Insights

Is digital real estate worth the investment? Find out in this article.

Wireless infrastructure takes up a huge amount of space, and demand for it will only increase over the foreseeable future. Today, we're taking a look to see if they're worthy enough to add to your portfolio.

Birgo, a real estate investment company with over $270 million in multifamily assets, is proud to announce the launch of Reiturn.com, a Regulation A+ real estate investment trust (REIT) that allows everyday investors the opportunity to diversify their portfolio with high quality multifamily real estate assets.

Join us as we continue our tour of real estate social media. We’ve already covered RE meme accounts and RE Reddit threads (x2), and we’ve arrived at our next stop: RE Twitter. Twitter has been and continues to be a valuable source for real estate news, advice, and how-tos. Here are the top 10 accounts you should be following.

Take a deep dive into the current state of interest rates and what it means for real estate investors.

As of April 2022, the median price of a house is sitting right around $391,200. That’s nearly a 15% increase from April 2021. Safe to say, the market is red hot right now. The prospect of finding a realistic listing on Zillow right now may be starting to feel like a pipe dream. Well, speaking of pipe dreams, here’s a look at just a few of the coolest properties in the world.

Investors who’ve been around the real estate block a few times invariably know what swaps are. But swaps can be complicated business — and worse, to the uninitiated, they might sound like something they’re not. So today, let’s dive in and talk about swaps.

Today’s housing market is not exactly friendly to the new real estate investor. Unless you have enough money to put a significant amount down on physical property, you may want to consider other avenues of real estate investment. Fortunately, opportunities still exist in this crazy real estate market to make profitable investments with a small amount of money. Continue reading to learn more about other real estate investing options.

Last time we talked about Reddit, you guys went wild for it. We continue to think Reddit is pretty great so we aren’t surprised that yinz are back for more. We don’t want to keep you waiting, so here it is: another dive into r/realestateinvesting.

Find yourself struggling to get the perfect gift for the finance person in your life? Look no further! We’ve compiled a list of some of the best ideas to give the financial person for any occasion.

We were today years old when we realized there’s statisticians who analyze Monopoly. We're putting our real life real estate investing knowledge to the test to determine how you can increase your chances at winning the longest lasting board game on the planet.

Upland is a virtual game that exists in the metaverse. Players can buy, sell, and trade virtual real estate assets on a map that replicates real life cities. What are the implications of real estate in the metaverse for the future?

Almost every investor will be impacted by inflation at some point. Investors should invest in assets that potentially protect against inflation, and real estate comes with advantages to make that possible.

Overnight crypto millionaires can lose it all the very next afternoon. For investors with longer time horizons and longer-term goals, too much volatility in a portfolio is a serious problem. And fortunately, adding real estate is a highly effective counterweight.

Whether you're a beginner investor or looking for an investor, it's always great to get back to basics and understand a critical question: "how do real estate investments make money?" This question may seem intuitive but an understanding of real estate investing basics is crucial to being a smarter and successful investor.

In our day and age one of the best ways to bond and laugh with others is through sharing internet memes. Fortunately for the real estate finance minded person, no shortage of quality meme sources exists. We too can share in the creativity, community, and culture of hilarious internet memes.

Real estate investment currently presents one of the best opportunities to build wealth. But, jumping into the this financial asset class can be intimidating for beginner investors. These five resources will better equip you to tap into these opportunities.

Environmental, social, and governance investment (ESG) are investment opportunities related to a company’s environmental and social impact and operations. Companies are given scores based on: labor practices, data security, management, resource use, human rights, community impact, and emissions.

Reddit is an online forum where users can share news, opinions, thoughts, and ask questions. In 2019, there were approximately 430 million monthly users. Different subcommunities exist for people with similar interests to connect. Birgo Capital's favorite is r/realestateinvesting (of course).

If you're a more established investor, equity crowdfunding can be a great option. If you’re a really new investor, you should be buying REITs. These real estate investing opportunities are great way for beginner real estate investors to invest in real estate without having to become a landlord.

What do NFTs mean for real estate? Non-fungible tokens could impact or disrupt the real estate industry.

We asked the Birgo team: If you could invite anyone to your Super Bowl watch party, who would it be and why?

Consumers can feel the strain of inflation on checkbooks and wallets. Prices have increased more than 7%. Energy is probably the biggest individual component of the increase and housing prices could also rise as much as 5% over the upcoming year.

15% of all current U.S. stock market investors say they first began investing in 2020. How should these investors allocate their money? We've got the answers.

Crowdfunding is an exciting emerging option that could open the doors to higher-quality assets for everyday investors with lower costs and higher liquidity.

Save? Spend? Invest? The three ways you can spend money (and a year-end bonus from your employer). What's the smartest thing to do with your extra income?

Financial security is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires building life-long habits and focusing on financial healthy, the dividends of which are measured in years or decades, not a few weeks in January. But, many of us like to use the New Year as an opportunity to see where we are, and plan for the future. Here are five financial resolutions for the new year.

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear... or by making a list of some iconic real estate assets that boast Christmas cheer.

About 30 million live trees are sold every year in the United States. Most of them are sold the weekend after Thanksgiving, and, according to the American Christmas Tree Association , the average live tree costs about $78. Consumers spend over $2 billion on Christmas trees annually.

Almost 1,100 REITs are available in the U.S. alone. While we think residential real estate is the best real estate investment, the world of real estate investing offers numerous options that fit investors with different risk tolerances and financial goals. The most popular categories of REITs include residential, retail, office, and mortgage.

Having a passion for real estate and helping people in need can go hand in hand. The holiday season is a time to be more charitable so we encourage you to mix your passion for real estate and volunteerism to give back to the community.

The world of real estate is much wider than housing and retail space. Virtually any enterprise that requires the use of land and/or buildings is a potential opportunity for real estate investors.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are a great way to diversify your portfolio in an accessible way. A REIT is a corporation that invests in real estate on behalf of its shareholders and passes the proceeds on to them. REITs can be private, public, traded on a stock exchange, or non-traded. 

Buying a home isn’t for everyone. Homeownership makes more sense in some professions than others, and it usually isn’t advisable to buy a home unless you’re planning to stay in your city or geography for at least a few years. But for young professionals with stable jobs, starting a family, or planning to live in the same area for a while, a house is more than just another appreciating asset. A house is an important part of your net worth, a stronghold against financial risk, a source of passive income, and a financial milestone worth being proud of.

What makes a real estate investor shiver on a dark night around a warm campfire? Hold on to your candy corn, because we’re going to tell a few real estate horror stories: spine-chilling tales of haunted property and deals gone wrong scary enough to keep even a veteran investor awake at night.

The real estate industry can no doubt be challenging. Insurance issues, trouble tenants, unwelcome critters and deals that fall through are all nightmare fuel. As a real estate investment and property management company, Birgo is no stranger to sticky situations. A few members of the Birgo team shared some of their spookiest experiences and real estate horror stories.

Diversification is key to mitigating downside risks and improving long-term returns. Real estate is one of the best ways to diversify your portfolio.

Spooky season and sweater weather are finally upon us! It’s our favorite time of year. Pop some popcorn, pull out your coziest blanket, light your favorite fall-scented candle and turn on the TV. The golden question: as real estate investors, which movie would we put our money on?

The simple definition of leverage is “using debt to increase your returns.” Borrowing money to finance projects enables investors to acquire more assets than they could otherwise afford, and to earn outsized returns proportional to equity invested.

All right folks, it’s that time of the year again. The time of year when your spouse reminds you that there actually are productive uses for $100. I’s time for fantasy football! Birgo Capital is going to kick off the season with our own version of the real estate fantasy league draft.

Birgo, a Fast-Growing Multifamily Investment Company, Celebrates Entry Into Buffalo Market

Young professionals in their 20s or those just beginning to create an investment portfolio are likely unaccredited investors. REITs, direct investing, and crowdfunding are all ways that unaccredited investors can add real estate to their investment portfolio.

The SEC regulates securities to protect experienced and inexperienced investors and maintain market integrity.

Real estate is a complex business, especially for residential investors. Virtually everything that could affect the way people live and work is an important consideration — even something as mundane as the weather. For investors in some climates, weather may never be more than a passing consideration. But, tenant satisfaction goes hand-in-hand with strong returns, and even in mild climates, thoughtful touches can be well worth the capital.

The 2020 Olympics are in full swing! The athletes train for years to become the best in their sport, and we'd like to think real estate investors are comparable. Get your head in the game to start investing in real estate.

What is an accredited investor? How do you become one? What are investment options for accredited and unaccredited investors? The definition of an accredited investor is determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Rule 501 of Regulation D.

Birgo Capital's series of Heartland real estate market profiles have analyzed interesting markets for multifamily investors. This week, we’re bringing this series home to the Steel City, the City of Champions, the City of Bridges — you already know it, the ‘Burgh.

We're going to the Buckeye State. We will look at Discovery City, the Arch City, Cap City, the Indie Art Capital, Cowtown, Cbus, and the Biggest Small Town in America — you guessed it, it’s Columbus. OH-IO!

CoStar and Yardi provide analytics on real estate markets. These softwares are priceless to real estate investors who love to dig up data about markets and properties. Just like American runs on Dunkin', Birgo Capital runs on CoStar and Yardi.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are companies that own or finance real estate assets, and make ownership shares available to investors. In order to hold the classification as such, REITs are are required by US law to distribute at least 90% of their taxable income as shareholder dividends.

All right folks, it’s that time again. Go ahead and grab some popcorn and a beverage, get some friends together, and sit back for another showdown of epic proportions with this week’s episode of Birgo Battles. Today’s contest features two familiar characters, each of which are beloved by their devoted fan bases. We’re talking about the classic residential real estate investor’s conundrum: single-family vs. multifamily. It’s an age-old debate, and while both of our contestants have merit, in life there are winners and losers. Today we’re going to look them up and down, side by side, and determine who we’re voting off the island… and who we’re going to keep on the squad.

Besties, we're afraid to ask you this...are you on TikTok? Is it all cap? Does it pass the vibe check? This article puts readers through TikTok and Gen Z boot camp. There is more than meets the eye with this platform.

Last Wednesday, the news broke that 13 out of 18 members of the Federal Open Market Committee believe that the Fed will increase interest rates at least once, and perhaps twice, in 2023. 

We’re returning to the Buckeye State to visit the City of Champions, the City of Lights, the Rock and Roll Capital of the World, Forest City. The city is known as both “The Cleve” and “The Land,” so if you haven’t guessed it yet — well, allow us to recommend another shot of espresso.

DeFi is short for “decentralized finance,” an umbrella term referring to a set of efforts and technologies that use crypto and/or blockchain technology to disrupt traditional finance by eliminating institutional obstacles and intermediaries. DeFi could have several implications for real estate investing.

We're taking a trip to the home of the Wildcats in this market profile. Lexington, KY is a competitive real estate market largely due to low cost of living and industry stability.

We could write an entire article on their famous chicken wings, but we thought we'd stay true to ourselves. Learn about the opportunities and risks in Buffalo's multifamily real estate market.

In real estate, Fannie and Freddie provide liquidity to the marketplace. In this piece, we’ll pit them against each other for a blow-by-blow comparison between the two stalwarts of multifamily capital. Before we delve into what makes them different, let’s start with an overview of what actually unites them.

Like every other industry, real estate comes with buzzwords, and few are as popular or ambiguous as value-add. Everyone has their own definition, but what does it actually mean? From Birgo Capital's point of view, "improving returns by removing hurdles and accessing a property’s true value."

Gone are the days where Louisville was primarily known for manufacturing. Present day Louisville is filled with museums, art galleries, restaurants, and Fortune 500 companies. Our latest blog article touches on why we think Louisville is worth considering for any real estate investor.

Nicole Shirk, Birgo's Head of People, entered the hot seat and let the world learn a little more about herself. Her main advice: "Ask questions and listen well. Much of our core learning in life transfers from one context to the next if we take the time to observe, listen and reflect.‍"

How does the Automotive Capital of the World compare to other metros in terms of economic trends, market analysis, and opportunities for real estate investors? We broke down Detroit's upsides and risks in this market profile.

What should investors look for in a market? What kinds of returns can an investor realistically expect? What is revenue growth going to look like over time? Discover the questions all investors should be asking when determining which market to invest time and capital into.

Take a drive with us just over an hour south of Pittsburgh to a West Virginia college town and home of the Mountaineers. You guessed it: we're analyzing the real estate market potential of Morgantown, West Virginia.

Earlier this month, we posted the first of a series of market profiles about emerging metros that we think could be promising for real estate investors interested in doubling down on the value proposition of workforce housing in the Heartland. Next up: The Flower/Flour City.

"Ask a lot of questions." - Will Wallander. Learn more about Birgo Capital's In-House Counsel in this Q&A.

Our Heartland metro profiles analyze markets that we think could be attractive to investors. First up, we’ll be focusing on the Queen City, The City of Seven Hills, The ‘Nati… you guessed it, Cincinnati. 

365 days. 52 weeks. One year. We're looking back after one year of shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic and what it meant for us as real estate investors.

Even in normal times, American investors get a little nervous every four years. Uncertainties about election outcomes become uncertainties about the investment landscape — and that reality is more pressing this year because of the crisis economy we’ve been living in (or trying to stay socially distant from) for the past eleven months.

Cryptocurrency isn't the first, and won't be the last, innovation by which the tech sphere impinges on the financial sphere. We're reluctant to aim our crystal ball solely at technological innovation, but the collapse of Bitcoin would likely generate some kind of influence vacuum waiting to be filled by the next emerging technology.

Interest rates may or may not rise this year. How’s that for precise?! Our conviction is that real estate investors can generate strong returns in both low- and high-rate environments, but there are real strategic differences between those environments, and there’s no substitute for preparedness.

Securities traders make moves that are tethered to the operations and valuation of the companies whose stock they buy and sell. Usually, that works pretty well. Until this happened. A digital flash mob originating on Reddit — a popular internet message board — stormed the hedge fund citadel on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, aggressively buying and promoting a series of stocks that the hedge funds held short positions on.

What items would you take with you on a deserted island? Peter Holt would bring a baseball mitt, a rice cooker, and a glue gun. Learn more about Birgo Capital's Investment Analyst in this Q&A.

Food for thought: If you show up at the grocery store and need 200 tomatoes, some of them won’t be very fresh. If you only need 2 tomatoes, you can likely find 2 especially fresh specimens. Let's take a dive into how this relates to private equity real estate investing.

Ethical investing is a strategy where the investor's ethical values are the primary objective, along with good returns.

Our typical content focuses on real estate and investing education and resources. We thought you'd want a glimpse into the lives of our team and get to know their role with Birgo Capital a little bit better.

As we look to expand our portfolio, geographic expansion is inevitable. Our latest blog touches on why we think real estate in the Heartland fits directly in with our investment strategy.

There are a multitude of metrics by which to measure this very tendency. You’ve probably sampled the alphabet soup before: IRR, GRM, MOIC, and more — a host of variations on the theme that have spawned a litany of sometimes-confusing terms.

The different real estate asset classes offer different capabilities and possibilities within the investment landscape.

Birgo Capital deeply believes investors should be adequately informed regarding all elements of their investment holdings and the costs associated with them. As such, private equity fees are a key factor when determining which fund and fund manager to invest.

In this next installment of our private equity real estate terminology series, we’re going to take a look at one of the most important – and potentially confusing – investment metrics: the internal rate of return. 

Making money in your sleep. Mailbox money. Both of these terms are often used to describe "passive income." Read how to generate passive income through real estate.

Our typical content focuses on real estate and investing education and resources. We thought you'd want a glimpse into the lives of our principals and get to know their role with Birgo Capital a little bit better.

When Birgo Capital first considered the acquisition of Craigdell Gardens in the fall of 2019, it jumped out to our principals as the type of asset that is right down the fairway for us. Read our latest case study as we bring you through the latest addition to our portfolio.

What factors should an investor consider when evaluating a private equity real estate fund manager? Let’s take a look at four key determinants of fund sponsor performance.

Here at Birgo Capital, our mission fuels our yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily drive. We strive to "Improve Lives Through Real Estate," by stewarding capital through private real estate investing. This blog takes a dive into explaining the "why" behind our company.

In early March 2020 as stay-at-home orders spread across the country, owners of workforce housing assets held their breath as they waited to see whether tenants who couldn’t work from home would pay rent. Investors across the country – Birgo Capital included – shifted from a posture of aggressive acquisitions to one of hoarding cash and halting new deals. While we are a far cry from back to normal, some patterns have emerged that inform our perspective about continuing to acquire stabilized but underutilized multifamily housing in the Heartland.

As another quarter comes to an end (and after about six months into the novel coronavirus pandemic), Birgo Capital principal Dan Croce takes a look at the firm's rent collection. Read Dan's analysis and insights in Birgo Capital's latest article and learn how multifamily real estate properties have been impacted.

Investing in “commercial real estate” often seems like a logical next step for serious investors who want to gain best-in-class exposure to the real estate asset class. However, it’s easy to become overwhelmed after realizing that commercial real estate encompasses a significant variety of property types. Birgo Capital is here to help introduce investors to commercial real estate property types. Let's take a brief look into each commercial real estate asset type.

Real estate investing may seem daunting, especially with a plethora of terminology and phrases. Birgo Capital's Josh Fischer breaks down one of these terms – the cash-on-cash return.

Tiptoeing into the world of real estate private equity fund investing can be intimidating because the structure and terms can seem difficult to digest. Let's explore the structure and unique features that exist within private equity real estate funds. 

Real estate investors know that interest rates are one of the most important economic factors to consider when monitoring the investment landscape. But interest rates are also a complicated topic! Today, Birgo Capital is sharing some considerations for how changes in interest rates impact real estate investments.

At Birgo Capital, we know that an understanding of cap rates is essential. For new investors in real estate, picking the right property to start an investment portfolio can be a daunting task. After all, purchasing an investment property is no small feat. Any time you’re putting your money on the line, it’s important to make an informed decision.

Why does Birgo Capital dive right into workforce housing real estate while others shy away from it? And what’s our secret that’s led us to a 99.5% collection rate of our budgeted top line through a pandemic?

Birgo Capital discusses the four main types of real estate investment strategies: Core, Core-Plus, Value-Add, and Opportunistic. Which strategy supports your real estate investment goals?

Why workforce housing apartments is an almost-magical place to allocate capital for vigilant investors like Birgo Capital.

While a heightened sense of risk was clearly present for multifamily real estate investors in late March, the fast-moving dynamics of coronavirus response have contributed to a quick shift towards a different sentiment. Birgo Capital's principal Dan Croce is sharing a few observations as to why demand for multifamily properties -- and not cap rates -- might actually increase in the near term.

Here's what Birgo Capital is doing (and has done) to maximize the performance of our real estate private equity funds in light of the coronavirus recession.

Will the relative resilience that Pittsburgh enjoyed during the last recession translate to similarly impressive performance through this one? Let’s examine several regional economic factors to determine how Pittsburgh multifamily real estate is likely to perform during the current crisis and in the years to come. Josh Fischer, Vice President of Acquisitions at Birgo Capital, shares his insights.

Birgo Capital's rent collection took a hit in late March, but April and May were solid. How is June shaping up? Dan Croce, Principal at Birgo Capital, shares a deep-dive look into the data.