Three reasons: One, this is an owner occupied building. I don't have to pay a management company a cut of the rent. Two, I want my tenants to stay here as long as possible. Renters here have been know to stick around 5, 10, and even 20 years because they can't find a better value anywhere else. Three, the rent includes a discount for early payment, to make sure I'm on time with the mortgage payment.
The apartment will be freshly painted before you move in, but yes you can repaint if you want. Most rooms in the building are painted, not wallpapered, but in rooms where there is existing wallpaper, you may also choose to re-paper. (Note: The wallpaper doesn't photograph well and looks much better in person than in the pictures.) Of course any work on the walls requires pre-approval and certain restrictions apply. I will pay for re-painting or re-papering after you have resided in the apartment at least a year and plan to stay another year.
Generally yes, but this is decided on a case-by-case basis. Any pets which do not live in a tank or a cage must be pre-approved and may require a letter from a vet. An additional security deposit and/or monthly fee may also be required. Note: If you do not keep a clean house, allow your dog to go potty inside or outside in front of the building, or change/add pets, your permission to keep a pet can be revoked. If the apartment has a strong pet odor (even if the animal lives in a tank or cage) or the apartment is covered with animal hair, you may be charged clean-up fees or be required to hire a professional cleaner. This is in addition to any monthly fee or security deposit for keeping a pet. The comfort and hapiness of all tenants in the building is of primary concern.
The Skokie public school system is nationally recognized. Many families (including my own) move out of Chicago and into Skokie as their kids reach school age. Along with the public schools, there are several private school options - including Montessori. There are also several reknown universities located here, including Northwestern, NIU and National Louis.
There are also a couple of excellent trade schools located in Skokie: Everest College, which offers certification in Accounting, Dental Assisting, Massage Therapy, Medical Assisting, & Pharmacy, and Oakton Community College, which offers a full spectrum of degrees and certifications.
Skokie's emphasis on education is no doubt one of the reason (along with the quality of life) it attracted the new Illinois Science & Technology campus. Here's a link to a list of the Elementary Schools and High Schools.
For a Skokie School District Boundary Map, go here or check the Links page for more details on Skokie and its schools.
Generally lease terms are one year, but in certain circumstances shorter terms can be arranged. The rent may be higher for leases with a term less than one year. Note: All the leases contain a cancellation clause - where the lease can be cancelled at any time with 90 days prior written notice and payment of a cancellation fee.
Yes. The current charge is $1 for the washer and $1 for the dryer. There is a bill changer next to the machines. There is also a soap & bleach vending machine, just as a convenience to the tenants.
There is no application fee, but I do pass along the charges for the background, employment, eviction, & criminal checks. This insures that all your neighbors meet up to the same high standards. To hold the apartment all that is needed is a signed lease. The lease is a binding legal document. It's expect that if you've signed the lease you are serious about moving in. Once a lease is signed, I stop advertising & showing the apartment. If after signing the lease, you decide not to move in, you must deliver a signed 90 cancellation notice before I can begin advertising the apartment again. Note: you will still be obligated to pay the rent for those 90 days - even if you never move in - once you've signed a lease.
To quote from 3 bad reasons to buy a home, By Liz Pulliam Weston, at MSN Money, "Yes, we've all heard the reasons that everyone will benefit from homeownership..."
1. 'It's a good investment': Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Nationally, home prices rose 50% between 2000 and 2005, and in more than 30 cities prices doubled. But that's not the norm. In the 30 prior years, from 1969 to 1999, the average appreciation for homes exceeded the inflation rate by a little more than 1 percentage point. Compare that to stocks, which bested inflation by 7 percentage points in the same period. And appreciation isn't a given, as homeowners are learning. Anyone who currently owns knows people who are upside down -- owing a bigger mortgage than the home could be sold for. Thousands of people are simply walking away from houses they can't sell, trashing their credit ratings in the process. Lenders slash the prices on foreclosed homes to get rid of them, which further drives down property values. It is an ugly cycle that once started is hard to stop.
2. 'I'm tired of throwing away money on rent': Normally, renting is cheaper than owning. But in some cities, soaring real estate prices have made renting so much cheaper that it's getting really tough to make the case for becoming a homeowner. For many people, the choice is between renting a roomy affordable place in a good neighborhood or straining to buy either in a less desirable place, forgo all the space they want, or move somewhere that requires a tortuous commute. You're not really throwing money away when you send a check to your landlord, anyway. You're exchanging it for a place to live. You're also getting flexibility and freedom -- things you sacrifice when you buy a home. When you're a renter, it's the landlord, not you, who is generally responsible for maintenance, repairs and the toilet that blows up in the middle of the night. If the neighborhood should start to slide, or you get or lose a job, you can up and move, often with just a written notice.
3. 'I need the tax deduction': Buying a house just for the mortgage break would be like giving somebody a buck just to get 35 cents or less in return. That's because your write-off is limited to your tax bracket. If you're in the top federal tax bracket, every dollar you pay in mortgage interest only saves you 35 cents in taxes. Most people get even less, since they're in the 25% or lower tax brackets. Don't misunderstand -- the tax break is nice, and you need somewhere to live. But you should make sure you can really afford to own a home before you take the plunge. Remember that many of the real costs of owning a home aren't deductible. Uncle Sam won't give you a break for insurance, repairs or maintenance, for example -- and those costs can really add up.
I would certainly consider it, especially if you are a skilled tradesmen. I could use an experienced carpenter, a painter, a licensed electrician, a tile installer, a stain glass artisan, a gardener or landscaper, a handyman, a house cleaner and a masseuse, to name just a few. There are always new projects I'm considering to enhance the property.
First some definitions: A Manor House is historically a home situated in the center of a manor or estate. The term is also applied to relatively small country houses which belonged to gentry families, particularly as a technical term for minor late medieval castles more intended for show than for defense. The term Victorian, as it relates to architecture, can refer to one of a number of architectural styles predominant in the Victorian Era - the period in time which marked the apex of the British Empire.
While this property is definitely not a country estate, the large yard, garden and fruit trees around it can give that feel (at least for a property this close to the city). The brick and stone construction, stain glass windows, and elaborate entry facade certainly lend themselves to it's description as a castle. The interior is a combination of Victorian & Prairie styles. There are the high ceilings, large windows & large sun lit rooms, along with dark mahogany moldings, wood floors, and built-in bookcases and hutches. Putting all this together with the modern additions (of healthy HVAC, front door intercom security, etc.) makes one feel safe and warm, while at the same time offering an inviting feeling to guests. The Light and space, both inside and out, eliminated the cramped feeling of most apartments. In fact calling it simply an apartment does a disservice to this addicting property.
I would be open to the idea, though the building has not previously been approved. You would need to arrange any required building inspection and approval. Other things to be aware of: I will not make any modifications to the apartment to qualify and will not participate in any rent kick-back or other schemes. Occupancy by anyone other than the approved tenants/voucher holder, or more than the legal number of occupants, will violate the lease and be reported. The Village of Skokie requires all landlords run extensive background checks, including credit, criminal, employment, etc. at applicant's non-refundable expense, along with payment of the Skokie Tenant tax. Only applicants that pass all reviews will be considered for tenancy. All tenants are required to sign a lease addendum that breaking any civil or criminal law is grounds for immediate eviction.
This is a limited time offer. It requires a one year lease to be signed by the specified deadline. Offer only good if no outstanding balance remains owed after first month and rent has been paid on time for three months. It is only at that point that the gift card will be delivered. If moving out prior to paying rent for a full year, the cost of the gift card will be deducted from the security deposit.
I'm a strong supporter of recycling and environmentalism. The brick walkway is made out of 100% recycle bricks - from onsite. The Road Runner art piece in the front yard is made from recycled tractor parts. The heating system uses water, rather than gas forced air. We've switched to mostly EnergyStar Compact Flourescent light bulbs in common areas. We use only biodegradable, environmentally safe, pet safe, ice melting compound rather than Rock Salt, Chlorides or other unsafe chemicals. (See Revere Ice Melt on links page.) There is a rain barrel collecting rain water to use in watering the flowers. We participate in Skokie's green recycling bin program. We encourage use of the extensive bike trails throught out Skokie & surrounding towns. And of course, there's lots of green in the front & side yards.