Does Chicagoland Property Group’s Collin Walker deliberately lie on Craigslist?

After having looked at many of Collin Walker’s repetitive ads at Craigslist, my considered opinion is that his ads often contain deliberate lies.

We posted on what we deemed a Walker lie yesterday, and here’s another …

Walker had seven ads active on Craigslist yesterday for “beautiful new” and “beautifully updated” Lincoln Park and Old Town studios renting for $1,585 a month.

The ads were all for a studio at SoNo East, a property that isn’t in Old Town and isn’t in Lincoln Park.

The lowest available rent for the studio layout Walker advertised for $1,585 was $1,938. The most recent broker “hot sheet” sent out by SoNo East stated the rent at $1,935. Rents at the property are continually re-priced by YieldStar, which could account for the $3 difference. Why wouldn’t Walker check the near real-time price and availability at SoNo East’s website before running an ad? What accounts for Walker’s $350 a month difference other than a deliberate bait-and-switch lie? Why is Walker even advertising this property when he doesn’t have the legally-required authority to do so?

I’ve been told that $1,600 a month is the “sweet spot” that many studio renters are currently trying to hit in the downtown market. Walker hit it.

Walker’s ads stated that “There isn’t a better price for a studio of this quality anywhere in the beautiful Old Town neighborhood …” That’s true of the price Walker advertised, but not true in the marketplace.

A larger convertible studio with a superior floor plan, better closet space and a balcony was available for $1,716 at 1225 Old Town at the time I checked – just after checking in at SoNo East.

1225 Old Town is in Old Town, in a very attractive location and has finishes and amenities that compare favorably with SoNo East.

1225 Old Town is a YoChicago advertiser. You can tour the apartments, the amenities and the neighborhood in the above video, and you can get near real-time pricing and availability info at 1225’s website.

Tip: Add the following string to any apartment search you’re performing at Craigslist and you won’t see any of Walker’s or CPG’s more than 4,500 spam ads in your results: – “Chicagoland Property Group”