Property Management Blog

By Tim Harstead - Sunday, January 21, 2024

5 Things You Should Know About Lease Renewals

When a tenant has found a property they love to live in, the last thing they're considering is moving out. This means when it's time for lease renewals, they're hoping they're one of the tenants you want to renew.However, as a property management company, lease re...

By Tim Harstead - Sunday, January 14, 2024

Can a Property Management Company Help Collect Rent From Tenants?

Naturally, as a landlord, you try to collect as much as possible for every unit you rent. After all, the rent money pays the bills.But collecting rent isn't always a straightforward process. You might have tenants who won't pay. You might also have some that require some ...

By Tim Harstead - Sunday, January 7, 2024

How Real Estate Can Add Passive Income to Your Portfolio

How do you translate your real estate investments into passive income sources? To help you get started, here are some tips to help you start bringing in rental income in the Chicago area.Buy a Turnkey Property for Immediate Passive IncomeIf you want to start generating income fro...

By Tim Harstead - Tuesday, July 11, 2023

Bigger Pockets Questions to ask a Property Manager

Not sure about the questions to ask a Property Manager before hiring them? Biggerpockets.com came up with many questions and we answered them for you below. Are you a licensed property manager?Yes, we at Chicago Style Management are fully licensed by IL for real estate sales, ren...

By Tim Harstead - Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Preventative Maintenance Schedule

A nickel in time can save a dime, has been a model I grew up hearing from my Dad all the time. I truly believe in this which is why we have a preventative maintenance schedule for our buildings. This schedule is set up to keep your property in its best condition, so t...

By Tim Harstead - Tuesday, May 16, 2023

6 Worst Ways to Fail a CHA Inspection

Getting a Chicago Housing Authority (CHA/section 8) tenant into your property is full of red tape and pitfalls that may make you think is the process worth it. In my opinion depending on the area of your rental the guarantee of on time rent out ways the red tape we must get throu...

By Tim Harstead - Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Explanation of our Management fees

Can you do it yourself cheaper? Absolutely. But can you use your time to make more money or memories instead? Most definitely.Let's get this on record first and foremost: you can absolutely find a property management company that will be cheaper than Chicago Style Management....

By Tim Harstead - Tuesday, May 16, 2023

How we screen our tenants

The most important part of managing an investment property is getting the right tenants in place, here is how we avoid big mistakes.Our Screening Process In our opinion, one of the most important tasks we will do for you as your Property Manager is deciding on who will live in yo...

By Tim Harstead - Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Effects of Interest Rates on your Real Estate Investments

Real estate investing can be a lucrative way to build wealth, but it's important to understand how changes in interest rates can affect your cash flow. In this blog post, we'll explore the effects of higher interest rates on real estate investing and its cash flow. First,...

By Tim Harstead - Wednesday, February 8, 2023

2023 Chicagoland Top Property Management Companies besides Chicago Style Management

Best Property Management Companies in ChicagoChicago Style Management is happy to be considered one of the top management companies in Chicago, however property management is often hyper local and hyper focused on types of clients that we can work with and these days, you’l...