Possible Addresses

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

Ravenswood would be a better choice than Edgewater.

Can you share what they did and for how much? You do not have to name the agency or be specific enough to identify it on here.

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

Yeah I can too. But see there are major problems with all the sections on that site now. Too many people spamming and scamming as well.

Yeah, the scammers are usually easy enough to sniff out. The problem I see is that between them, the duplicate posters posting the same ad 3 to 5 times a day, and those who make keyword-narrowing impossible via larding their ads with dozens of irrelevant keywords, the legit ads are getting buried in a pile of trash. The signal-to-noise ratio on Craigslist is becoming ever fainter.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Drover

...The signal-to-noise ratio on Craigslist is becoming ever fainter.

And god help someone that ever wants to buy or sell anything or find a date too! Those sections are going down the crapper fast.

[3three3]

I worked with an agent from -X- (protecting the identity of the shamed) and totally, and foolishly, trusted him. He showed me around and most all of the apartments were in disrepair, definitely not up to snuff. But, the last apartment seemed delightful. The bathroom and kitchen were rehabbed and the rehab itself seemed okay, not great, but okay - there were some things that needed to be fixed, etc.

The area itself, in Logan Square, gave me concern. But, the agent assured me it was safe...told me he'd have no problem placing his sister in the apartment (great line, apparently). He said it was super close to "The Boulevard", the posh area of Logan Square and that I'd be fine. He also promised me, promised, that the management company was "really legit...these guys are totally on their game". I was really unsure about the area and didn't have the best feeling, but he assured me and seeing as how I'm totally unfamiliar with the city...I fell for it.

I signed a contract with the leasing company. Then, I filled out an application for the unit and put all the money down. After flying back home, I excitedly looked up the address of what I thought would be my new place. And, what do I find...massive crime stats, serious prostitution issues, and that the street the apartment building is closest to (Belmont) is the major border into sketchy-ville. The apartment is only 2 doors from the corner of Belmont, maybe a block from the expressway (whatever expressway that is). I had him drive me around a few blocks in the area and I wasn't entirely sure about it, but he kept telling me it was good and safe and how I shouldn't underestimate the value of being close to the blue line and close to the expressway. Anyway, I contacted a friend in Chicago who's a broker (but whose schedule hasn't allowed him to show me around) and he looked up the management company. They have a HUGE and very lengthy history of city code violations, criminal charges against the owners, and multiple lawsuits from both residents and the city itself. My friend also informed me that the "requests" I put in along with my application (installing screens in the windows, a safety rail for the outside stairs/deck, etc) are actually mandated by the city and code violations when absent.

My opinion: The leasing agent should have told me the area was unsafe, obviously - and he should have told me those "requests" were code violations - and he should have warned me of the slum-lord status of the management company. Obviously, his priority was on commission. He's been pretty much absent since I got back home. I applied for the unit on Thursday and he still hasn't given me any update on my paperwork. He knows I want out, he knows I'm not interested and that I will not be signing a lease. I figure the money is pretty much gone.

There's a super nice landlord that I spoke with today and I shared the story with her (she's the Ravenswood possibility). She's actually going to call the agency herself, because she's listed with them and has a couple of contacts. She's going to advocate for me and try to help me get my money back - she was really upset about the story. As a landlord, she said I have every right to pull my application. But, Agency X says I can't. The contract of theirs says I get my money back if I get denied, but the agent emailed me on Friday to say that if I got denied...they'd hold onto my money and find me a new place. Shady.

Needless to say, I wasn't planning on losing such a big chunk of money. I don't have enough left in savings to make any more trips and still be able to get a new place, put another deposit and first month's rent down, and pay for the move. I'm fully registered for the fall in my grad program so I have no choice but to figure something out. I'm just stuck figuring it out from another state.

Thanks again guys.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by 3three3

...He knows I want out, he knows I'm not interested and that I will not be signing a lease. I figure the money is pretty much gone.

If you did not sign a lease I do not think they can keep your money. Place a stop payment on the check.

[Drover]

What I'd do is check the place out that you put your money on when you roll into town. If the "requests" haven't been fulfilled, then you've got a possible out: uninhabitability.

[3three3]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

If you did not sign a lease I do not think they can keep your money. Place a stop payment on the check.

They already have my money, it got pulled from my bank account the same night I signed everything. I figure that's why the agent has been so absent since I got home. He has his money now, why care about anything else.

I'm certainly going to challenge this as much as possible. I've been trying to see if any local friends have Chicago legal contacts. I've filed 2 complaints with the City of Chicago Buildings Inspection division. And, if I don't get things sorted by Thursday, I'll be filing professional complaints against the agency and the agent himself. I've also been calling the management company an average of 3 times a day, every day. But, unsurprisingly, they never answer their phone and they haven't returned a single call.

Regardless of all this, it doesn't help me in the here and now. Challenging messy things like this takes time - and until it's resolved, I'm still out a chunk of money.

[surlycue]

Why would the Whipple address be the worst of the three for biking? I live right by there and it's a fantastic hood for biking with the blvd system so close by. The address is also right at Bloomingdale, which is ugly for crime but potentially fantastic for biking with the soon coming Bloomingdale trail. The Albany-Whipple park will provide a direct entrance to the trail for shooting straight across to Ashland.

85 percent of the cyclists I know live in E. Humboldt Park/Logan Square with a scattering portion in Avondale, WP and Pilsen.

[faintlyamused]

3three3:

Sorry about what you went through! When I first was looking at places in Chicago (I moved here last September), I used an agency mainly to get a feel for the city. My agent (who sounds eerily similar to yours) kept pushing me towards places in Logan Square that seemed depressing, unsafe, and far from good public transit(dispite his mainy proclamations that they were super close....yeah right!)

Because I had been reading this forum for many months before moving here, I knew that the areas the agent was pushing me towards were bad news for a small single gal like myself, so I decided to just continue looking for places on craigslist and found a place in Wicker Park.

Anyway, good luck on your search and feel free to ask for advice...I know how stressful it is to move to a new city.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by surlycue

Why would the Whipple address be the worst of the three for biking? I live right by there and it's a fantastic hood for biking with the blvd system so close by...

Because some of the most ignorant and moronic drivers drive through that area. If you want to die or get injured on your bike Logan Square is the place to be.