Twenty years ago, Ryan Cahalan was logging countless miles on airplanes, traveling to Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Denver and Dallas scouting apartments for his employer to acquire.
The experience provided him insight into the differences between strong and struggling apartment properties and what it takes to run them well.
In 2009, Cahalan began putting that knowledge to work for himself, buying small apartment projects in the Chicago area for his own account and for other private investors. He eventually expanded his purchases into his home state of Iowa. By early 2017, Cahalan had amassed a portfolio that included nearly 1,000 apartment units…