Property Owner FAQs
General Info
We are a boutique brokerage headquartered in Chicago at 1449 S Michigan Ave. While our heart is in neighborhoods like Wrigleyville and Lakeview, we provide comprehensive property management and real estate services throughout the entire Chicago land area and south suburbs.
Whether you are a seasoned investor, accidental landlord or just acquired your first rental property, we can help guide you through your Real Estate journey. We can manage your current properties, help grow your portfolio, or optimize your current portfolio with a 1031 exchange. We manage all types of residential and commercial properties.
Our approach is built on “developing lifelong relationships rooted in exceptional service”. Unlike large, impersonal firms, we leverage a “Proven Process” that focuses on owner alignment, financial clarity, and asset optimization. We maintain 5-star ratings on platforms like Yelp and Zillow because we treat every property as a wealth-building asset.
We use AppFolio, the industry standard. This provides a seamless online portal for both owners and tenants. Tenants can pay rent and submit maintenance tickets 24/7, while owners can access monthly financial reports and real-time portfolio data.
Our standard services cover the full lifecycle of property oversight:
Rent Collection: Seamless online payments via the tenant portal.
24/7 Maintenance: Coordination of all emergency and routine repairs.
Financial Reporting: Detailed monthly statements, including P&L and rent rolls.
Contract Management: Coordinating pest control, janitorial, snow removal, and landscaping.
ROI Optimization: Recommending unit updates to maximize your rental returns.
Bill Pay: Optional payment of property taxes, insurance, and utilities on your behalf.
Our rates are competitive and based on the location, size, and age of the property.
Monthly Management: Typically 8–10% of gross rent.
Tenant Placement: A one-time fee equal to one month’s rent.
Lease Renewals: A flat fee of $150.
Onboarding: $250 per unit, which can be fully waived over 10 months of consistent service.
We have deep expertise in the Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO), the Safe Homes Act, and the Cook County Just Housing Amendment. We handle all required disclosures (lead-based paint, radon, and flood plains) to ensure your property remains compliant and protected from legal liability.
Yes. We specialize in being the “boots on the ground” for investors living outside of Illinois. We handle everything from the initial property walkthrough to attending city hearings and overseeing capital improvement projects.
No. We only manage properties with 12 month leasing terms. No short term rentals or AirBNBs.
In compliance with the RLTO, we generally do not hold security deposits. Instead, we typically utilize a one-time, non-refundable move-in fee. This simplifies the move-in process while ensuring full compliance with Chicago’s strict interest-bearing account requirements.
Most Cook County suburbs require a rental license and inspection before you can legally collect rent. Be Realty manages the entire process, from scheduling to compliance documentation, ensuring you stay within municipal codes and avoid costly fines.
Leasing & Screening
If we price the rental rate to be in tune with what is going on in the local market and the property shows well we can generally rent your home in 3-4 weeks.
We encourage owners to keep all options open. Many quality tenants do have pets. We do charge tenants a separate monthly pet rent for both dogs and cats.
This will be handled on a case by case basis. If there is an opportunity to rent your property faster and obtain a high quality tenant, we are open to that option.
We conduct credit, eviction, and background checks on every applicant while carefully complying with Fair Housing Laws.
What questions do you have?
We’re standing by ready to earn your business. Click the button below to contact us and get in touch. We can’t wait to answer your questions.