In an ideal world we would have an ample amount of time to make a sensible decision for our next address every time we move. We'd be able to lovingly pack up our belongings in newspaper and bubble wrap, give our old place a deep cleaning and drop the keys off at our landlord's office like respectable adults. But we all know that for renters this sort of nice, leisurely move doesn't always happen. There are plenty of times when we have to get out of our housing immediately.

For some folks who get new jobs, they may have a weekend to complete a transfer. Then there's the more dire situations. Breakups, fights, house fires, natural disasters and violence can all force us to move on short notice, sometimes only a few hours or minutes. Today we've got a quick guide on what to do when you have to move in a hurry. Continue reading Moving in a Hurry

Right around this time of year most Chicago landlords are sending out their final lease renewals for the year in preparation for the end of the rental season. Right around this time of year Chicago landlords area also fielding requests from tenants to go in and do the "mandatory annual repainting" that is supposedly required by law.

Newsflash: it is required by law. In New York City. Not in Chicago. Even in NYC it's only required once every three years. According to Chicago law your landlord only has to keep the walls in sound condition and good repair.

I have no idea how this New York only law became something that tenants across the country assume is in effect everywhere, although I have my suspicions as to what occurred. But it never fails that every year at least one renter within a landlord portfolio of decent size will ask for their annual paint job when they get their lease renewal offer. It came in so often at my old job that I had to make an email macro to handle the responses. The important takeaway here is that rental and real estate laws vary wildly from state to state and city to city. Continue reading Questions to Ask When Relocating to a New City

Some unhappy renters treat moving out as a form of revenge against bad landlords. Others make the decision to move out a strictly personal one without factoring in the impact their actions might have on anyone else. I've often stated that turnover costs are the highest overhead expense for a landlord. Today we're going to run the numbers to see exactly how much of an impact your choice to move out might have on your landlord's bottom line. Continue reading What Does it Cost a Landlord to Replace You?