Right now I would not recommend chicago area at all I’m no professional but as a life time resident of Illinois I can tell you right now is not a good time to be buying property there new taxes are coming out very soon on property, gas , cigarettes and many other things that are going to be having people run even faster the they already are.

The deferred maintenance was significant- 3/4 of the roof needed replaced, the hallways were incredibly dirty, 3 vacant units that needed complete rehab, residents had anything from holes in their ceiling to faucets shut off because they were leaking so badly, landscaping overgrown and/or dead, and the entire building smelled like cigarettes and urine.

The roof was leaking, the entire building smelled like cigarettes and urine, residents' maintenance requests were ignored, 3 units were vacant, and residents weren't always paying rent.

We wore masks because of COVID, and when we went outside could still smell cigarettes/nicotine through the mask.

Driveway or street parking only.2) We don't allow cigarette butts on the lawn or driveway.

They stay 2 months every 4-6 months.Guests abuse guest policy and cause trouble. ie cigarette butts everywhere, other litter like soda cans & packing materials, trash can overflows.Their initial visit with 1 dog has grown to subsequent visits with 2 dogs. 

I did the inspection and found the apartment to be trashed, cigarette butts everywhere, 100s of containers and packaging from multiple drugs, a bunch of methadone containers with both the tenants name and his girlfriends name on them, gas stove was left on and trash and food is all over the apartment and covering electrical outlets.

They are not newcomers have been at it a long time.The stigma surrounding cigarettes makes those larger tobacco makers want to look into buying up small to medium operators.The right operators are making tons of money in those businesses.

The bottom image shows the vape pen/e cigarette that was on the window sill.I texted the tenant, who denied everything and insisted that he never vaped or smoked in the room.

Most people don't allow smoking indoors anymore, but either way, drugs aren't like cigarette smoke.