The City of Big Shoulders is also the city of big investments. Just because it gets cold in the winter doesn’t mean the real estate investment season ever cools off. Savvy investors are always delving into the market to see what opportunities may exist for smart buys and big payoffs.
With a rich real estate history, Chicago boasts some of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the world. Many people are attracted to the uniqueness of Chicago’s architecture, its beautiful skyline, its ethnically diverse neighborhoods, and the city’s thriving business community.
Investing with Mack in the Chicago area real estate market provides an outstanding financial opportunity:
- Ranked the 3rd largest gross metropolitan product in the United States- approximately $532 Billion in 2010 (Larger than the GDP of Belgium, Sweden, and Austria). Chicago is better equipped to weather downturns in specific industries as other sectors counterbalance their impact.
- Chicago serves as the headquarters for 30 Fortune 500 companies and 11 Fortune Global 500 firms. In total, 122 companies have headquarters located in the Chicago-land area.
- Rated the #1 large U.S. metro for Economic diversity by Moody’s Investor Services.
- 42% of Illinois’ population lives in the suburbs of Chicago: 9.7 million residents with a total workforce of 4.6 million employees.
- Home to 12 different Fortune 500 companies and 52 fortune 1000 companies.
- The world’s busiest airport, expansive rail and freeway networks as well as an international water port. Chicago is the leading inter-modal distribution point in the nation, transporting twice the volume of Los Angeles and five times that of New York City.
- Global financial center with over $3 billion in global derivatives trading volume, nearly 2X the trading volume of New York City underscored by 3 major financial exchanges: The Chicago Stock Exchange, The Chicago Board of Options Exchange (CBOE), and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME).
- Home to more than 300 Banks, one being one of the 12 Federal Reserve Banks.
Big Economy = Jobs
Big Population= Need for Housing
Jobs + Need for Housing = Strong rental market = Preservation of Capital
Chicago’s Vibrant Arts and Entertainment Scene:
Chicago is one of the largest and most vibrant cities in the United States. It has a wide range of cultural and entertainment attractions. It is a beautiful city that is filled with innovative architecture, interesting street art and beautiful parks and lakeside beaches.The city is also home to an abundance of entertainment venues, art galleries and museums, which are popular with both city residents and visitors. Chicago’s many excellent restaurants and shops also attract many visitors, particularly along the Magnificent Mile. Chicago’s entertainment scene is best known for its hundreds of theaters, which rival Broadway in their quality and diversity.- Home of the tallest building in North America, Willis Tower (Formerly Sears Tower)
- Extravagant and beautiful parks including the newly built and world famous Millenium Park.
- 9 professional sports teams with high profile recreation facilities (Wrigley Field, U.S. Cellular Field, Soldier Field, United Center, Toyota Park, All-State Arena, etc.)
- Globally recognized museums that provide a steady supply of tourism. (Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium, Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Science and Industry, Museum of Contemporary Art, the Field Museum of Natural History, etc.)
- Chicago has a legendary blues and jazz music heritage and the city’s performance venues continue to be a regular stop for national and international touring acts of all varieties.
- The theater scene rivals the world’s best, with more than 120 troupes, 24 dance companies and 34 symphonic orchestras.
Chicago’s Lakefront, Shopping and Dining:
- Numerous beautiful beaches are located along it’s 29 mile shoreline including an elaborate neighborhood park system which is perfect for a leisurely bike ride or a vigorous jog.
- Chicago’s shopping destinations include historic State Street and The Magnificent Mile, a cosmopolitan, history-packed section of Michigan Avenue teeming with shopping, dining, and entertainment treasures.
- Chicago’s dining scene is unparalleled. From Celebrity chefs and world-renowned fine dining restaurants to Ethnic food from around the world, Chicago has something for everyone.
- Navy Pier offers spectacular skyline views of the city from the Ferris Wheel, The Shakespeare Theater, 3D IMAX movies and The Chicago Children’s Museum.
