Need an apartment in Chicago? This short article will give you
some quick tips to help you find the perfect little apartment to
meet your needs.
Chicago Apartments Hunting
Guide
Looking for an apartment in Chicago is akin to a scavenger
hunt: It can seem as if every place you see falls a few pieces
short of your dream list. If your budget is tight or the market
is low, don't be too discouraged if you have to settle for
something a little less than perfection. You can always upgrade
in the future.
If this is your first chicago apartment you'll be renting on
your own, consider the apartment hunt a rite of passage. It may
remind you more of getting your driver's license than a first
kiss, but once you've mastered the mechanics it can be a
liberating, even life-changing, event.
A Chicago Apartment hunter's checklist
Whether you go for fun and frisky, a spare "designer" look, or big
complexes with Friday happy hours, start your Chicago apartment
search by listing your top priorities. What can you not live
without, and what are you willing to sacrifice? Take copies of
your checklist with you as you look or steal some ideas and make
a list of your own.
- Furnished
or unfurnished
- Closet
space and other storage
- Kitchen
space (meal area, counter space, storage for cookware and small
appliances)
- Hardwood
floors
- Location
of building (safety, proximity to places you visit often)
- Emergency
exits
- Outlets in
all rooms (plentiful, safe, well-located)
- Gas or
electric oven
- Smoke
detectors/fire extinguisher
- Curtains
or blinds
- Windows
(ease of opening, locks, screens)
- Television
reception (cable required or provided)
- Elevator
or stairs (ease of moving or evacuation)
- Door locks
(locks on all doors; deadbolt and security chain on entry door)
- Hallways
(well-maintained, well-lit)
- Lead-based
paint (important for the very young and those with weakened
immune systems)
- Number of
bedrooms and bathrooms
- Room for a
desk or home office
- Location
in building (bottom floors may be less safe; upper floors are
harder to move into)
- Fireplace
- Separate
dining room
- Laundry
facilities (hours of access, adequate lighting)
- Kitchen
drawers and cupboards (storage and ease of opening)
- Appliances
included (and condition of refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave,
washer and dryer)
- Natural
light
- Gas or
electric heat
- Air
conditioning
- Common
areas
- Onsite
landlord
- Wheelchair
access
- Garden,
yard, balcony, patio, or rooftop access
- Phone
jacks for phones and modems
-
Soundproofed walls (neighborhood and building noise)
- Privacy of
unit and bedrooms
- Water
heater (large enough to keep showers hot)
- Faucets
and shower heads (condition and water flow)
- Tap water
(odd color and taste might indicate a problem)
- View
- Parking
(paid building parking or off-street)
- Bike
storage (security and lighting)
- Mailboxes
(security and lighting)
- Swimming
pool
- Workout
facilities
-
Neighborhood flavor
Now, this is not a comprehensive list, but it should be good
enough to get you started. Remember that persistence goes along way
when apartment hunting in Chicago. People are always moving in and
out every day. So, someone may be moving out of your dream place
tomorrow.
Go out there and find the place of your dreams.
