addicted2RealEstate.com   Siesta Key Beach Vacation Rentals www.GoSiesta.com   Know Anyone Else Who’d Enjoy this Episode? Send them this link and tell them to:   Sign Up for the REI Diamonds Weekly Podcast Your Copy of “7 Sources of Off Market Deals” Just Go to www.REIDiamonds.com to Download a Copy & Check out Recent Popular Episodes. Recent Popular Episodes   Matt Faircloth on Finding, Funding, & Executing Real Estate Investment Projects Mark Ainley on Pulling Back the Curtain of a High Volume Turn Key Rental Business Joe Mueller on REO Brokerage, Turn Key Rentals, & Buying Houses through Non-Performing Notes (NPN’s) Mike McLean, Author of Section 8 Bible, on Section 8 Rentals  

Mark Ainley & Dan Breslin Discuss: EASY Tenant Application Verification “Silver Bullet” Choosing the “Right” Blocks to buy (in ANY City) Breaking into the Industrial Brokerage Space 5 Components of a Turn Key Rental Business   More Info About Mark Ainley at: GC Realty & Development www.GCRealtyInc.com www.GCRealtyInvestments.com   Know Anyone Else Who’d Enjoy this Episode? Send them this link and tell them to:   Sign Up for the REI Diamonds Weekly Podcast Your Copy of “7 Sources of Off Market Deals” Just Go to www.REIDiamonds.com to Download a Copy & Check out Recent Popular Episodes. Recent Popular Episodes Joe Mueller on REO Brokerage, Turn Key Rentals, & Buying Houses through NPN’s Justin Turner on How to Do a $10 Million Deal Jay Hinrichs on New Construction, NEW Hard Money Lending, & Turn Key Rentals Josh Weidman on Turn Key Rentals

Today on the BiggerPockets Podcast we jump straight into the nitty-gritty with a real estate broker, investor and property manager from the greater Chicago area.Mark Ainley brings a fresh perspective on how to successfully invest in lower-income rentals and goes deep into the details of everything you’d need to know, covering acquisition to rehab to management, straight out of of his experience investing in the notorious South Side Chicago area.Today’s show also gives great insight on the in’s and out’s of Section 8 housing, the program that has the government paying a portion (even up to 100%) of the rental income for the tenant. Mark also covers a lot of the managerial secrets behind being a successful property management company and gives you specific criteria on how to vet property managers.This show is really meaty so be sure to grab a pen and paper for notes… and with that, let’s jump into it!In This Show, We Cover:How to build a real estate company from your mom’s basement.“Cash-for-keys” – an alternative to evictionWarning: How to lose money by betting on appreciationHow to handle late Section 8 tenants when they only owe $15How Brandon got a broke tweaker out of his propertyAdvice for newbies who are thinking about getting started in lower income areasHow to find flexible non-profit portfolio lendersThe full-gambit of investing in Section 8 housingMajor red flags to look for in tenant screeningHow to do deals via text messageand much, much more!Links MentionedHouse HackingSocialServe.comBooks Mentioned in the ShowArt of The Deal by Donald TrumpThe Millionaire Real Estate Agent by Gary KellerThe E-Myth by Michael E. GerberTrump: The Way to the Top: The Best Business Advice I Ever Received by Donald J. TrumpTweetable Topics“To do a flip successfully it takes being at the property every single day!” (Tweet This!)Connect with MarkMark’s BiggerPockets ProfileMark’s Website: www.gcrealtyinc.com