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Leasing Questions - Prospective Tenants

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    		•  How do I find an apartment with JHM&Co.?
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    		•  When is the best time to look for apartments with JHM&Co.?
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    		•  Does JHM&Co. cooperate with apartment brokers or finder's agents?
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    		•  How much does JHM&Co. charge to apply for an apartment?
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    		•  How can I see an apartment I found on the JHM&Co. website that I am interested in?
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    		•  How can I take an apartment I saw that I am interested in "off the market"?
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    		•  Do I need to see an apartment before I can apply for it?
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    		•  How do I apply for an apartment?
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    		•  What does the $35.00 nonrefundable application fee cover, and why is it nonrefundable?
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    		•  What factors are considered in approving my apartment application?
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    		•  What is a Guarantor?
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    		•  What information may I be asked to provide in order to verify my income?
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    		•  Will the first applicant with their "foot in the door" get the apartment?
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    		•  What pets can I have in my apartment?
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    		•  How can I get a parking spot?
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    		•  Can I negotiate the terms in my Lease or other special requests for my apartment?
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    		•  My Application for Lease has been approved. Now what?
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    		•  How do I get utilities put in my name?
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    		•  Can I move into my apartment early, before my Lease starts?
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    		•  How do I pick up keys to my apartment?



    Leasing Questions - Prospective Tenants

  •  
    		•  How do I find an apartment with JHM&Co.?
    Search our online Apartment Database to find apartments available now or that will be available in the next 60 days. Our listings are updated daily! Or, browse our JHM Buildings page for information on all the buildings we manage. If you would like further information on an apartment, or cannot find the information you are looking for on our website, please feel free to call the Leasing Department at 312/944-2700 x265.
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    		•  When is the best time to look for apartments with JHM&Co.?
    We begin showing our apartments 60 days before the current Lease is to expire. Therefore, the best time to look for an apartment with a Lease starting May 1 or October 1, for example, is the first week in March or the first week in August, respectively.
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    		•  Does JHM&Co. cooperate with apartment brokers or finder's agents?
    Yes. Our Leasing Department will cooperate with any apartment broker or finder's agent acting on behalf of a tenant, but we cannot offer him or her a commission. In special circumstances we sometimes hire apartment brokers to market our apartments; however, when we do so it is always subject to a written Listing Agreement.
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    		•  How much does JHM&Co. charge to apply for an apartment?
    We charge one-month's rent in the form of a cashier's check, money order or certified check for most Tenants with good credit, employment, and landlord references.
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    		•  How can I see an apartment I found on the JHM&Co. website that I am interested in?
    If you are interested in seeing an apartment listed here, please call our Leasing Department at 312/944-2700 x265 to find out when the apartment will be shown and to schedule an appointment. Our apartments are shown by appointment, in the early evenings on weekdays and also on Saturday mornings.
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    		•  How can I take an apartment I saw that I am interested in "off the market"?
    You can take an apartment "off the market" by submitting at least one completed and signed Application for Lease, an application fee, and first month's rent in the form of a cashier's check, money order or certified check for the apartment to our Leasing Department. Please note, however, that once you submit a completed application, your first month's rent will be forfeited if you decide later not to sign a Lease for the apartment.
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    		•  Do I need to see an apartment before I can apply for it?
    Yes. We do not rent apartments site unseen because we wish to avoid the remote possibility that you will not like the apartment once you have signed the Lease and paid rent for the apartment. This way, you will know what you are getting when you sign the Lease, and you avoid being financially responsible for an apartment you may not like.
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    		•  How do I apply for an apartment?
    In order to apply for an apartment, you must submit to our office, either in person or by mail: A) First month's rent in the form of a cashier's check, certified check or money order, B) completed and signed Applications for Lease and $35.00 nonrefundable application fees for each person who will be on the Lease, and C) valid photo identification. Please note that we cannot take an apartment "off the market" until we receive the first month's rent and at least one completed and signed Application for Lease and application fee.
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    		•  What does the $35.00 nonrefundable application fee cover, and why is it nonrefundable?
    Our application fee covers our costs to screen you as a Tenant. This includes not only the credit report fee, but also the time our staff must take to collect and verify the information on your application and make a decision on your application. Therefore, the $35.00 fee is nonrefundable because we incur the costs of processing your application regardless of whether your apartment application is approved or declined.
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    		•  What factors are considered in approving my apartment application?
    JHM&Co. is an equal opportunity Landlord and does not discriminate against any class protected by law. Applications for Leases are approved or declined based upon an applicant's income, credit profile, employment history, and former landlord references.
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    		•  What is a Guarantor?
    A Guarantor, or cosigner, is a person who guarantees your performance of the covenants in the Lease, such as paying rent. If you are in default under the Lease, you and your Guarantor will be held financially responsible.
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    		•  What information may I be asked to provide in order to verify my income?
    In order to verify your income, we ask you to provide the name of an employment verifier (your supervisor or a human resources representative from your company) on your Application for Lease. If your employment verifier cannot verify your income, you may be asked to provide one of the following forms of income verification:
    a) no less than two of your most recent pay stubs
    b) a copy of your most recent IRS Form W-2
    c) a copy of your most recent IRS Form 1040
    d) a signed letter from your C.P.A. on letterhead
    e) a signed letter from your Trustee, if you are the beneficiary of a Trust
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    		•  Will the first applicant with their "foot in the door" get the apartment?
    No. Please note that we do not rent apartments on a first-come, first-served basis. Once an application and deposit has been submitted for an apartment, there will be a short window of opportunity for others to apply for the same apartment. If multiple applications are received for the same apartment, we will choose the strongest application from those received. If your application is strong but is declined under this scenario, we may offer you another comparable apartment that we manage if there is one available. Otherwise, we will return your first month's rent to you.
  •  
    		•  What pets can I have in my apartment?
    Cats are welcome at all of our buildings, and dogs are allowed at some buildings, subject to weight limits. Please note that all pets must be approved by us in advance, in writing. Please see the JHM Buildings page for your building, or the building you are considering moving into, for more information.
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    		•  How can I get a parking spot?
    If parking is offered at your building, please call our Leasing Department at 312/944-2700 to check availability. Since many of our buildings are in popular areas where parking is at a premium, there may be a waitlist for parking. Parking spots are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and current Tenants are given priority over non-residents.
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    		•  Can I negotiate the terms in my Lease or other special requests for my apartment?
    Yes, depending on the reasonableness of your request. If you have a request to modify the terms in your Lease or other special requests concerning your apartment, please make your request in writing via email to herb@jhmproperties.com.
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    		•  My Application for Lease has been approved. Now what?
    Once your application has been approved by our office, you will be sent a Lease Packet which will contain all paperwork to be signed, as well as any information you will need for your move-in. Please read your entire Lease Packet carefully, since many of our Tenants' most common questions are answered here. You will need to return to our office all copies of your signed paperwork before you can move into your new apartment.
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    		•  How do I get utilities put in my name?
    To put utilities in your name, we recommend that you contact the appropriate utility companies at least one week before you move into your apartment. The utility companies that you need to contact can be found on the Welcome Letter that came with your Lease Packet. Or, please see our Moving Information page.
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    		•  Can I move into my apartment early, before my Lease starts?
    No. Unless the apartment you are moving into is completely vacant well in advance, a current Tenant probably has a Lease for and is paying rent for your apartment until the day before your Lease starts. We cannot allow you to move into the apartment until the current Tenant has moved out, turned over possession of the apartment to us, and we have done whatever work is required in the apartment before your move-in. You will be allowed to move in the earlier of: A) the date we complete our work in the apartment and it is ready for your occupancy; or B) the start date of your Lease. For this reason, we cannot arrange an early move-in date for new Tenants, and for planning purposes, you should plan to move in on the start date of your Lease.
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    		•  How do I pick up keys to my apartment?
    Please contact your building janitor in advance, at the phone number provided in the Welcome Letter that came with your Lease Packet, to arrange an appointment to pick up keys.
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