Ed Thelen is a Chicago Southland–based SDIRA lender and co-lender partner who founded the SEC-registered 79th AVE Fund, a 506(b) private debt fund focused on responsible, relationship-driven lending. Since 2017, he has funded short-term real estate projects built on sound lending principles and collaborative partnerships.
Ed also co-hosts Southland Conduit of REI Success (S·C·O·R·S), a monthly meetup in Frankfort, IL centered on professional development and relationship-driven real estate investing. Beyond lending, he provides practical, real-world retirement education to underrepresented communities.
Outside of real estate, Ed provides in-home occupational therapy services in the Joliet area. He and his spouse enjoy time with their three adult children and eight grandchildren, and he performs as Santa during the holiday season.
Planned topics:
Section 1: SDIRA Fundamentals
- What SDIRAs can and cannot do in real estate investing
- Custodian-controlled vs checkbook control structures
- Tax traps: UBIT and UDFI
- Solo 401(k) as an alternative for active investors
Section 2: Private Money vs Hard Money
- How to identify true private money lenders
- Hard money pitfalls: hidden fees and aggressive requirements
- Real cost comparison with specific deal examples
- What makes a deal "lendable" from a lender's perspective
Section 3: Capital Structure & Scaling
- Debt vs equity: showing the actual math
- Co-lending relationships and how they work
- Transitioning from single deals to portfolio funding
Section 4: Advanced Topics
- Direct capital deployment vs fund structures
- Syndication basics: 506(b) vs 506(c)
- Building track record to access institutional capital
Wrap-up: Practical takeaways for both newer and experienced investors (2-3 minutes)
For more information and to register for this event, go to: https://careia.org/events
General Meeting:
Whether you own 200 units or have no real estate experience, anyone who has an interest in real estate investing is invited to attend our General Meeting. Each month a different speaker will share information on topics relating to the many aspects of investing in real estate and being a landlord. Our General Meetings provide a great opportunity to network with experienced real estate investors from all over the Chicago land area. We also have an extensive real estate library for our members to use. The General Meeting is held on the 2nd Monday of each month.
Want to learn more about CAREIA & Real Estate Investing? Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoAreaREIA/).
-----------------------AGENDA------------------------
Pre-Meeting Networking 6:45-7:05 p.m.
CAREIA Announcements 7:05-7:15 p.m.
Speaker 7:15-7:45 p.m.
Speaker Q&A 7:45-8:15 p.m.
Closing Remarks / Close Out 8:15-8:20 p.m.
Optional Post-Meeting Networking 8:20-9:00 p.m.
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Cost: Admission is free for members and $15 for non-members. No children under 15-years old allowed at this event. Cash, Check or Credit Cards accepted. You can always become a member of CAREIA for just $99.00 a yr.
New memberships can be accepted at this General Meeting. Cash, Check or Credit Cards accepted.
FYI: We're a Not For Profit. We Educate You; We Don't Sell You.
**Attention Vendors: No Product Literature or Business Cards are allowed at our General Meetings or Networking Nights.
Disclaimer
If you would like to reach our members in more ways than just networking and attending CAREIA sanctioned events, we have a great Vendor Membership program for you. Not only do you get to attend all of our meetings for free, but we will maximize your companies exposure by advertising extensively to our already large and growing membership base, showcase you and your business at our general meetings, and, allow your company to sponsor workshops that can help our member's see what kind of value you bring to the table while building credibility for yourself. Please contact our Vendor Chairperson at our General Meeting or via E-mail for more information: vendors@careia.org
