Albany Park is a middle-class neighborhood located on the northwest side of Chicago, Illinois– well known for its unique history, rich diversity, and thriving small business community. Its name holds not only nostalgia for me but also the realization of how a place can serve as an inspiration to a lifelong professional journey in real estate. For that reason and many more, Albany Park will always hold a special place in my heart and my history where my real estate journey began.

I lived there for 29 years with my family, attending elementary and high school in Albany Park. My father was a first-generation immigrant and drove a taxi in Chicago. We couldn’t afford a house of our own therefore lived in several different apartments for 16 of my early formative years. The apartments consisted of older buildings built in the 1950s that were deteriorating and always bitterly cold in the bleak Chicago winters. As a result of rising rents, our family moved to a new apartment almost every year, however, remaining within the Albany Park region. It was here and all the experiences that came with it that shaped my fascination with real estate. On my walks to school, I would look at all the different houses, 2-unit multi-family homes, and apartment buildings, evaluating and envisioning which one would be nice to live in and at some point, be great to own. I knew every inch of that neighborhood and in the summer would ride my bicycle around. Then later point out to my parents which buildings were for sale. By my sophomore year of college at the age of 19, I became a licensed real estate professional – serving as one of the youngest persons in the state of Illinois to be a licensed realtor.

After graduating from the Illinois Institute of Technology earning a degree in Accounting, and receiving my CPA, I continued my career in real estate with Kenneth Leventhal and Company- now known as Ernst & Young- specializing in real estate accounting. It was there that I learned auditing, valuation, and taxation of large real estate projects, and later my career would lead me through many exciting paths. Today, I am proud to share that my journey has led me to become a business executive and entrepreneur with my own construction company and now Albany Park Capital.

Like many, we all have a place that has significantly shaped us. As for me, Albany Park is where my dreams, determination, and grit were born which instilled the drive that fuels me today. As a part of Albany Park Capital’s mission, our team and platform are dedicated to providing our investors an opportunity to build and accomplish their dreams of growth and prosperity with real estate- Let’s grow together.

Junaid Noor 

Albany Park Capital, CEO