Mark Ainley

Price is what you pay, Value is what you get!  I want to provide value to others and make some money along the way.  

I am able to accomplish both of these things in my role as the Managing Broker and Partner/Founder at GC Realty & Development, LLC. I have even expanded my role and am also the Leader of the Business Development & Marketing Departments. I have a solid foundation in Chicago real estate because I am a Real Estate investor in both the local Residential and Commercial/Industrial markets.  

We have, to date, renovated and stabilized over 500 properties with ownership stake. I share my experience and business relationships with listeners on our Podcast that was started in 2020. This Podcast is Chicago's only real estate investing show Podcast, Straight Up Chicago Investor. Download today on Itunes. (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/straight-up-chicago-investor/id1513012457)

GC Realty & Development, LLC. has been featured on CNBC’s TV show The Deed and I currently co-host Chicago's AM560 Real Estate Revealed Radio Show. I have been lucky enough to have been invited to speak & sit on panels at numerous investment summits across the country. My speaking engagements have taken me to Dallas, Atlanta, San Francisco, and Chicago. At each event, I share my extensive experience on many topics like Property Management, scaling a business, renovating and flipping, out of state investing, asset stabilization, market analysis, and more.  

My company, GC Realty & Development, LLC, currently manages over 1,100 investment properties throughout the Chicagoland area. In both 2019 and 2020, GCR&D was featured on the Inc. Magazine list of top 5,000 fastest growing companies in the United States. 

I have also been featured on podcasts such as Bigger Pockets, The Real Estate Mogul Podcast, Joe Fairless, REI Diamonds, Thoughtful Entrepreneur, Real Estate Money School, and Work The System with Josh Fonger. We also made the final cut to be featured on the cover of Top Agent - Property Management Edition in 2017.

I take great pride in providing valued feedback to beginners and less experienced entrepreneurs on what steps not to take or what steps to take sooner in growing a younger business.