How to find a great apartment in Chicago

Finding a great apartment in Chicago isn’t always easy. The rental market in the city tends to be very competitive, especially in areas near the University of Chicago and other schools. You may find yourself looking at places you would never want to live in but finding few other options. Fortunately, with a little bit of knowledge, you can find the best apartments for rent in Chicago Ridge, IL. Here are a few tips to help you with your search.

Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute

Give yourself plenty of time to search for an apartment. Remember that some rentals may need to be cleaned or have some maintenance done before you can move in, so you should plan to start looking at least four to six weeks before you need to move in. Ideally, start about eight weeks out. This will give you time to look at multiple options and even visit apartments for rent in Chicago. Your circumstances may not always allow you this much time, but whenever possible, don’t wait until the last minute to start apartment hunting.

Have Your Documents and Deposit Ready

When an apartment is in the right location, has great features, and is perfectly priced, it’s not going to be available for long. If you take even a day to get your application done and other documents together, you leave the door open for someone else to swoop in and take it. This is one reason why signing up with Brixbid ahead of time can save you precious time.

If the landlords aren’t with Brixbid, then expect the landlord to want to run their own credit check just to verify what you show them, of course.

Be Friendly

While many landlords are opting for online platforms like Brixbid you will still might get a chance to meet them or the property manager at the location. Property managers and landlords have had more than a few difficult to deal with tenants, and they don’t want another. Show them that you won’t be one of those people who complain about everything or is always calling for something. Be friendly, and if you like the apartment, let them know. Don’t be fake, but do try to build a relationship with the landlord. It might not seem like much, but just by being nice, you can get your application moved towards the top of the stack.

Even if you don’t necessarily get that apartment, if you were friendly to the property manager, they may be able to recommend other options. The fact that networking with property managers is a good tactic to find an apartment is one reason we created Brixbid!

Get on the Waiting List

If you are a Brixbid user you don’t have to do this! If you are not using Brixbid or the complex you want isn’t on our list, you’ll have to get on their list. Call apartment complexes in your ideal location and ask if they have a waitlist. If so, and if there’s no fee to get on it, have them add your name. It may turn out that you find other housing, in which case call and let them know. If you don’t, it’s possible they will have a spot open up. Don’t rely on this—they may not have any tenants who plan on moving out, and there may be several people ahead of you on the waiting list.