Month: October 2015

[FICTION] 10 tiny neighborhood dramas as seen through their wireless network names

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In the universe of my imagination, short communication doesn't stop with text messaging and tweets. It continues to the cloud of network names that you can only see by trying to connect to wifi in assorted locations around Chicago.

Fictional neighbors in apartment buildings are talking to each other. They argue. They advise. They complain.  All this takes place on the available wifi networks screens on their computers, tablets, and smartphones.

Please join me as I visit them on my completely made-up journey.

Neighborhood: Edgewater
Building Type: Four plus one

  • Shoe Lover
  • Rainbow Connection
  • Loud Walking Hater
  • Miss Piggyback (WiFiiiYa!)
  • Magic Triangle
  • Your Feet Are Neat
  • eeeeewwwifi!

Neighborhood: Albany Park
Building Type: Courtyard Continue reading [FICTION] 10 tiny neighborhood dramas as seen through their wireless network names

Published by

Jon Hoferle

Halloween Special: Top 10 Horror Movies set in Apartments

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If you're faint of heart or under the age of 18, this article might not be for you. Otherwise, stay tuned for a lineup fit for a Halloween movie marathon.

Apartments are a great setting for horror movies. Close quarters, weird neighbors and unknown previous occupants who may or may not have died horribly are all excellent components in a good scary movie. In honor of Halloween, here are some of our favorite ghost films and creep fests where apartments and apartment life play a major role. Continue reading Halloween Special: Top 10 Horror Movies set in Apartments

Published by

Kay Cleaves

A Crossword Puzzle for Chicago Apartment fans

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Hi all! We like to change things up a bit, so instead of our normal content we've gone interactive! Check out our crossword puzzle.

Published by

Jon Hoferle

Failure to Communicate

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So I've been working on a research project involving Yelp and Chicago landlords. It'll be a few weeks before I have the final results, but I wanted to take a moment to discuss one early piece of data I've already discovered. There's one particular word that landlords and tenants both use, but with completely different definitions. The conflicting use of that word is at the core of nearly 40% of Yelp complaints against landlords, property managers and their ilk. Continue reading Failure to Communicate

Published by

Kay Cleaves

Apples & Pears Property Management Phone Log, Thursday Oct 15, 2015 [Fiction]

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What you are about to read is a work of fiction. Any resemblance between the people listed below and lunatics you might happen to know personally is entirely coincidental and unintentional, although also hopefully funny.

Time Building Unit Assigned Details
2:03am Roscoe 19 Martin Locked out.
2:22am Hirsch 32 Martin Hallway smoke detector beeping.
3:01am Chase 3R Pete Lights are out on back porch stairs 2nd to 3rd flr east
3:05am Chase 2R N/A Someone is stomping around on the back porch
3:10am Chase 3R Martin Locked out.
7:09am Cullerton 2F Pete Slow drain
7:15am Damen 28-C Pete Slow drain

Continue reading Apples & Pears Property Management Phone Log, Thursday Oct 15, 2015 [Fiction]

Published by

Kay Cleaves