All Forum Posts by: Chad S.

I know now is a tough time for vacancies due to the time of year and also with not as many people wanting to move during COVID. We have a vacancy in Rogers Park now for 3 months and a vacancy in Noble square for 2 months. We've lowered the price $100-125/mo. We are listed on:
-Domu
-Zillow
-Craiglist
-Apartments.com
-Zumper
-Facebook Marketplace
We have always had strict credit score requirements of 700+ and won't budge on that. Are other members having similar issues? Do you have better luck with other listing sites or strategies? We also bought a 3rd building, a 3-unit in Portage Park where we live now (just got the place empty and moved in last week) and will have 2 other vacant units ready to list this weekend. In total we'll have 6 vacancies in 9 units and really need to get them filled.

We have a couple vacancies and I've always been unsure on the ideal time to bump out the 'available date'. Most rental sites ask for a firm date the apartment is available. Example: Today is October 3rd but our units are still available 11/1. Would that turn off any good tenant who plans things out and is looking now for 12/1 move-in?

@alan thanks!

Thanks @Brie Schmidt I can't seem to find the file place, do you have a link?

We have our first out of state tenant moving in to a unit of ours. Normally we print our lease out and sign it in person then scan and make copies. I think now's a good time to upgrade to some sort of digital lease that the new tenant can eSign or DocuSign. I did some research and looks like Avail might work. They're a Chicago based company, but their lease looks different than the standard Chicago Association of Realtors lease we print out each year. Has anyone had luck with companies like these or any other eSign options?

Thanks @Patrice Boenzi! That worked perfectly and they have a basic plan that just does the criminal check which is what I needed. For anyone else, to just do the criminal background check you don't need their SSN, just info you can find on a driver's license.

Reviving this thread because I had a question about it. We're going through our first tenant screening with this law in place currently. We normally use Zumper for all-in-one screening (credit, criminal, employment, etc) now they do not do the criminal check.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a service that could just do the criminal check. Or if there are any all-in-one screening tools left?

Don't know if this has been discussed in this forum but I'm hearing things about a vote that allows for these formerly 'illegal' basement units. Could open things up for Chicago investors since there's so many legal 2-units with finished in-law basement units that you legally can't rent out. 
https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/2/28/21152809/adu-chicago-legalization-coach-house-granny-flat-affordable-housing

We finally have our triplex fully rented out but unfortunately have a sound issue. It's an old building that went through a rehab last year. All 3 furnace closets are vertically aligned, so each unit's furnace is above the one below in a small furnace closet. That seems to be where the low and medium frequencies come from like tv sounds and voices. Ideally I'd like to hang up thick blankets/sound panels on the closet walls and try to do the same for the floor and ceiling. There are gaps around some of the pipes that are shared between furnaces. I'd bet some sound is coming through there as well. We have cold air returns so I'd like to do as much soundproofing as I can without really making a mess. 

For good measure I'd also like to put acoustic sound panels in the living/bed room and do whatever else I can (again, without making a big mess). These are small 800 sq foot units, and we had new sub floor installed under our vinyl flooring (everywhere but the furnace closet apparently)

Hey guys, I also have the same question as @Ravi P. I am currently rehabbing a 3 unit in Noble Square and I'll be living on one unit and doing airbnb on the other 2. After some research it seems there is in fact a rule that only one unit in an under 5 unit building can be used for airbnb, and may even need to be the primary residence aka MY unit only. I've briefly talked to somebody who said there is a loophole and I'm very curious how I would be able to accomplish my plan of living in one unit and short term renting the other 2 units. I'd hate to furnish 2 apartments and then be denied the license to be a airbnb rental operator. Any thoughts on this?