The 2017 list of Chicago’s best landlords

The City of Chicago publishes a list of problem landlords, and updates it twice a year. The list has no properties in the prime near-lakefront neighborhoods where YoChicago concentrates its coverage.

A list of bad landlords isn’t very helpful to renters, who are typically far more interested in finding a good one than in avoiding a bad one.

We know some bad landlords. We don’t allow them to advertise at YoChicago, and we don’t include their properties in our neighborhood apartment guides.

We also know some very good landlords – some of the city’s best. The properties they manage range from vintage walk-ups to the newest luxury high-rises. We know them because they’re current or former YoChicago advertisers. We’ve been in their buildings, met their staff and informally debriefed residents about their experience living in the buildings. We’d recommend them to prospective renters without hesitation, and would rent “site-unseen” with confidence at their properties.

If you’re looking to rent near Chicago’s lakefront, from the South Loop north to Rogers Park, contact the following before heading to Craigslist or any other source. You’ll find floor plans and near real-time rent and availability info at almost all of the sites listed below. You can see links to narrated video walk-throughs of 100s of apartments on our downtown, Lincoln Park and Lakeview grids.

Atlantic Realty Partners has developed over 3,000 apartments, including The Parker in the West Loop and 1717 in Evanston

Aviation Lofts is a recently-renovated loft apartment building in the South Loop.

BJB Properties and its affiliates own and manage about 40 buildings in the Gold Coast, Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Rogers Park, Streeterville and West Loop.

Bozzuto is a national developer and property manager. Bozzuto’s Chicago offerings include The Sinclair, an exciting new Gold Coast tower, OneEleven in the Loop, Atwater in Streeterville, Parc Huron in River North, and Lofts at Roosevelt Collection in the South Loop.

The John Buck Company is a Chicago-based national development firm that has acquired, developed or redeveloped more than 41 million square feet of property. Its most recent residential additions to Chicago’s skyline are MILA (Loop) and 3Eleven (River North).

Crescent Heights is a national developer of condos, apartments, offices and hotels. The company’s Chicago offerings include Astoria Tower (South Loop), Burnham Pointe (South Loop), Echelon Chicago (Fulton River District), Park Michigan (South Loop), The LEX (South Loop) and North Harbor Tower (Loop). View video tours of Crescent Heights-managed properties.

Aerial view of Lake Meadows and Prairie Shores

Draper and Kramer is a Chicago-based firm founded in the 1890s whose management portfolio includes Lake Meadows and Prairie Shores (South side), pictured above.

Golub & Co is a Chicago-based international builder. Golub manages Chestnut Place and One East Delaware (Gold Coast / River North), Marquee (Loop), Moment and Sienna in Streeterville, 1001 South State (South Loop) and a portfolio of fully-renovated neighborhood properties. View video tours of Golub-managed properties.

Greystar manages more than 1,500 apartment communities throughout the United States. Check for available apartments and view video tours of Greystar-managed local properties.

Group Fox owns and manages dozens of renovated apartment buildings in prime locations, including The Lofts at River East, the only loft rental building in Streeterville, and Axis in Streeterville. View video tours of Group Fox apartments.

The Habitat Company has been building great buildings, many of which have been converted to condos, for more than 40 years. Properties currently managed by Habitat include Kingsbury Plaza and Hubbard Place in River North, the new 1000 South Clark in the South Loop, Columbus Plaza on the Loop’s New East side, and McClurg Court in Streeterville. See video tours of Habitat-managed apartments.

Lincoln Property Company is the second largest property manager in the United States, with over 163,000 units currently under management. Check available apartments and view video tours of Lincoln-managed Chicago properties.

Magellan Development Group is one of Chicago’s most experienced developers. Magellan’s Chicago offerings include Wolf Point West and Exhibit on Superior in River North, and Aqua, Coast, The Tides and The Shoreham in the Loop’s Lakeshore East.

Morguard owns and manages office, industrial, retail, apartment and hotel properties in North America. Morguard’s local offerings include Alta, a high-amenity, two-tower community in the Fulton River District.

Pool deck rendering, The Hudson, Chicago

Vancouver-based Onni Group is one of North America’s leading private real estate developers. Onni recently opened The Hudson in River North and is nearing completion of Old Town Park.

Planned Property owns and manages more than 3,500 apartments in prime River North, Gold Coast, Near North, Lincoln Park and Lakeview locations. See video tours of Planned Property apartments.

Reside Living and its affiliates own and manage about 30 buildings, including the new State & Chestnut tower, in prime Buena Park, Fulton Market, Gold Coast, Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Old Town, Rogers Park and Wicker Park locations. See video tours of Reside Living apartments.

RMK Management. RMK manages rental properties with more than 10,000 apartments in Illinois and Minnesota. RMK’s Chicago offerings include the new Scott Residences in Old Town, Halsted Flats in Lakeview, 73 East Lake in the Loop, and Residences at New City on the Near North Side.

Suite Home Chicago rents more than 300 furnished apartments in luxury buildings in city and suburban locations.

Village Green manages more than 40,000 apartments in ten states. Village Green’s local communities include Eugenie Terrace, the only full-amenity apartment tower in Lincoln Park. Cobbler Square (Oldl Town), Randolph Tower (Loop), The Bernardin (River North) and The Streeter (Streeterville).

Aerial view of 2970 N Sheridan, Chicago

Wirtz Residential has more than 80 years of residential ownership and management expertise in the Chicago area. Wirtz has dozens of properties in prime near-lakefront locations, including a broad selection of apartments in Lakeview at 2970 N Sheridan, 529-41 W Wellington, 535 W Cornelia & 634 W Stratford, 3000 N Sheridan, 422-24 W Melrose, 3240 N Lake Shore and 3260-3270 N Lake Shore. Wirtz’ latest offering, 2950 North Sheridan in Lakeview, opened for occupancy in April of 2017. See video tours of Wirtz-managed apartments.

ZRS Management. ZRS manages Chestnut Tower in River North.

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