Property Management Blog

By Tim Harstead - Thursday, June 24, 2021

5 Maintenance Items Tenants are Responsible for when Renting

The wonderful part of renting is that you don’t have to worry about things like paying for expensive roof leaks or a pipe bursting inside your unit. With that being said, there are some things that you, as a tenant, are still responsible for.1) Changing the air filter in yo...

By Tim Harstead - Monday, April 19, 2021

IDHA Rental Assistance Program (2021 care act) update

IDHA has just released more info on the upcoming program for renter's assistance. This program stems from the newly-passed CARE Act in late December. The organization has $500 million dollars to hand out to renters who are behind due to COVID. When will applications come ou...

By Tim Harstead - Monday, February 8, 2021

Don't Let Your Pipes Freeze

We are in the thick of Chicago’s annual cold front with temperatures hitting well below 0 F this week. Here are some things we ask our tenants to do to try and prevent pipes from freezing, as well as some things you can do to better your chances of not having any froz...

By Tim Harstead - Monday, January 18, 2021

3 Predictions for Joe Biden's Impact on Landlords and Investors

No matter your thoughts on how it happened, or if it should have happened, and whether you celebrated the victory or not, as of January 20th 2021, Joe Biden will be the President of the United States of America. Here are our predictions of what we will see in 2021 from him ...

By Tim Harstead - Tuesday, January 5, 2021

Screening For Tenants

In Chicago, going through an eviction with a tenant can mean months of unpaid rent ... and that was pre-pandemic! Right now, it's almost impossible to get a tenant out for non-payment. So, what’s the best way to do an eviction? The answer is to make sure you don&r...

By Tim Harstead - Thursday, July 23, 2020

Illinois extends eviction moratorium, and Chicago passes 120 day notice required to get tenants to l...

The last few days have dealt a few blows to Chicagoland real estate investors with tenants not paying their rent, or for landlords with plans to raise rents. Governor Pritzker has extended the ban on evictions until August 22nd. This means you can not file an eviction on a non-pa...

By Tim Harstead - Thursday, March 19, 2020

Tenant and Landlord Resources for the Coronavirus Pandemic in Chicago

This is unchartered water for everyone. With tenants losing jobs or having to work from home, to landlords not knowing if they will be able to make their next mortgage payment, there is a lot of uncertainty going around right now with the Coronavirus. I definitely do not have all...

By Tim Harstead - Monday, February 10, 2020

Is Cash-for-Keys a Good Alternative to Eviction in Chicago?

Yes, and understandably, it sounds counter-intuitive. You have a bad tenant who is not paying their rent, and here I am telling you that offering to pay them money to leave may be your best option. Let's break it down. Eviction in Chicago: The way the current law is written a...

By Tim Harstead - Friday, January 17, 2020

Interest rates for Chicago Security Deposits

The city of Chicago has set the 2020 interest rate for security deposits for renters at .01%. This means that if you have a security deposit of $1,000 you must pay 10 cents within 30 days of the end of every 12 month cycle you hold the security deposit for. You must also include ...

By Tim Harstead - Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Can Tenants Smoke Marijuana in their Apartment now that it's legal in Illinois?

Weed is now legal in IL but is it legal in your apartment?Happy New Year and new decade! If you live in or own property in Illinois, then you know recreational marijuana is now legal in the state of Illinois. Which brings up the question many tenants are wondering: Can I smoke it...