Check out the real estate jobs section at Craigslist and look at ads for leasing agent positions.
One company is touting the ability for new leasing agents to earn “$50,000 to $250,000 your first year!” The company’s recruiting website tells agent prospects that “The typical lease deal takes between 1 and 2 days to complete from initial client contact to property lease signing.”
A company with a history of stiffing agents on commission payments is inviting newbies to “start today … get paid this week.”
And so on. And so on. The ads are, to anyone familiar with the way Chicago’s rental services operate, one incredible claim after another. There are, sad to say, simpleton suckers who respond to these ads.
Now ask yourself, if you’re in the market to rent an apartment, do you really want to place your trust in anyone gullible enough or desperate enough to sign on with one of these companies?
If you’re looking to rent in Chicago’s downtown lakefront neighborhoods, you can see all of your options on YoChicago’s apartment lists. Do the smart thing and work directly with the landlords / management companies. You’ll get the best deal and spare yourself a lot of potential grief.
If you’re determined to work with a rental service, ask to see the agent’s driver’s license and broker license. If the agent doesn’t have a broker license with a name that matches the one on the driver’s license, and several years’ experience, move on to one who does.