We strongly recommend that Chicago renters take the time to find their next apartment on their own without using one of Chicago’s rental services a/k/a apartment locators / finders. The odds of having a miserable experience and getting stuck with a less-than-optimal apartment are just too high to risk using a rental service.
If you feel you need to work with an agent, check in with one of the traditional full-service brokerage firms that are clients (typically for print advertising services) of YoChicago’s parent firm.
If you’re determine to work with a rental service, prepare for the ordeal by reading our list of the twenty-five things the rental services won’t tell you.
One thing that rental services do tell you that’s often a lie is that the check you write to them for the first month’s rent won’t be cashed until the landlord has accepted your application and agreed to lease to you. We’ve heard over the years, and recently, from a number of renters who have been rejected for a lease, had their checks cashed and have had great difficulty getting their funds returned.