We Save Houses.
Sarah Lapinski and Raymond Gonzales are the founding members of Casierge. The two met in August of 2020, six months before the COVID outbreak in New York City. When the city shut down and work in their respective fields of Film & Television and Home Renovation came to a halt, the two decamped to Detroit, Michigan where Sarah had an investment property that needed some TLC.
They began renovating the Dragoon House, which led to other projects and joint real estate ventures. Today Casierge manages 7 properties in Michigan and Ohio with a combined 14 units, and the list is growing.
Our mission is to acquire, renovate and rent multifamily properties in up and coming neighborhoods in need of safe, affordable housing.
Community development is inherent in everything we do, which is why we buy and hold properties for the long term, rather than flip them for quick cash. We often live in the properties that we renovate, which allows us to get to know the neighborhood and find other ways to contribute.
While multifamily properties are the mainstay of Casierge’s growth, we see commercial space as the next step in the natural progression of our work. Healthy communities consist of families who need access to affordable housing, fresh food, laundromats, restaurants and places to recreate.
Common Questions.
Are you contributing to gentrification?
The houses we buy are typically uninhabited, so no one is being displaced. For decades, Detroit had a declining population as evidenced by it’s abandoned, crumbling and burned out houses. However, as Detroit’s prospects improve, people have started to move back. Developers are responding with luxury loft apartments downtown and in adjacent trendy areas. The city offers low-income housing vouchers for those at the other end of the spectrum, but there is also a demand for high quality, safe and affordable housing for middle class residents. Casierge serves this niche by restoring the existing vacant housing stock and revitalizing once vibrant neighborhoods.
Is it safe to invest in Detroit?
There is inherent risk whenever you invest in real estate or the stock market. The key is to minimize your risk by investing in what you know (or in this case, what we know) and using solid investing principles. Casierge is no new comer to Detroit. We’ve been on the ground since the mid-nineties, witnessing the renewed interest in our historical home town and watching the city rebound. Detroit’s prospects have never looked better — it’s a great time to invest.
How much money do I need to start investing in real estate?
We can create a strategy and return for investors with as little as $10,000 or much as you’re comfortable with.
Do you invest outside of Detroit?
Detroit’s story is not entirely unique to other Mid-West cities which flourished at the turn of the century, then fell into decline after the industrial revolution ran its course. The model for Casierge is scalable and we are already looking to cities like Toledo, Louisville and Cleveland for new opportunities.
What is the turn around time on my investment?
Renovation of a property can take anywhere from 3 months to 1 year. Return on your investment depends on your level of investment and the time it takes to bring a property to market. Each deal is unique because each investor and property is unique.