Property Management Blog

By Tim Harstead - Wednesday, December 3, 2025

Cook County Sheriff Winter Eviction Moratorium

Every year, the Cook County sheriff's office, which is responsible for scheduling eviction enforcement after you get a possession order from the judge, has a planned "holiday period" during which they do not do evictions, as they do not want to throw anyone out duri...

By Tim Harstead - Tuesday, December 2, 2025

Are Landlords Required to Pay for Water and Garbage?

Who's responsible for utility service? An age-old question, and one that frankly I think smart investors are starting to change. Who is responsible for utility payments, including gas and water service?The quick and short answer is that it all depends on your lease agreement....

By Tim Harstead - Thursday, October 30, 2025

How to Get Mice Out of Walls

You're already dealing with all the dreaded T's of managing property in Chicago: tenants, toilets, and trash. Now you get the dreaded call that the trash from the upstairs tenant has turned into mice in the walls for the rest of the building. The best solution is to find ...

By Tim Harstead - Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Should You Invest in Chicago's Englewood Neighborhood?

Investors, especially those newer to the Chicago Market, often see the neighborhood of Englewood in Chicago as a red flag. I'm here to tell you why Englewood should be one of the focal points for anyone interested in investing in C and D-class properties. A few years back, wi...

By Tim Harstead - Tuesday, September 9, 2025

House Hacking

House hacking: A process where you buy a rental property using tactics typically used for primary residence purchases. You then live in one of the units and rent out the others. The goal is to pay down the mortgage, allowing you to refinance or buy a single-family home, and poten...

By Tim Harstead - Wednesday, August 20, 2025

Managing Properties on the South Side of Chicago

Managing investment properties on the South Side of Chicago is something that even many of the top property management companies do not venture into, and it is with good reason. There are tons of challenges to rental properties on the South Side, which is why I want to break down...

By Tim Harstead - Tuesday, August 5, 2025

Addendums to Rental Agreements

A landlord is only as good as the lease they have their tenants sign. Yes, your realtor's standard lease agreement that they get from their association may follow all state and local laws; however, it does not have the additional terms you need to keep your tenants in line wh...

By Tim Harstead - Thursday, July 17, 2025

How to Give Notice of Non-renewal in Chicago

The world was a simpler time before Covid and that includes giving written notice to end a lease agreement in Chicago. During Covid, Lori Lightfoot passed a new law for proper notice needed to end a lease agreement and have your tenant move out. The fair notice ordinance in Chica...

By Tim Harstead - Thursday, July 10, 2025

Fair Housing Laws to Know in Chicago Before You List

You bought your investment property, got it all dolled up, and spent thousands of dollars to get it looking just right. Your photographer came out and took amazing photos, making your significant other jealous that your own home doesn't look as good. You are ready to hop onto...

By Tim Harstead - Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Finding Tenants in Chicago

Finding good tenants in Chicago is the number one job of property managers; if not done right, you'll end up with huge vacancy losses or, worse yet, bad tenants. So, how do you get the right tenant to view your property? I'll talk about screening criteria in other posts, ...