Chicago Property Management Blog

What kind of insurance do I need for my rental property? Should I include Renter’s Insurance?

By Jason Marcordes Thursday, May 21, 2020

The Windy City is a great place to live and invest. Finding the right insurance policy is an important step to protect your rental property from liability. If you occasionally rent out a room in your primary residence, then homeowners insurance might work for you, but if you...

HOW DO I PROPERLY SCREEN NEW TENANTS?

By Jason Marcordes Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Any prospective tenant can seem great during the initial walk-through. So it’s important to screen every potential tenant thoroughly before allowing them to sign a lease. A seasoned landlord knows how frustrating it can be to work with a difficult tenant. Whether they ...

HOW MUCH SHOULD I CHARGE FOR RENT?

By Jason Marcordes Friday, May 8, 2020

Every landlord faces the question of pricing their rent. Depending on your state, location, city and even neighborhood - finding the right price range to list your property can be tricky for new landlords. Even in Chicago, our city is so diverse. Chicago includes such a wide rang...

HOW DO I LEASE PROPERTY DURING COVID 19?

By Jason Marcordes Friday, May 1, 2020

Under Illinois’ Executive “Stay at Home” Order, real estate services are included under “essential businesses”. This means people engaged in real estate are permitted to leave their homes to provide these services. This includes real estate brokers a...

DO I HAVE TO PAY MY RENT OR MORTGAGE DURING COVID 19?

By Jason Marcordes Wednesday, April 29, 2020

COVID-19 “Coronavirus”, has impacted and affected every major area of our lives. From our jobs, schools, social lives and weekend plans, there is no one that hasn’t been affected on some level. So many of our favorite places to go have been shut down, restaurant...

CONSIDERING RENTING TO TENANTS WITH PETS?

By Jason Marcordes Friday, April 17, 2020

Nowadays, it seems like the majority of tenants tend to come with an animal of some sort. Whether it’s a dog or a cat or a pet fish, it’s important to have a policy in place. Over 50% of all tenants have pets, so having a “no pet” policy can cut your poten...

What to ask when hiring a Property Manager

By Jason Marcordes Tuesday, April 14, 2020

How long have you been in business? We recommend finding a company that has some experience in your market. Have they dealt with fires, tenant disputes, maintenance or utility issues, etc? You’ll want to make sure they have some successful years of experience. Hiring a...

Our TOP 9 Tips On Being The Best Landlord

By Jason Marcordes Thursday, April 9, 2020

So, you want to be a better landlord? Maybe you’ve been running a successful rental - or maybe you’re about to start renting your property… Here’s some things we suggest you consider in order to be the best landlord possibleFind High Quality Ten...

Should I Manage My Own Rental Property?

By Jason Marcordes Monday, April 6, 2020

There’s definitely a lot to consider when deciding whether or not you should manage your own rental property. From marketing your property, screening and placing a tenant, managing maintenance, showing your property and more - there’s a lot that goes into success...

Current Market Conditions - How is the Coronavirus / Covid-19 Currently Affecting the Real Estate Ma...

By Jason Marcordes Friday, April 3, 2020

We’ve recently entered uncharted territory, unlike anything we’ve experienced before. Most of us remember the financial crisis of ‘08-’09 but this is different. Never in modern history have we seen things changing so rapidly. One day the stock market ...