Birgo

Today we’re bringing this series back with a trip down South. We’re going to talk about the Country Music Capital of the World, the Buckle of the Bible Belt and Music City U.S.A.: Nashville, Tennessee.

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.

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.

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.

Birgo's Cincinnati property manager, Hannah Bohmer, dishes out how she started her career in property management, what inspires her, + more in this blog post! Continue reading to get to know Hannah.

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).

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.

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. 

Birgo’s office will be closed Thursday, November 11 for an employee Mental Health Day.

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.

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

Alena Mullen, ex-baking competition champ turned property manager, is in the hot seat this week. Learn more about Alena and her career at Birgo by reading this Q&A.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

Most people go through life with at least one furry family member by their side. Whether you are a dog or a cat person, one thing remains the same, you love them like your own family! Because they are such an important part of your life, knowing what to expect when renting with animals is essential. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you with your next move.

Pittsburgh is a fascinating, thriving city. It overflows with history, culture, and activity. However, there are multiple neighborhoods, all with a unique mini-culture. Which one should you visit, or consider taking up residence in?

Today, everywhere in real estate, companies are throwing around terms such as “Big Data” and “analytically-driven decisions” when it comes to developing new business strategies that guide decision-makers in making sound insights.

Pittsburgh in the summer is one of the best times to be in the city. Warm weather, great food, music, and much more are around the corner for everyone lucky enough to be here now.

Our team is looking forward to volunteering at Makes Cents 2019, a financial literacy event geared towards high school students. This is the first year that the event is being organized by Mission C, Go Realty’s non-profit partner. In past years, Makes Cents was organized by the Global Shapers community hub in Pittsburgh.

When choosing to rent an apartment, people often just look for a physical place to live. They only concern themselves with amenities like parking, furnishings, if utilities are included or not, etc.

Andrew Reichert, President and CEO of Birgo, and Principal of Birgo Capital, was recently honored with the CBA Outstanding Alumni Award.

To succeed in real estate, there is the pervading myth that you have to rip someone off. Apparently, success is only possible if you cut corners or cheat someone. We’re here to bust this myth. How do you ward against individuals, business, and organizations that have poor intentions? Look at their priorities. What do they claim to value? Is that reflected in how they go about business, how they treat others, how they spend their time?

This post is part of a series FAQs from our tenants. We hope that it helps address common questions or concerns for renters and homeowners.

Different homes require different changing schedules. A few factors that affect how often are listed below.

When looking for a new place, it’s essential to ask the right questions at an apartment showing. We’ve hosted plenty of showings, and know exactly what questions are relevant to finding a new home. We even put together a free, downloadable guide of what to ask through the entire apartment hunting process. For now, though, let’s focus on questions to ask at an apartment showing.

Thanks to tighter lending restrictions and rising home prices, more people than ever are choosing to rent rather than buy.

When thinking about the many factors that go into the quality of an area, parks stand out. They serve as a mediator to the number of businesses and homes that can be piled into an area while offering a break from the city life. Without Central Park, New York City would trigger unmanageable claustrophobia for anyone.

Real estate investing has gained quite the reputation as a vehicle for growing wealth. It can be tough to decide whether it’s right for you though, especially when stocks are doing so well and bonds offer a guaranteed return. Real estate has a few tricks up its sleeve though- it offers the investor four different ways to get a return on their money, all at the same time.

Everyone knows that interest rates are on the rise- the economy is doing well, and to match the price to borrow money with the demand for loans, rising rates are the variable that is manipulated. This increases a homeowner’s mortgage payment, but is it really that simple?

We manage several short-term rentals properties through Airbnb, and this is some of what we’ve learned from hosting hundreds of guests.

Is there a good answer to this question? We know a common belief – buy your home because you’ll pay it off over time, and in 30 years, you’ll have something to show for it. Renting is just throwing your money away, right?

Andrew Reichert recently spoke at the Pittsburgh Soccer’s Financial Management event and talked with the attendants about personal finance, living on a budget, paying off debt and planning for the future.

Pittsburgh real estate would provide Amazon an affordable housing market for their new headquarters and growing tech sector of business and innovation.

Trust is a necessary part of any business deal or agreement. Choosing to rent from someone is a specifically involved agreement, and trust is essential in order to work. To know if you can trust a landlord, here are a few key things you can do before signing a lease.

We recently completed our newest Airbnb property. It was previously a private home and we converted it into one of our full-time short-term rentals. Renovating a 4 bedroom home on a short turn around can be challenging, and the opportunity to welcome new guests is incredibly rewarding. We’re glad to have both in our portfolio.

2017 has been an exciting year for Birgo Realty, filled with acquisitions. We are so excited to welcome the following properties, among others, to our portfolio. We look forward to working with and serving you all!

Last year (2016), the Steel City of Pittsburgh topped the list of “Most Undervalued Cities”, a ranking that is determined on the basis of the quality of life, home values/square foot, crime rate, extreme temperature days, and walkability. Pittsburgh suburbs, in particular, have been shown to be an affordable option for many — from young professionals to growing families to older generations who desire more space and disposable income.

Our office is located in Allegheny West, a richly historic area. Our building’s used to be the site of an organ repair shop, where worship instruments were constructed and fixed to perfection. We decided to dig a little into the story of the area and the influence of organs in Allegheny County. Here’s what we found:

Buying a property is a major decision. Whether you are an aspiring home owner looking to buy that perfect dream house or a real estate developer looking for your next big project, buying a property needs careful considerations. Before you take the plunge, do your homework. A big investment like a property needs to be thoroughly investigated to save you the heartache, financial woes, and legal issues at a later stage.

There are numerous studies that examine generational differences in the workplace and the challenges and benefits that come with. At Go Realty, we have the fortune of working with a team spanning the ages. We practically have a team member from nearly every adult decade.

The city of Pittsburgh real estate landscape is truly enticing for buyers and real estate developers alike. If you enter the city of Pittsburgh through the Fort Pitt Tunnel, you can witness the gorgeous skyline of the city. You will then be on the bridge that will take you where the rivers Allegheny and Monongahela meet and form the Ohio. Pittsburgh today has expanded in all directions and has numerous bridges that connect the rivers and neighborhoods.

We recently completed renovations on an Airbnb property. It’s a historic single-family home in the Northside. Previously a carriage house in the Mexican War streets, we’ve revitalized the older building into one of our newest short-term rentals.

Over the years, Property Development has become quite a lucrative career path for many. However, many tend to jump right into it without any preparation which can have a negative effect on their finances. You’ll need to educate yourself on the property, the present markets, the finance, town planning laws, the construction processes and the marketing of real estate projects. Here are a few guidelines to get you started:

Becoming a successful real estate developer requires perseverance and a unique set of skills. Here are some important traits that you need to inculcate to become one.

Commercial real estate is an investment of long-standing, tangible assets that give returns in two ways: first in the form of rent or lease returns, and second in the value appreciation of the property. Risks in this kind of investment are low, and this kind of real estate, as opposed to the purely residential real estate, comprises of office buildings, industrial property, hotels, farmland, and the such like.

At Birgo Realty, one of the most important things to us is building relationships. We are committed to improving lives through real estate. Whoever we come in contact with and do business with we seek to honor and create value as a result. Investors, property owners, contractors, and tenants alike, you all make up our partnerships.

We might be a little biased, but Pittsburgh is the place to be. Considering that The Huffington Post refers to the burgh as the “Coolest American City You Haven’t Been to.” and since 2000, has topped Forbes’ list six times for being the most livable city.

We recently completed our newest Airbnb. This property was previously owned and occupied by the former owner of Penn Brewery, which is located just the road. Although the building was originally intended to be a single family home, it has since been renovated to house six units, including our Airbnb apartment, which adds to our collection of short-term rentals.

“Home is where the heart is”, but it’s important to take some key things into consideration when deciding where to move. We’ve gathered distinct facts about Pittsburgh and its most attractive neighborhoods so you’ll be able to decide where is the best Pittsburgh place for you to live.

The real estate world is intrinsically connected to other professional fields. The links vary, but in the financial sector, there is a concept which has become very similar to the stock market. A REIT, or real estate investment trust, is a perfect example of the intersection of finance and real estate.

Pittsburgh has recently been named the 3rd most “undervalued real estate” city in the country. This is not the first time Pittsburgh has received praise for job availability, real estate affordability, and overall opportunity.

In our current financial climate, renting is a perfect opportunity for people, especially young people, to have freedom and autonomy with housing. If someone chooses to eventually buy a property, they can go forward with an understanding of the commitment. They will have first experienced the renting benefits of the market and can make an informed decision.

Pittsburgh has been rated the most livable city in America on numerous occasions and has accommodated newcomers for centuries. The Northside history is concentrated and rich. This part of Pittsburgh features many different districts which are generally grouped together such as the Mexican War Streets and Allegheny West, Birgo Realty’s own neighborhood.

Cap rate, a term frequently used in real estate, demonstrates the return on one’s investment in a property, usually a commercial building. It is defined as annual operating net income divided by the cost of the property. What needs to be noted for financing purposes, and could easily be forgotten by some people, is that debt on the property is not taken into account for. Also, it needs to be understood by potential investors that cap rate is not the same as the cash flow.

Other than actually identifying a property, the most important thing to consider is money. Some properties can be purchased and sold for millions of dollars, amounts which not all people have access to at any given moment. There is a multitude of ways which a person can find the proper funding for his or her property. In real estate funding, much of will depend on personal credibility and the type of investment property.

There are two things that most people, particularly young, post-graduates need – available jobs and affordable housing. Millennials in Pittsburgh have access to plenty of both.

We recently facilitated Makes Cents Financial Literacy event through Mission Commision, in a partnership with University of Pittsburgh, Global Shapers Initiative, and other partners.

We just finished renovations on a short term rental space located in Troy Hill!

Go Realty was founded on the belief that good business is the act of serving and honoring others and providing excellent returns on investment. We are committed to providing spaces for others – to extend grace and work alongside others in creating value and opportunity in our community. We implement a cutting-edge management style, with a commitment to integrity and stewardship.

Previously, the concept of a REIT was discussed and demonstrated as a great way to invest one’s money with the hopes of ensuring a return on the investment. While there are risks with any investments, the upside was much greater than the downside for REIT investing.

Choosing an apartment is a lengthy process. From deciding if the neighborhood is right for you to asking the dozens of needed questions about the space and its amenities – it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. We’re here to help with that. We’ve created a free checklist of “must ask” questions while apartment hunting. Simply click this link, and you can download a PDF version to use while looking for the right home.

Birgo Realty’s mission is to improve lives through real estate. We are committed to serving others and providing spaces to live, work, and gather. Particularly in the North Side.

Whether you are a seasoned pro or the new kid on the block, choosing the right apartment in Pittsburgh can be difficult. Often times, you are making a decision quickly to avoid losing your dream apartment. To lighten the stress, you should keep in mind a short list of things you find important to you when looking for your next place.