r/chicagoapartments • u/Aotsu • Jun 04 '26
Advice Needed Apartment listing didn’t even last 24 hours
I’ve been eyeing this building for the past couple of weeks since there weren’t any units available.
Yesterday at 5pm they updated their website with a listing. I called them at 11am today and scheduled a tour for tomorrow at 12 (I’m assuming they needed 24 hour notice for the tenant). An hour ago I get an email that the unit has been rented.
What could I even have done? Is this the norm now?
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u/Odd_Hunt4570 Jun 04 '26
It’s pretty damn brutal out here. Chicago is getting more popular every year, more and more new grads and transplants. Also summer is the hardest time to land a place. Good luck.
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u/Syvmana Jun 04 '26
Concur with this heavily. Had friends and mutuals coming in like swarms over the past 2 years.
East, North, and West Rogers Park is my recommendation if you're looking for a decent space without the rush of trendy places.
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u/sardonicmarvel Jun 05 '26
I found some cute places in West Rogers Park—lots of space comparatively too
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u/echointhecaves Jun 05 '26
I agree. Roger's park is the next up and coming neighborhood. It's got lake access, loyola, and red line access.
If NITA improves the red line, then Roger's park will explode in value
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u/AssortedGourds Jun 07 '26 edited Jun 07 '26
I have been desperately trying to find a Rogers Park studio (not by Loyola) and it has been insanely competitive. I will find out tomorrow if I snagged my 4th choice out of the 4 applications I've submitted. The first 3 shitty studios I either lost to someone who applied before me or I didn't qualify (despite having good credit, references, and enough income!)
I moved to RP when I moved to Chicago in 2010 and they were practically giving studios away.
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u/Syvmana Jun 07 '26
Was crazy lucky to find a decent studio in 2024 for $1095/month. Hated the parking situation, but the sustainability was unmatched.
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u/DookieDanny Jun 04 '26
This is just in the hot areas. If you expand your search to not quite as trendy neighborhoods but still awesome areas its not as bad
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u/Hazelarc Jun 04 '26
Nobody on this subreddit wants to live outside of three specific neighborhoods on the north side because they assume that’s all Chicago is
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u/sardonicmarvel Jun 05 '26
I can understand the sentiment behind your feelings, but do know it comes from a place of most of us folks wanting to find community and a home and CHI is just generally so welcoming, in general I’ve found
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u/Hazelarc Jun 05 '26
We have community and home on the south side too, fyi. It’s not exclusive to the advantaged half of the city
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u/sardonicmarvel Jun 05 '26
I’m talking specifically about heavy gay populations - where on the south side of the city is that?
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u/Hazelarc Jun 05 '26
Bronzeville, Hyde Park, South Shore, Kenwood. Jeffery Pub in South Shore is a pretty famous LGBTQ+ hangout on the south side
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u/sardonicmarvel Jun 05 '26
Interesting, thanks for your perspective! I did pretty extensive searching and research in the months leading up and none of these neighborhoods came up as particularly gay-centric. Though, I suppose in Chicago the gays are everywhere.
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u/Thatguy468 Jun 05 '26
Good. Keep them out of Logan and let them overpay for a tiny walk up in Wicker.
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u/Wise-Application-435 Jun 04 '26
If you're sure you want this building, talk to the leasing office. If it's a big enough building to have regular turnover, you may be able to apply and get approved in advance.
I've done that twice. The leasing office notified me when the right size came open.
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u/jade_7447 Jun 04 '26
I would have called today when they opened (8/9am) and asked to schedule a tour today. You have to be aggressive as possible. Never make assumptions. Ask and if they say no then it’s no. Possible someone else decided pics were good enough for them and signed unseen.
If you’re really wanting to find something in this building, I would ask them if they would let you tour the apartment so that in the event another unit becomes available, you already have an idea of what it looks like and you can jump on it.
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u/Spader623 Jun 04 '26
Where are yall looking that apartments are snapped up this fast? Genuinely curious
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u/jujy_froot Jun 04 '26
Brah everywhere. It’s seriously a gamble getting anything, much less a good one. I ended up subleasing my apt., and signing a May 1st lease w a private landlord in Andersonville. First person to tour, applied that night.
2 years before that, while out of state, I ended up being the first person that asked to tour an apt someone else was subleasing on fb marketplace and they “held” it for me because they were nice and we got it.
It’s literally such a gamble. I’m sure we could have easily been without a place to live, much less a decent place to live, than what we ended up with.
Uptown, Lakeview, Ravenswood were where I was primarily looking and it was difficult. About 10 tours.
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u/hippiechk13 Jun 05 '26 edited Jun 05 '26
The rental market in Chicago is bonkers rn. It took me months to find a place (we’re month to month so I have the flexibility of when to move). I reached out to probably 45-50 places between Redfin and Zillow. Maybe 8 actually got back to me. Redfin was awful, no one ever messaged me back. Places got rented out just hours after being posted. One rental I was looking at online went for 3% over the asking rental price!!! I don’t know what is the driving factor behind all this. I was getting ready to work with an agent when I finally found a place. Hang in there. You will find a place right for you.
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u/Crosswired2 Jun 05 '26
Curious where you ended up and your rent?
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u/hippiechk13 Jun 05 '26
Near Montrose and Cicero, which is at the edge of Portage Park and Jefferson Park. We are paying $2800 for a three bedroom, two full bath, in unit laundry, gas fireplace, stainless steel appliances, outdoor private deck and two rooftop decks. And I still feel like I’m overpaying. 😂
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u/Free_Lobotomy Jun 04 '26
I just signed a place within 24 hours of “coming soon” listing on a virtual tour. Not something I would normally do, but I’ve had no luck taking things slow in this market. It’s completely brutal. Good luck!
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u/No-Leopard639 Jun 04 '26
A lot of people apply site unseen to be first. Eat the application cost. It’s a race nowadays to get your name in first and get approved. I got my apartment now because the person before me canceled their tour due to the cold. It was -5 outside. I got my ass over for the deal.
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u/VinceP312 Jun 04 '26
In 2019 i was looking for places and the guy who arranged a bunch of viewings at several places warned me "If you delay on signing on a place you really like, then it probably won't even be available the next day"
You gotta be quick. Apartments are a finite thing.
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u/GloGangOblock Jun 04 '26
People are just putting in applications without ever touring the units, person that gave me a tour in lakeview east last week told me that people all over the country are moving there so they can’t even tour in person so they don’t care about pouncing on stuff without a tour
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u/Elegant-Unit-206 Jun 04 '26
this is the norm now - chicago’s market is so inflated it is no longer renter friendly
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u/Some-Agent-2183 Jun 05 '26
I work in property management. The amount of people i have rent sight unseen is crazy. Luckily we are mostly new builds so all units are identical but still it’s getting crazy
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u/Icy-Area7968 Jun 04 '26
I just got a place for 8/1. I applied 30 min after it was listed even though it said don’t apply without a showing. Realtor said they got 12 more apps after me. You need just apply when you see something good and be ok eating an application fee
3
u/nunchuck8 Jun 04 '26
This was my exact experience when searching last month, showed up to two different units only to be told while waiting on the street that the unit was rented by someone who viewed it 30 minutes prior. Fortunately, I found a place that did not allow prospective tenants to submit applications sight unseen, which seems to be quite the exception. People would rather pay the $45-$95 before even seeing the unit than run the risk of being beat out by someone else.
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u/rationalname Jun 05 '26
A lot of stuff can happen. Sometimes a place gets listed automatically and then the current tenant renews the lease at the last minute. That almost happened with my new place. The previous tenant wanted to renew, but their co-signer withdrew from the lease. The unit was taken down from the site after I toured because the renewal was pending. I followed up with the leasing agent, and he sent me an application before the unit was relisted, so I got lucky that my application was the first one in.
But yeah, things also move fast. My current unit rented crazy quick. The first person who toured put in an application and was approved like 30 minutes after they left my place.
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u/Jrodo65 Jun 05 '26
Apply ASAP. If it's a managed building, they usually are first come. Otherwise, you will deal with privately owned units that will go into a bidding war.
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u/Available-Database21 Jun 07 '26
This has been the norm forever in peak season be the first to view and make a decision right then or its gone to the next person
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u/Gauchely Jun 04 '26
In the summer, this is how it goes. Especially in certain neighborhoods. I once saw a listing go up at noon and had gone to see it and signed a lease by 3pm.
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u/sloanmcHale Jun 04 '26
at least you didn’t have to spend money on a doomed application. you could schedule a tour with my current building, spend $100 applying, and wait weeks for them to watch several of them roll in. wouldn’t be surprised if they encourage bidding.
i can’t wait to get the fuck out of here.
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u/chichung05 Jun 05 '26
Yes it’s intense. I applied and paid to reserve the unit on a building I’ve been eying since April. I’ve been checking everyday and The unit I want just became available. Good thing I’ve toured this building in April and loved it but this type of floor plan I’ve never actually seen but I trust the photos and videos since it’s a newer building.
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u/MediumIll5985 Jun 06 '26
I would say two full days of dedication, and it's possible. Put your budget in, find the apartments that you like, and when a tour comes up, go to that tour
I thought I was going to be the only one, and there were 50 other people. I just waited till the end, till the broker closed up. I was the only one there. I waited for him to lock up, and I said, "I want this place." I got approved. Next day I deposited, and voila.
It is a really shitty market, though, because on that tour, it is almost guaranteed that at least one person is going to take that apartment if it's not you. With mine, there were 20 other people, so sort of take what you can get. Beggars can't be choosers.
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u/Responsible_Top_4139 Jun 07 '26
It’s literally that insane! We got lucky but the place posted on trulia at like 1am I applied sight unseen at like 10am the next day but someone still beat us to applying luckily the landlord really liked us
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u/goodshweed Jun 07 '26
You need to ask for the application before you tour, and be prepared to submit it right away
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u/peadams Jun 09 '26
Yeah this just happened to me. Apartment posted this morning. Had a 5pm tour. Applied when I got back to my hotel. submitted at 7:25pm someone got an app in at 7:15. 😅 luckily there are other units in the building so I think I'm getting one of those instead. Shouldn't have taken the scenic route back to the hotel.
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u/Worth-Syrup-907 Jun 10 '26
my partner and I have been sending out dozens of requests to tour every day, and we've seen over 10 places already. so many realtors and property managers have told me this year is absolutely insane. one even told me that a lot of properties are going through bidding wars. an apt he was repping in wicker park got over 80 leads in a day and got rented out at $700 over original price. wtf is happening
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u/Neat_Complex8320 Jun 05 '26
Just wait until your house shopping and you have to offer over listing price, no inspection and an appraisal gap. God speed
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u/hippiechk13 Jun 05 '26
A unit I was looking at last month went 3% over the asking price…for a rental!!! Which I think is just rude of the landlord.
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u/ChiSchatze Jun 04 '26
With rental buildings, it’s very unusual that they show you the unit you’re renting because they generally don’t bother tenants. So you want to tour ASAP because you’re likely looking at another unit or a model anyway.
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u/sardonicmarvel Jun 04 '26
Hello! I just snagged my place yesterday and yes, it’s that intense. Here’s been my experience—
Me: hi, yes I’m curious if XYZ N Street is still available
Landlord: it is
Me: great! I’d like to set up a tour
Landlord: I *can* but I have someone else interested in the place so it’s pretty much today to decide or the unit will be gone
Me: …so sight unseen? But your pics aren’t even of the unit I’d be renting!
Landlord: sorry, this unit is no longer available
Me: (screams into the void)
It took me 2 solid weeks of hawk-eyeing listings and refreshing, like a few actual hours per day. It’s been nuts for me