Podcast

By Mark Ainley

Episode 426: Reshaping Suburban Woodstock with Jessica Erickson

Jessica Erickson Shares Woodstock Development Insights and How Investors Can ProfitJessica Erickson, Director of Economic Development for the City of Woodstock, joins us to discuss development news and opportunities in Woodstock, IL!Jessica starts with her backstory on moving fro...

By Mark Ainley

Episode 425: Benjamin Stef - Unlock Equity in Your Investment Property with Little Known HELOC Optio...

Benjamin Stef from NEXA Mortgage provides several little-known HELOC Options for non-owner occupied investors. Do you need a HELOC on your investment property? Guest Company: NEXA Mortgage Guest Name: Benjamin Stef Guest Link: https://www.youtube.com/ch...

By Mark Ainley

Episode 424: Chicago Foreclosure Market with Top REO Agent Ryan Smith

Ryan Smith, top producing agent specializing in REO properties, returns to provide an update on the state of the Chicagoland foreclosure market heading into 2026!Ryan starts with an overview on the foreclosure process and expectations when getting into a foreclosure transaction a...

By Mark Ainley

Episode 423: Fire, Squatters, and Drugs! When Your $100k Chicago Investment Goes To Zero with Jonath...

partnership pitfalls to avoid based on recent changes within his business. He gets vulnerable by discussing a multifamily investment on Chicago’s southside that involved various evictions and a $400,000 fire caused by a problem tenant! Jonathan shares tips on the mind...

By Mark Ainley

Episode 422: Mark Ainley Shares Why He's Excited for Chicago's 2026 Market

Is now a good time for me to purchase in Chicago?=============Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.comGuest: Mark Ainley, Straight Up Chicago Investor PodcastEmail the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.comProperties for Sale on the North Side? We wan...

By Mark Ainley

Episode 421: Alec Greenberg Scales To Chicago Multifamily From Day 1

Alec Greenberg Shares His Keys to Successfully Repositioning over 700 Multifamily UnitsAlec Greenberg is the Principal of Base 3 Development and has vast experience developing and stabilizing multifamily assets!Alec explains how he transitioned from the corporate real estate worl...

By Mark Ainley

Episode 420: The Chicago Permitting Process with Tom Shallcross

SUCI Podcast Co-Host Tom Shallcross is today’s special guest and breaks down everything you need to know about architectural plans and permits in Chicago!Tom discusses when you need plans and permits for a project and when it’s appropriate to engage an architect. He s...

By Mark Ainley

Episode 419: What You Need to Know to Determine Section 8 Rental Amounts With Mark Ainley

How do I navigate the rent determination process for Section 8 applicants in Chicagoland?=============Connect with Mark and Tom: StraightUpChicagoInvestor.comGuest: Mark Ainley, Straight Up Chicago Investor PodcastEmail the Show: StraightUpChicagoInvestor@gmail.comProp...

By Mark Ainley

Episode 418: Zeke McDonald-Lewis Reviews Cook County Eviction Process for Chicago Landlords

Zeke McDonald-Lewis is an attorney at Erwin Law who specializes in real estate evictions and civil litigation!Zeke starts by breaking down the first steps in handling a non-paying tenant including the appropriate steps for delivering a 5-day notice. He gets granular on the evicti...

By Mark Ainley

Episode 417: 4 Chicago Companies, 800 Doors, & 20 Years! Here's What Actually Worked with Niko Apost...

Niko Apostal, founder of Niko Collaborative and managing broker at Essex 312, joins us to share his expertise in real estate brokerage with a focus on 2-4 unit buildings!Niko starts by explaining how he got his real estate business off the ground in the early 2000s and survived t...