If you're looking for the ideal real estate professional in Chicago, look no further! Christie is…read moreabsolutely unbelievable. She has a rare skillset that includes years of experience with the Chicago real estate market, insane organization and project management, a warm and inviting demeanor, a keen eye for critiquing properties honestly, and (perhaps most importantly), a deep understanding of her clients. While there were many people involved in the process of purchasing, she was the leader that did not let any balls drop and understood the motivations of everyone along the way. She took the time to drive us around the city neighborhoods for hours, before we even signed an exclusive agreement with her. She looked at properties for us while we lived across the country, and planned entire weekends house shopping for us when we came into town. She stopped us from making offers that we would not have been satisfied with in the long term. She walked us through every step of the buying process, which was new to us, and made us feel so comfortable along the way. She is the definition of "soft on the person, hard on the problem", and was a very strategic negotiator for us during the bidding process. She was always available to answer our multitude of questions via text and email, and even worked on an offer for us on the weekend of a big family event in her life. Even after we closed, she has shared her network with us for plumbing, roof work, etc. This was the biggest financial decision of our lives, but Christie made it easy, because she gained our complete trust. We will sing her praises to anyone entering into the buying or selling of real estate in Chicago. Thank you for everything, Christie! We feel so lucky to have found you.

I worked with Christie on a recent condo purchase as an out of state buyer looking to move to…read moreChicago. From the start, Christie was incredibly responsive, thoughtful about my preferences and budget and was just a great partner through a really crazy market! I really appreciated her expertise and advice as we were looking at homes and in the bidding and sale process - it really helped me get comfortable as someone unfamiliar with the Chicago condo market and as a fairly inexperienced buyer. She was also incredibly helpful in visiting homes when I wasn't able to be there - including sharing videos and feedback and continuously communicating. I would really recommend anyone who is looking for a great realtor to work with Christie!!

Realty and Mortgage made the process of getting my new apartment quick and easy. They answered all…read moremy questions and they were on top of their game. Highly recommend

The WORST management company in Chicago…read more They never call you back, their policies oddly change & when you request the actual policy, they ghost you. Don't even get me started with the building managers who choose to ignore issues over and over again. DO NOT EVER RENT FROM THIS COMPANY!!

I recently sold a condominium in Chicago. What made the listing and sale difficult was that I don't…read morelive in Chicago. I live in Los Angeles. Tiffany and her team made the process painless. She offered expert guidance in pricing the listing and negotiating with buyers. Tiffany and her team were prompt, professional, detailed and made sure the process went without a glitch. I have purchased and sold many properties before and have a lot of experience with agents and brokers. Tiffany's team is first class. They will go beyond to help complete the purchase at the best price possible. If ever I am doing a real estate transaction in the Chicago area, I would use their team over and over again.

We are looking for a agent to rent an apartment and I cannot say if Tiffany is any good at finding…read moreapartments, but I can say she cannot return calls well. So we went with another sgent.

We owe our forever house to Captain Realty. Seth and his partner Liz helped us play the long game…read morein a tight market and -- despite a very constrained search -- land the house that was right for us. As buyers in a competitive area (Bowmanville, Chicago), we were feeling some FOMO as the limited inventory sold for well over asking. Seth helped us stay patient, stay informed, and stay ready, while bringing clarity to what can often feel like a chaotic process. He walked us through the levers available to us when making an offer, framed our expectations realistically, and never pushed us beyond our comfort level. He kept us from overreaching on a house we didn't get, and later helped us recognize the value of an unusual opportunity that ultimately allowed us to stay in the neighborhood we love. On the selling side, Seth was incredibly helpful in preparing our place for market. Because he's primarily a buyer's agent, he was able to look at our condo through a buyer's eyes and give honest feedback about what mattered, what didn't, and where our effort (and renovation budget) would actually pay off. Beyond the transactions themselves, Seth is a great partner to have throughout the process. He's personable, easygoing, and brings some welcome levity to decisions that can feel high-pressure and high-stakes. He's generous with his time and experience, with a deep understanding of old Chicago houses and the character that makes them special. His advice didn't stop at closing, either; Seth's rolodex of trusted tradespeople has already proven invaluable as we settle into our place. If you're looking for realtors who understand both character and value, Captain Realty is the team you want.

After seeing multiple friends find their homes with Seth there was no question he was going to be…read moremy realtor. He was, a continues to be a year later, a true partner on the emotional and logistical journey of buying a single family home by myself. While I'd been watching the market for years and thought I had a good idea of what was out there he listened to my ideas and pushed me to be open to others I hadn't considered. Seth meets you where you're at and doesn't push you toward something not right for you. During open houses he both climbed into attics and under porches to inspect structure as well as offered ideas of what could and couldn't be renovated in a space. He is not the type of realtor that is focused on surface or decorative accents because he knows what is cheap vs expensive to change and doesn't waste your time discussing pull knobs or paint color. Seth answered 2am rambling emails about my feelings on a property or neighborhood and offered advice on when it was worth waiting it out instead of jumping in with an offer. His straight talk on the reality of the tough market was invaluable. During the whirlwind of the offer and closing process he provided multiple recommendations for professionals I needed from lawyers to sewer inspectors, keeping the process moving while I flew around the world on business trips. What do you do when a seller's attorney requires earnest money by physical check within 24 hours and you're halfway across the county without your checkbook? Seth rode through the bumps in the process with me. All of his recommendations have proved excellent, and continue to serve me today. Lastly, in the spirit of meeting me where I'm at, Seth and I both completed the entire home buying process by bicycle. Like the beautiful vintage bungalow he helped me buy, it just felt right.

Illinois to Florida Move. I had been looking for a home in the Tampa, Florida area and I wasn't…read morehaving any luck. Then I ran across an agent who not only knew the Illinois area but also the Tampa area. Mr. Todd Hague helped me find a super nice gated community that was pretty difficult to get in. Once he found the property, he somehow got my offer accepted although there were 3 other offers already on the table. Mr. Hague negotiated the deal and allowed me to get the property $5,000 cheaper than the listing price. Furthermore, he helped me move my residency from Illinois to Florida and provided me with a step by step guide of claiming my Tampa home as my domicile or homestead and keeping my Illinois home as a 2nd residence. I can't tell you how much Mr. Hague has helped me to purchase my dream home. And when I say dream home, its beyond my imagination of how nice of a property I was able to get in such a hot Florida market. Thank you Mr. Hague!

Al Knuth, was a broker that helped us get the keys to our new rental home. So far he has been the…read morebest part of our experience with the rental home company and he doesn't even work for them. He kept great communication with me for the weeks leading up to our move from VA to IL. He was at our rental house before we arrived and walked the house to mark anything he saw wrong, and then walked it again with us. Very nice man and very helpful. My big thing is keeping communication with a customer and not letting them wonder if things will go smooth and he did that and surpassed my expectations.

You will hard pressed to find a better managed, fiscally stable lakefront condominium property than…read moreMalibu East. It is 45-stories tall with 3 floors of parking. Amenities include two swimming pools and a toddler wading pool, handball court, billiard room, ping pong room, tennis court, fitness center, community library, party room, 24-hour doorman, and a receiving room for resident's package deliveries. A commercial mall in its lower level includes a convenience store (with liquor license), doctor, fitness trainer facility, and dentist, among other professional tenants. It is in the heart of the Edgewater Neighborhood, which is full of good schools, shopping, dining, houses of worship, and public transportation. The building was built as a condominium property with large rooms and self-contained hot water heaters and HVAC. Most unit have at least one 33-foot balcony, all with lake views. The onsite management office is open five days a week with late hours on Tuesdays. New elevators were installed three years ago without a special assessment. In fact, there has not been a special assessment for 30+ years. The board is in the middle of completing a balcony reconstruction project that will be finished 2021, again without a special assessment. Due to the studied funding of reserves by the boards and conservative fiscal management, assessments have increase by a total of only 2.0% from 2014 through 2019. Beware of other condo properties touting low assessments. This is undoubtedly a harbinger for surprise special assessments.

Okay these guys are cold-blooded people (the administration). They're 1 of those people that don't…read morewant to give you a chance to present your side of the story. They're like people where all the friends and useful people in their life, have already been introduced and networked in their life. I was trying to inquire about an incident that happened in the building in 1997, and they had this to say: "We have no interest in participating or answering your questions. You are not a client, resident, owner or vendor. Also, the door staff has been instructed NOT to continue any dialogue with you. I understand that you also have been questioning the door staff at the building. Further communication from you will be considered harassment of our staff. [...] We can be of no help to you."

One of the worst rental experiences I've ever endured. The property manager routinely takes…read moreadvantage of their tenants, many of whom are lower income people of color and don't speak English as a first language. I moved to 850 W. Margate in July and have experienced the water being shut off numerous occasions without notice. The manager claims this is due to rusty pipes, but sees no reason/need to replace them. I routinely see cockroaches in the hallway, even though an "exterminator" comes once a month to spray. I'm have filed numerous complaints at both the city and state level. DO NOT RENT FROM THIS COMPANY.

I moved to this unit three days ago, and there were two cockroaches and the water in the shower (to…read morethis day) is still not coming out. I called him about it and he treated me like I was crazy. He was a total a**hole and said that if I was unhappy, I could go somewhere else. Or that I would have to fix it myself. I still can't tell from the call today (my third call about the issue), if he's going to send someone. How come I have to wait THREE DAYS for water to come out of the shower IN MY HOME? And I have to fear that cockcroaches will come necause no matter how clean I am, th building's first floor is full of bugs and cockroaches. That I can see. On the walls. For your own mental health, do not move to 850 W Margate Terrace. It's also very humid and hot inside for no reason (which justifies why there are so many bugs). I'd say don't rent for him. He's incredibly disrispectful, does not care about the leasees needs, and might not actually take care of any issues you will encounter. I'm already regretting having signed the lease to this place and not reading yelp reviews beforehand.

I'll never rent from anyone else in Chicago & here's why:…read more--staff some of the first to wear masks --quick responses for maintenance requests --great communication in tough times --neighbors friendly (but staying out of each other's way in 2020) --many bilingual folks on staff --very low costs for utilities not already covered --grounds always beautiful & trash-free

I've lived in one of their buildings for 13 years, first in a studio, then a one bedroom. Ardmore…read moreWinthrop Properties sets the bar and sets it high for what being great property managers and landlords looks like. Incredibly attentive and responsive staff, from the office to the maintenance folks. They're proactive about health and safety concerns. They make it a point to replace all smoke detector batteries twice a year and offer complimentary preventative pest control (always with advance notice and signs posted letting you know it's going to be happening, and they always make sure to ask if you have pets that they need to be careful not to let out when they enter) - they keep the building extremely clean. I see the cleaning person around the building doing her thing almost every day. It's also the most festive building I've ever lived in. Every month they put up new decorations (and sometimes candy) for holidays in the entryways, lobby, even on each floor. And they keep a ton of beautiful plants and a water feature in the lobby and laundry room. Everyone is very friendly. When you run into the maintenance person, he always takes a moment to ask how everything is going on your floor/in your apartment and maybe share some fun facts about the building's design. If you have an issue or concern about something, they respond right away. They send you holiday and birthday cards and have been offering free laundry on site throughout the pandemic. The laundry room is huge with 6 washers (most brand new) and 8 dryers. They do everything they can to make receiving packages easy and secure for their tenants. If you're looking to rent in the Edgewater neighborhood, do yourself a favor and ask Ardmore Winthrop Properties for a tour of one of their buildings.

Joe and the team at Property Rocks are extremely helpful and valuable. Real estate is a tough…read morebusiness. Looking for a place to live is not always as easy as looking up an address in Zillow (or your favorite app) and packing your stuff. Especially in a city like Chicago, having a veteran who knows the market intimately and who has a good heart can save you hours of time and lots of money. I tried to find some places on my own before I met Joe. My wife and I toured the locations that looked promising from my internet search. In reality, the areas I picked were so terrifying that she wouldn't leave the car and spent a few hours crying. It was horrible. Had I met Joe before, I could have avoided that whole mess and focused in quickly on the locations that provided real value without making my wife cry. A true real estate professional is a special breed of person. They live and breathe this stuff. They know the buildings, the neighborhoods, and subtleties of what it's like to live in an area and can match your personality to what it is you are looking for. They treat your search as though they were looking for themselves and will advise you thoughtfully, like a good friend. The best of them make this process feel effortless even though it takes hours and may not result in a huge transaction. They put in the time and effort because they love what they do. That's the kind of person you want on your side. That's Joe his team at Property Rocks. Amazing agents make you feel like they are working exclusively for you and even though they have many clients and plenty of work to do, they still find time to go the extra mile, no mater who you are. If you are looking to move to the Chicago area or are even considering it, call Property Rocks. You will save hours of time and get what you want faster than trying to figure it out for yourself. You will be happy with the result!

We'd give Joe 7 stars if we could. From the get go, Joe was attentive, courteous, and totally…read moreprofessional. Such a refreshing change from the sales-y or overly pushy brokers you encounter everywhere. Joe listened to what we wanted and ended up showing us exactly what we were looking for. He supported the process with the new building from beginning to end and made us feel like we always had somebody in our court. Having clearly spent a long career building relationships with various buildings and leasing companies, Joe leverages those relationships to the benefit of his clients, who are spared the grief of dealing with shady or unscrupulous landlords. We can't recommend Joe enough for anyone looking for a new home or apartment.

Well the day finally came when The Queen made her move to get her own place. The building that she…read morewas interested in was literally down the street from us, so brand spanking new and no need for a moving truck. The property is managed by Root Property Group and I have to say the entire experience, from viewing the units to moving in was a great experience. The agent that we met with (Mark) was very pleasant as he showed us around the property to view the different layouts of the units. He was very responsive and accommodating as there was another woman doing a virtual tour along with us. Mark was great, showing us around as well as answering the questions. After viewing the unit that The Queen actually ended up moving into, she told Mark she was interested in submitting an application that day. While we were leaving soon for Mexico, The Queen did not want to wait and asked Mark if he could send it to her while in Mexico. Mark responded immediately and even answered questions while we were in Mexico. On moving day, The Queen and I went to the property office to get the keys and such to move in. The folks in the office were friendly and thorough, explaining the move in process, showing the assigned parking spaces, etc. After The Queen moved in, there were a few things in the unit that needed attending to, and the management team was responsive and got the issues fixed. To date, whenever The Queen has had any questions, Root has been responsive. The one thing all of us love about the way they are managing the building is that they have security all over the place. Entry into the building requires a FOB and/or app to get in, as well as getting into the elevator, the mailroom and garage. There are also cameras in the hallways. The Queen and I are very happy with the way Root has been responding to her inquiries as well as mine.

This place has gone downhill so fast, it's astounding. Had great service for years until end of…read more2021. Would avoid renting from them until they get their act together again - if that's even possible. Honestly, would have given a glowing review up until winter of last year and called them a "family-feeling" management company; not sure what happened to turn them into yet another landlord/property management company trying to squeeze every last dollar out of their tenants and their tenancy. Broken washer/dryer that had notice put in the second week of January did not get replaced until the last week of April. After repeated communication, we were ghosted about the issue only to find out that our property manager had left and we had a new person. Think that would be something the tenants should be aware of! I could write a whole novel on how abysmal their service was with the washer/dryer situation; everything from poor communication to the installers arriving at our apartment at 7am on a weekday with no notice from the management company to both tenants to the installers having to do the whole thing again (7:30am the next day, still with no warning, but, hey, extra half an hour!) because Root ordered the wrong washer/dryer. Currently, the new appliances don't even fit the space and the accordion door had to be removed to "fit" it. Unsurprisingly, the doors are still sitting in our apartment since Root has not removed them. The company did the absolute bare minimum to "make it up to us" for all of the inconvenience. On top of this, after giving our Notice to Vacate we continued to receive messages that bordered on harassment via email and text about renewing our lease and how a new lease would be sent over when it was abundantly clear we were not reupping. Icing on the cake is being told that our place is too "cluttered" for showings when all we're trying to do is move, clear out every nook and cranny of our stuff, and get as far away from Root as possible. I genuinely am astounded at their reaction to what a living space in the middle of a move looked like. Though the leasing agent (who showed up after his agreed upon time and with no advance warning of being late) continued to insist it was "all transactional" and "just business," I'm deeply offended at how he continued to mention cleaning the place to look presentable for Root and their needs while his tone cast aspersions and disparagement for what is a situational living arrangement. None of this is touching, either, on the back stairwell that took months to fix and was a legitimate safety hazard. Every interaction with them this past year has been heavily about what is best for Root and the Root property. Utterly astounding that the property manager, when speaking to us about the washer/dryer situation, mentioned how great the washer/dryer was and that it's one that will be good for a long time. That might have been helpful had we not had it installed a few weeks before preparing to leave the place. We offered to break the lease and/or leave early due to moving into a new property, but Root would rather get their money and continue to bombard us with asinine emails and requests. I cannot fathom any other reason than them just wanting to get their rent money that they would not take us up on leaving early. Considering it would have been a whole month where they could take their staging photos - which the property manager, when asked, mentioned they did not have any previous on file simply because he didn't know why - and fix their broken washer/dryer while doing any other updates to the space they might have felt were necessary (the kitchen appliances are outdated as well, so good luck to whomever has to wait four+ months to get them fixed when they inevitably die), it seems like a no-brainer. We would not have gone through any of this hassle, not be leaving with an extremely sour taste in our mouths about Root, and this review would have gone differently. I'm just amazed at how a company that I had such positive and tenant-first interactions with when I moved in two years ago (and heard the same from my boyfriend about his four years before that) has become a standard leasing company interested in what is best for their property, which itself is debatable. I cannot stress how happy I will be to be done with them. One positive from all of this is the urgency with which it's inspired us to move out.