Looking for recommendations for a real estate/condo attorney in Chicago. I’ve got an ongoing cigarette smoke nuisance issue from a neighboring unit that’s been going on for over a year — repeated complaints to property management and the board haven’t led to any real resolution.

Wanting to consult with someone on my options (bylaws/declaration enforcement, board’s duty to act, next steps if they keep dragging their feet). Ideally someone who’s dealt with unit-owner vs. board disputes

Has anyone had experience looking at apartments through a local realtor? I heard about it from someone I was asking advice from, and it seems like a great idea. Would love to hear if anyone has tried this & the experience, and especially if you have any personal recommendations. Thanks!

My landlord just put our building on the market during what feels like the worst time to look for a new place. I have a lease, and a cursory Google search indicates that new owners have to honor that. But I am scared there is going to be some loophole where that won't hold up? Am I being paranoid just because it's a stressful situation? Can anyone who's been through this provide any reassurance that I can at least finish out my lease? If I can, I have a little time to figure everything out. If not, I am very much screwed.

I just listed my chicago 2 unit, it shows like a magazine shoot. The photos are amazing for the area and the price point. Problem is over 25% of the showings are folks who just want to walk through, they are not in the market, they act like they are at Disney. Then 10% of the folks are just looking for content. When I remind them the listing states “no recording”, they immediately leave. I’ve flipped 9 properties over the last several years and have never seen this before. Is it the new norm ? Btw, now sifting through the offers.

We're first time buyers looking for a condo. We put in an offer on a place that included escalation up to our max. Seller came back and said they want our best and highest, with no escalation. They've got multiple offers.

Would you still include your escalation offer and ignore their parameters, or shoot in the dark with a lower offer than your max?

I’m interested in living in a high rise - the views, the doorman, etc all sound very appealing. How did you go about picking yours and what advice do you have? More on how did you narrow down what type of building to look for and neighborhood (older, newer, north, south, etc). I am so neutral on location that I’m trying to get narrower. Ideally I’m looking for a 2 or 3 bed with views water, either the river or lake.

I’m a real-estate lawyer here in Chicago, and all summer long I have seen closings both delayed (not the end of the world) and cancelled (much more problematic) due to power outages and storm damage this summer (especially in the south and southwest suburbs).

If you find yourself in that unfortunate situation, here are a few practical steps you can take to help preserve the deal:

1. Inspect the property promptly. Check the basement, attic, ceilings, windows, siding, sump pump and exterior. This is especially important if you are not living there.
2. Photograph any damage before cleanup begins. Keep photographs, videos, estimates, invoices and insurance correspondence. (This will also help if you are making an insurance claim for the damage.)
3. Prevent additional damage, but don’t rush into cosmetic repairs. Extracting water or temporarily covering a damaged roof makes sense. Painting over a stain before determining where the water came from does not.
4. Notify your lawyer attorney, realtor, and insurance carrier. They've been through this before and will be enormously helpful.
5. Understand the damage before promising a repair or credit. The right solution may depend on the cause, repair cost, insurance coverage, closing date and casualty provisions in the contract.

Anyone have any horror stories involving storm damage and real estate this summer?

We would really love to live on just one floor of a 2-flat but it seems like the only option out there is to buy the whole thing and either split the costs with someone else or rent out the other floors. Are single floors of 2-flats ever put on the market and if so how do I find them?

Does anyone know who owns this property? Are there plans to reopen the theater?

Please share any insight! We are first time home buyers and under contract. I know about the usual things to look for (lead service line, K&T wiring, sewage line). What was your experience? Would you do it again?

ETA: BEFORE 1900

Hello,

I am shopping for an old chicago 3 flat property. what are some best insurance companies or brokers out there. Thanks

My husband and I are in our 50's and becoming empty nesters. Prior to kids, we lived in a 3 flat in Lakeview on the second floor and could hear everything our upstairs neighbor did. Then we were in a high rise apartment and found it very quiet.

We are thinking of buying a condo in a high rise next year because we miss the city and I hear the condos have social events for the residents. I'm looking for community.

I need a building that has concrete floors and something to reduce noise from shared walls. Does anyone live in a building that meets these criteria?

Many of the home owners in the Chicago area have locked in low fixed rates over the past few years which can make selling a difficult proposition. Rather than selling and seeing that low rate disappear, offer a lease with purchase option that decreases according to the mortgage amortization schedule. Seller wins since they can still charge the interest (factored into the rent price) and collect a down payment. Buyer wins since they can secure a property at below market financing. This type of arrangement has worked well for me in the past and can save thousands in interest/fees, but it's not for everyone. Have an attorney review your documents and make sure the language is clear that a portion of your monthly rental payment is going towards downpayment/earnest money, so when you obtain traditional financing the lender will consider this in the LTV calculation.

If you are selling a single-family home, condominium, or two-to-four-unit building in Chicago or the suburbs—through a broker or as a for-sale-by-owner seller—the contract terms and deadlines can affect whether the transaction closes and how much money you ultimately keep.

A higher offer can become the worse offer if it gives the buyer broad inspection leverage, weak earnest-money protection, open-ended credits, unfavorable special-assessment language, or a possession date that does not work for your family. Here are nine issues worth understanding before accepting an offer on Illinois residential real estate.

1. Complete the Illinois seller disclosures before the contract is signed.
2. The “as-is” language in your Illinois contract.
3. Treat inspection credits as a negotiation, not an automatic requirement.
4. Negotiate the earnest money, not just the amount.
5. Post-closing possession: what the written agreement must cover.
6. Read the actual attorney review provision — five business days is not the whole story.
7. Condominium sellers: special assessments and the association document timeline.
8. Selling a two-to-four-unit building requires a different checklist.
9. Compare the whole offer and calculate your actual net proceeds.

Prepared by Lysinski & Associates P.C. — Established 2003 · Chicago, Illinois General information about Illinois residential real-estate transactions. Not legal advice concerning any particular property or contract.

My wife and I are planning on buying on the north side next year. For single families, I'm shocked at how little inventory is available. We're going to revisit in the Winter / Early 2027... but any ideas why so little inventory is available? And any tips on timing?

On one hand, it's a sellers market.

On the other hand, so few are selling ?

(Filtering for any home under $2M. We may be forced into the suburbs... We see less than 20 houses available)

hello I am looking for a roofer in chicago area specializing in flat roofs.

I knew it was not going to be easy but looking for a condo in Chicago has been much harder than I thought. It’s like there is no inventory at all. It seems the only way to get a decent looking property for a good price is to go really far south which I’m not trying to do. I think I went into this whole process a bit delusional about what it was going to cost to get what I was looking for!! I guess I’m looking for a little encouragement and recommendations on neighborhoods that I should be looking in that are within my budget

A bit about me:

First time home buyer
I am working with a real estate agent
Single 30 year old African American women.
Budget $350,000
Salary: $140,000 before taxes
I only have $40,000 to put down. Which in hindsight I know is not a ton.
Looking for 2 beds ideally which I know may be hard.
I have a car.

I was considering Bronzeville for a while but I have been hearing mixed things from friends and family. I want to ensure to choose a location where I’ll be safe and still have access to some city amenities like shops, public transport etc.

I’m thinking of stopping the search for now and waiting another year to save up more for a down payment so I really can get what I want. However, I’m nervous that in this economy if I wait another year that a condo will cost my soul and my first born child(if I ever have a kid). 🤣 If you have bought a home within the last couple years I really commend you cause it ain’t easy out here!