I rarely write reviews, but the ongoing issues in this building make it necessary…read more Building management has consistently failed to maintain basic infrastructure. Elevators are frequently out of service, which becomes more than an inconvenience in a multi-floor property. There have been extended periods without hot water -- at one point lasting nearly a week -- with limited communication or clear timelines for resolution. Access control has also been unreliable. Key fobs have malfunctioned at entry points, locking residents out despite active credentials. Plumbing issues have been another recurring problem, adding to the overall sense that preventative maintenance is not a priority. What's most frustrating isn't just the issues themselves -- things break in any building -- it's the pattern. The problems feel reactive rather than proactively managed, and communication from management does little to inspire confidence. Residents deserve consistent access, functioning utilities, and transparent updates when things go wrong. Unfortunately, that has not been the experience here.

From May 2024-April 2025, I rented with PPM and would strongly advise others to look elsewhere. I…read moremoved into 441 W Barry and found roaches on my first day. After a back-and-forth with management, I was relocated to 450 W Melrose, where the same issue occurred. Roaches. Again. PPM sent pest control, but after over a month of spraying, the roaches only briefly disappeared before reappearing in full force. I soon learned that many PPM renters across Chicago deal with the same issue. That's when it hit me: this isn't a fluke--it's a pattern. And that's just the bugs. The elevators at 450 W Melrose constantly break down (sometimes with people stuck inside--shout out to Chicago's overworked firefighters). Laundry machines are totally unreliable. Dryers either scorch your clothes, leave them soaking, or break entirely. The unit I rented was described as full of natural light with Lincoln Park views. In reality? It faces a parking garage and goes dark by mid-afternoon. If you enjoy overpriced, pest-ridden, poorly maintained housing run by a company that doesn't care, PPM is for you. Otherwise, spare yourself the year of stress.

Serena is very professional and knowledgeable about my investment property, I highly recommend this…read morebusiness.

From the owner: Serving Chicago and the Chicago suburbs, Chicago Central Property Management is your trusted…read morepartner in property management, buying and selling properties, leasing, and HOA and Condo management. Local and family owned, with over 2 decade of experience working with landlords, tenants and owners we take pride in delivering tailored solutions that not only meet but exceed the unique needs of property owners, investors, and tenants alike. We specialize in small and mid-size properties from single units to as many as twenty unit buildings. We will give you the personalized and thorough service that our corporate owned competitors cannot offer. You will never have to press "1" to get a live person. We also have flexible pricing and customizable packages. Sponsoring Broker-COMPASS

Dropping by to say that Ting is absolutely phenomenal! As a licensed real estate broker who also…read moremanages properties, she goes above and beyond to ensure everything runs smoothly for tenants. From our very first viewing through the application process, her communication has been timely, clear, and incredibly helpful. She consistently provides answers and guidance for every question we've had. She makes sure our home is comfortable, safe, and fully functional--whether it's minor new-build items like an ice machine or a window adjustment, or keeping us updated on maintenance and mail matters. Her friendly, professional demeanor makes every interaction a pleasure, and she ensures our property feels cared for and works as it should, creating a seamless and worry-free living experience. She really has gone above and beyond for us and it's really appreciated. We've had several property managers in the past, but I can confidently say she is the best!!! We are so grateful for her support, dedication, and expertise, and anyone lucky enough to work with her will be in excellent hands. Thanks Ting!!!

Put in a maintenance request and no response after a dumb question and 4 days. They cannot get me…read moreanyone from the maintenance department nor their supervisor. They just promise an answer then ghost. Fuck these guys. Chicago property management SUCKS. Buy that stuff.

We had a really disappointing experience with this leasing office. We called them directly to ask a…read moresimple question about a listing and were met with open irritation and a dismissive attitude. Instead of offering help or clarity, they seemed more concerned about the fact that we didn't go through our agent (despite it being a straightforward inquiry). We were spoken to in a condescending tone and made to feel like we'd done something wrong just by calling. It felt unnecessarily hostile and unwelcoming -- especially when we were potential renters just trying to understand the process. No one deserves to be treated like an inconvenience for asking basic questions. Communication and respect should be the baseline for any leasing office. Unfortunately, that wasn't our experience here. Maybe don't include your number and to reach out with questions in your email responses if you actually don't want people calling you or can't take the time to respect a potential buyer.

Do NOT waste your time applying to any properties this company manages…read more The application was straightforward and even showed a green "complete" checkmark after we uploaded the required documents. Then, days later, we were pestered about submitting additional documents that were never listed or prompted by the application system. We later found out that ICM was "extremely irritated" we hadn't submitted those extra documents--even though they were never requested in the first place. Some of these were sensitive files (like pay stubs with full SSNs), and we were understandably not comfortable emailing them. I called the phone number listed in the confirmation email--which explicitly said to reach out with questions--hoping to ask about a more secure way to submit our documents. The woman who answered was shockingly rude and acted like I was bothering her just by calling. When I asked for any alternatives, she gave a flat "No." The only option she offered was to physically mail the documents--which is just as insecure as emailing them. Even worse, these documents weren't even being sent to ICM directly, but to The Apartment Guys, adding another layer of concern about security and privacy. Despite the email saying to contact them with questions, the woman told me I couldn't even speak to ICM until we were approved. Completely unprofessional. Disorganized. Rude. The customer service is nonexistent, and the process makes no sense. Stay far away.

I lived with Krenger Company for 2 years over on Webster, and they were absolutely the best. The…read morepricing was very fair, the apartment itself was amazing, and anytime I had any issues they were always easy to get in touch with and very quick to act. I had a really positive experience renting with them, and honestly if I hadn't moved out of the country, I would still be living there. I would definitely recommend them.

I've rented from Krenger since 2020 and always encourage friends looking for a new place to check…read morewith them. They are very quick to respond to requests. The front office is very kind and accommodating. They used it be very affordable but I think the Chicago market is changing that for everyone. They are a small family property group that cares about their tenets. Hope to say for a long time.

CL3 managed my rental property for years while I was away. They handled the move-in and move-out…read moreof tenants and also helped resolve any issues that came up with the unit. My tenants were very pleased with Brett and his team's promptness in addressing issues. I highly recommend CL3. They were also very helpful when I sold the unit as well. They managed all the offers and was very diligent in tracking down the required documents to close the deal. Thanks Brett and team!!

The team at CL3 Property Management did a great job with our property. This was our first property…read morethat we needed to have managed and they took care of everything. Their response time to issues and questions can't be beat. We had a fantastic experience and we will definitely use them again.

Be Realty is such a wonderful business- they care deeply about their customers as individuals and…read morewill invest an astounding amount of time and energy making sure they are doing everything they can to meet your needs. Andrew is a great guy and crisscrossed the city with us until we found the perfect home on two occasions; each time he was always there for us, ready to meet us miles from his office during rush hour or log long hours on the weekend getting a feel for our options. When we decided to open a business, Mikus helped us find the idea location- he even helped us track down the owner of a building that wasn't for rent yet, which allowed us to lock in the perfect spot. Be Realty will make you feel like part of their family and I can't recommend them enough.

Andrew and his team is the best of the best!!! Andrew managed my rental property after I moved to…read moreanother state, and I am so blessed with this decision! Andrew is super knowledgeable, responsive and responsible, and kept the property in a great condition, so it is really a relief to me. There is nothing I need to worry about and I true him 100%. After I decided to sell the property, he sold it at a very good price and closed the deal within an incredible short period, which is amazing! I think the best part is, he and his team can take care of everything for you, from purchase to rent to sale. I will 100% go back to him if I have any property needs in the future

I bought here 5 years ago and made a massive mistake. the elevators are always out of service, the…read moremaintenance department is horribly incompetent, the residents are extremely rude, and the management office will gaslight you that the issues "aren't that bad" when they don't even live here. The board just loafs around in the lobby not doing anything to address the residents concerns. They'll brag about their amenities but they're all either horrible and/or extremely overpriced and we've found cockroaches. On top of that, the board still has the gall to increase HOA prices to $1300+. Please don't buy here

I've lived here for almost 10 years and truly cannot wait until the day I sell and move out. Truly…read morea nightmare. There is always some sort of BS construction project going on whether it's facade that's somehow been going on for 5 years or the 1 elevator that's been out of service for half a year. Currently, the one service elevator they're working on is so disruptive that I have to work in the lobby because I can't even work in my own unit that I paid for due to the noise. I wouldn't recommend this building to my worst enemy. Truly.

Home. That's the one word to describe my experience at 519 W Melrose Street…read more My now wife and I signed our lease in July 2020 as some of the first tenants from when SRE converted this building from condos into rental units. We originally did our tour and it checked all our boxes: a private balcony, central heat/AC (which is all electric), modern appliances, in-unit washer/dryer, a private parking garage for our car, and close to all the action and the CTA. We loved the apartment, so we went through the leasing process. The signing was straightforward and easy using Docusign. From there, we got the keys and started moving in. Immediately after move-in, the SRE Management team did some fantastic upgrades to ensure 519 W Melrose is a place to call home. Originally, we got Xfinity internet, but received an email saying we will now have Google Fiber internet included in rent! So we used this new internet for the remainder of our time here. The internet worked great and was fast (500 mbps up/down), with minor hiccups during heavy rain and storms. Soon after that, the management team upgraded the call box and building keys to be fobs, which allowed easier entry into the complex. Additionally, they redid the entire carpeting of the hallways, which made the complex look much nicer. These upgrades showed that management truly cares about the building and their tenants. In our five years of living there, we only had about three or four maintenance requests for minor items. For each request, the maintenance team responded immediately and they were always out the next morning to fix the issues. The maintenance team was always super friendly and I enjoyed seeing them - huge shoutout to Amanda for running the requests, and Christian, Neil, and the rest of the amazing maintenance team for being great to work with and talk to. For the five years living there, SRE never raised rent an unreasonable amount - each year it did increase nominally, but moved according to the market rate. We were blessed to find an affordable apartment that checked all of our boxes. Our neighbors were okay - some seem to care about others, some seem to just be annoyed with everything or don't take care of things. Typical for a big city complex. We didn't make much of an effort to meet anyone in our building; however, with the encounters in the public spaces, everyone seemed friendly. Given that the building does not have concrete separating units, occasionally, you could hear your neighbors through the walls/floors. It was never an issue though, even when some of the neighbors are louder at times. Again, just something you get used to living in a large city, and nothing against the complex overall. I've lived in many different apartments and houses over the years, and this apartment was the only place I have had the feeling of "home" since living with my parents as a kid. It is incredibly bittersweet to leave our home at 519 W Melrose, but we started to outgrow our little apartment, as our small family is now growing. If you are reading this review to see if you should sign here, do not hesitate. 519 W Melrose has been the best place I've lived, and SRE has been the best management and maintenance team I have ever rented from. Thank you, SRE and your incredible team, for making my wife and I truly feel like we are at home.

I've had an amazing experience renting with SRE Holdings, LLC in Chicago! They took over my…read morebuilding's maintenance and EVERYTHING changed. They are by far one of the best property management companies I've ever dealt with -- responsive, professional, and genuinely care about their tenants. Maintenance requests are handled quickly, communication is always clear, and the building is kept in great condition. Living here has been a breeze thanks to their outstanding service. Highly recommend!

I worked with Hayley and had a wonderful experience! She was very helpful and was able to find me a…read moregreat place. Can't recommend her enough!

Terrible company. My agent, Amy, was extremely rude and unprofessional. They told me they lost my…read moredeposit and then requested me to pay again for first months rent. Disgusting type of behavior