Krenger Real Estate

Krenger is the best. If you have not experienced a landlord that is there for you, addresses needs quickly and has an extremely friendly staff then I recommend renting with Krenger — you won’t be disappointed. I’ve been renting with them for over 8 years in two different locations and I have never had a request or need that wasn’t immediately addressed. The staff there (Jim, Ruth, Carmen, Cesar, etc) are some of the nicest people to deal with. Would happily recommend them and their buildings to anyone!

I have rented from Krenger for a little over four years now, and I have never had an issue with them. This doesn’t mean I’ve never had issues with my apartment (it’s been four years, after all, sometimes things break or wear out, things change, etc.), but every communication I’ve had with them has been SO EASY. They are just really reasonable, understanding, and lovely people. I doubt I will ever again find landlords as great as they are.

Krenger is the real deal. I’ve been renting from them for over 3 years now and I’ve heard nothing but horror stories from my friends who rent through other leasing agencies. Krenger has gone above and beyond for me on numerous occasions. They are extremely quick to fix or attend to anything that needs to be looked at and let you live your life without being intrusive. I HIGHLY recommend these guys! Prices are cheaper than most as well.
A+++

These guys are 100% perfect. Awesome communication, attentive to every request, super friendly even. They genuinely care about the property. Such a gem of an apartment. I can’t imagine being happier as a renter!

These guys have been amazing. The application, approval, and move-​in process has been seamless and wonderful. They even surprised us on move-​in day – with a new kitchen and bathroom! We couldn’t be happier or more impressed. Our landlord greeted us on move-​in day and was incredibly nice and helpful. They repainted and detailed everything. Bravo!
I am in property management myself; they’re one of the few non-​hirise companies doing annual bug inspections. Most companies do nothing until there is a problem. This level of attention is fantastic to me. Thank you!

I have lived in a Krenger building for the past three years and it has been, hand’s down, my favorite management company that I have dealt with in Chicago. They have been completely responsive to any issue that I’ve had with my place and the folks who I have dealt with in the office (Jim, Marty, Cesar) always were pleasant, helpful, and quick to respond. They went out of their way to accommodate me on numerous occasions.

My wife and I lived in Chicago for 10 years. The last two years were with a building owned with the Krenger Company. I have never been so respected as a tenant. Once our water heater broke and they came and fixed in within 2 hours. Ruth is incredible at what she does, and she made our last years in Chicago some of the best. You will not find a better landlord in the city.

I lived in a Krenger Real Estate building in the 90s (915 West Cornelia Apt 2A if anyone currently lives in my former pad– looks like one of the photos on Unilocal is my old apartment). I really enjoyed my experience renting with Krenger.
Marty Krenger & his dad were great landlords & the courtyard & common areas were well-​maintained and lent a true community feel among the residents on a tree-​lined street 2 blocks to the El. It was an ideal– and idyllic– setting in the heart of Wrigleyville.
While the kitchen was kind of shabby, the bathroom had no window & they’d walled up the living room to create a small second bedroom towards the back of the unit, the apartment was pleasant and I never had a maintenance or any other issue with Krenger. In fact, they refunded my entire security deposit although we were quite meticulous about cleaning when we moved out of places, I admit.
I still miss the wide windowsill under the huge living room window that overlooked the serene courtyard; it was almost deep enough to be considered a window seat. My lazy cat spent countless hours sunning himself or sitting there, hissing and waiting to pounce, while being tormented by the squirrels playing in the trees.
Of the many places I rented across the country, my experience renting with Krenger was one of the best.
I hope my experience will be the same for you.

A truly great family run real Estate boutique that meets your needs from parking to apartment rentals. We have rented from them for over 3 years and have had nothing but a wonderful experience.

I’ve only lived in their apartments for 3 months, but so far everything has been extremely positive.
In the stress of moving, the folks in the office were friendly and helpful, getting all my paperwork processed really quickly.
Upon moving in, we had water pressure/​temperature problems, that got taken care of the very next morning.
On Thanksgiving (of all days) we had a fuse blow in our bathroom, and the hot water heater go on the fritz. After calling them at 9 am, everything was fixed to perfection by noon.
They have been nothing but friendly and helpful so far, I’m not moving for quite awhile!

WORST MOVE OUT EVER. I’ve lived in Krenger apartments for 3 years and always had pleasant things to say. UNTIL it came to arrange my move out.
My lease ends ⁰⁸⁄₃₁. They call me on ⁰⁸⁄₂₄ to ask when I’ll be moving out. I tell them I’ll move out at ⁰⁹⁄₀₁ at 9AM. They say that’s fine. Then they call me on ⁰⁸⁄₂₇ and tell me the new tenant desperately needs to move in before that and is there any way I can move out sooner. It really is impossible for me to do so, so they tell me to move all of my stuff into another vacant apartment in the building. «Even if the new tenant has to move in at midnight, that’s fine. She’s really insisting that she has a legal right to the apartment starting then and needs to move in then.» They tell me I can start moving into the vacant apartment «at my leisure» and that I can «take my time,» as long as the new tenant is able to get in at midnight on the 31^st.
That’s a huge inconvenience, because I’m essentially moving twice, but I agree to it. On 08/​30, I come home to find that someone has entered my apartment without my permission and WITHOUT NOTICE, and has moved things around to clean. Then, today, on 08/​31, at 9:30AM, Jim Bishop from their office calls me and asks me if I’m done moving out yet. I tell him no, because I thought I had until midnight, because that’s what I was told (and what is my legal right). Then, they have me speak to Carmen in the office. Carmen tells me they really need to get someone in there to clean before 3:30pm and is there any way I can get all of my stuff out of there by then. NO, not possible, because I’m at work. I keep trying to explain to her that I cannot be out of the apartment any sooner than midnight, and she keeps insisting that they need to get in there and clean. We go back and forth for 10 minutes, the whole time she’s insisting that I’m being inflexible. (I’m not, I just literally have no time to finish up packing). Then she tells me that they are doing me a big favor by having people clean because they normally charge $ 66/​hr for that service. NO, you’re not doing me a favor, because I’m willing to clean it myself for free, if they’d be willing to give me until midnight. Then she ends the conversation.
Then, about 10 minutes later, a different woman from the office calls (didn’t catch her name), to tell me again that they need to clean and I need to get my stuff out of there. I try to explain to her again that I cannot be out any sooner, and then she’s starts getting accusatory and asking me ‘Well, then why did you think we let you use that vacant apartment to move your stuff into? What did you think the point of that was?” I thought the point was to let the new tenant move in at midnight, WHICH I’M STILL DOING. Then she insists that I let their workers finish packing my belongings. I’m uncomfortable with this, because I still have some personal items (i.e. clothes) laying around the apartment. She got huffy about that, and reiterated that I should let their workers pack my stuff and clean.
After explaining that this was impossible to THREE PEOPLE for the umpteenth time, I got upset, and started getting loud on the phone. This is finally when she gave up and said «You’re clearly upset by this, so just forget it.» Well, glad they finally dropped it after making me go through this with three different people.
I’m mostly upset by the aggressive way they handled this, and by their clear lack of communication skills. If it was so darn important to have me out by 3:30 on 08/​31, they should have communicated this with me earlier (like when I told them my move out date was going to be ⁰⁹⁄₀₁). That would have made it possible for me to work something out. Calling me at 9:30am to tell me you need me out by 3:30pm is unacceptable.

WITHOUT NOTICE, the management entered an apartment at Cornelia and Halsted «to do some cleaning in your apartment around the belongings to get a jump start.» A «favor» or not, that’s illegal.
See this if you have this problem:

This is my first and last Krenger apartment! There is an infestation of mice here at 5539 N. Kenmore Ave. I refuse to live among rodents and surely refuse to pay to live in a place where the owner could care less about the rodent problem!!! In the past three months my partner and I have complained to management about the mice and they have failed to do anything about it. The only thing they could do was put down glue traps! However it doesn’t rectify the problem. We have caught a total of 6 mice! This is unacceptable and we’re currently looking for a new place of residence. If anyone know of a RODENT FREE residence and RELIABLE LANDLORD please send us a referral!

The word «landlord» makes me picture a large man with a beard & a booming voice, holding a gavel while saying «YOU! You must live here & abide by MY rules!» but, I digress…
I’ve rented a fair share of apartments over the years (I think Krenger is landlord number 8 at the moment) so I feel like I can give a fair report of how good or bad a landlord is. That being said, Krenger kicks major booty as a landlord in my humble opinion.
I’ve lived in a Lakeview building for a little over a year now, and there have been a few bumps along the way (fried electronics because of a maintenance mishap, quarters sometimes eaten by washers/​dryers, the occasional nasty sighting of house centipedes)… BUT… any & all problems have always been taken care of VERY quickly & kindly by Krenger (save for that centipede thing, but I’ve just come to understand that is part of having a Lakeview apartment. I’ve YET to find a vintage building without those nasty bitches). Krenger does have an exterminator out once a month, but I’ve just succumbed to the fact that those things are indestructible (unless you’re crafty, and use a long-​handled Swiffer® covered with a paper towel and a side of girly screaming to kill them like I do).
During the 2011 Snowtorious B.I.G., yes, we were out of power/​heat for quite some time (13ish hours, not that I was counting)… but I chalk that up to nature and not Krenger specifically. They were out there shoveling our courtyard’s sidewalk every few hours during the snowfall and everything kicked back on sooner than I even expected.
My place is gorgeous, on a top floor, all-​hardwood floors, a big kitchen, a huge dining/​living room, biggest bedroom I’ve ever had (same goes for the bathroom), and they installed new kitchen cabinets AND a dishwasher (SCORE!) without upping my rent or massively inconveniencing me. Even the grounds of the building are gorgeous, all is landscaped with giant plants and trees… I love coming home and seeing that. I also really LOVE that they don’t allow dogs in their buildings. For one, I’m severely allergic to dogs, so that works out, but the best part is that the entrance/​yard doesn’t have that nasty dog pee & poo smell like some of the other Lakeview buildings I’ve lived in.
Everyone I’ve ever encountered in the office has been friendly, and that is something I appreciate even more than my apartment itself. When I read the reviews or web-​postings about the rude staff, major bug infestations (again, a few freaking house centipedes… they’re the only thing ruining my glowing review), etc., I’m always wondering if these people are talking about the same company I am.
I do wish there was some sort of a recycling facility on premises, blue carts, blue bags, something, but that’s the city of Chicago’s fault and not Krenger’s. Hey, Rahm. Get on that. Thanks.
I just wish I would have found this apartment YEARS ago, then maybe I’d only be on landlord number 4.

I lived in a Krenger apartment at Byron and Damon for 7 months. It was a 3^rd level, 2 bedroom at $ 1000 a month. I really enjoyed the apartment and particularly its location. We never had a problem with bugs, and the company sent a guy to spray for bugs several times while we were living there.
My lease was for one year, but after 7 months I decided to move to Kansas City. I called Krenger and they were really nice about it. They said I could either try to find someone to take over my lease or I could pay them to advertise and give tours. I asked them about a sub-​lease and told them that I really didn’t want to have to do a sub-​lease, and they were completely fine with having someone completely take over without me being held accountable for their actions.
They made it very clear to me when I applied for the apartment, and when I started showing the apartment to other people, that the applications were taken on a first-​come, first-​served basis. How else would they run it? It doesn’t seem to make sense to me to just pick an application out of a hat. I think it’s a pretty fair way to run their business and it makes sense to me.
For the most part, maintenance calls were taken care of the day or next day after I called. The one exception was a week before I moved out when they had turned off the heat because it was 75 degrees outside, and a few days later it dropped and the temperature in my apartment was 58 degrees. I called twice about it and never heard back, but moved out two days later.
My one complaint about them is that they don’t allow dogs (and I now have two). Otherwise, if I ever move back to Chicago, I’d definitely live in one of their properties again.

Every property management company has minor hiccups and issues. Reading the other reviews of Krenger I am shocked that they are talking about the same company that I love so dearly. If you take the time to work with a management company (and also understand that you are one of may people renting) about an issue it will get resolved. I have never seen any sort of bug in my building and I appreciate the very friendly exterminating guy who comes once a month. I also think that the value of apartment that you get for the money is superb and that the appropriate amount of upkeep is done to the buildings. As far as bedbugs… they happen. There is very little that a management company can do to prevent the problem and they are hard to get rid of. I recently stayed at a super posh resort that had a bedbug outbreak. Invest $ 5 in a bedbug proof covering for your mattress and just keep an eye out.
I would very much recommend Krenger to anyone looking for a nice, middle of the road apartment experience.
The guys who keep up the apartments are friendly. I always keep some cokes in the fridge and offer them one… and it is important to remember to tip building staff to say thanks at the holidays and when they go out of the way for you. Most people in rental buildings don’t think about doing it and it makes everyone love you.
What other landlord calls you up to ask about gardening and suggest that you meet another tenant with the same interests? I won’t be leaving any time soon…

I lived at 722 W. Waveland and I loved almost every minute of it. There were some spiders and house centipedes, but hey, it’s a huge, hard wood floored apartment. You have to take the good with the bad.
My apartment was gorgeous, and the staff and maintenance crews were amazing. They even put some of my wall hangings up for me, and said they would put on doorknobs I wanted (I bought them) during the slow season. When they were showing me the apartment, Tony actually let me go back and forth between the apartments I was considering twice. And there were three of them. They give you the first month of late fee for free, and don’t give you attitude or slip a nasty note under your door as long as you let them know.
Tons of closet space, a huge living room, bedroom, a butler’s pantry and a decent kitchen. The bathroom had an extra vanity counter, mirror and storage.
I definitely miss my gorgeous (pseudo) pre-​war apartment.
I would live in another one of their properties in a heartbeat, but I’m in love with West Town. It would be hard to get me to move back east.

I enjoyed my time as a tenant in a Krenger apartment. I never had any big problems with my apartment that weren’t fixed in a reasonable time frame, and they were always able to give me guest parking in my lot when i requested it.
I think I came and left at a good time tho. I put down a security deposit and mid-​term of my lease, they refunded it in full, as they were no longer asking for deposits on new leases… sweet!
One of the only things that saddened me about the place is they do not allow doggies (which understandably occurs in most rentals) This is why I only REALLY lived there 6 months, and then basically lived with the BF and paid rent on a virtually empty apt for the remainder of the time.
I would recommend friends to check out my old digs as a new home for themselves. Krenger is A-​OK in my books.

UPDATE: In the past few weeks, the service has really stepped up, so I have given them an extra star.
Whether the dryers work is still a crap shoot.
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I am increasingly appalled at the service that is coming from Krenger. I’ve been with them for a few years now, and the first year was great. Actually first year and a half or so. Excellent service/​response. Always-​friendly employees.
I don’t know if they hired new people, but since then, the service has been increasingly terrible. If I call the office to request maintenance or to report something, I am met with indifference/​mumbling and only a few words. Something to the effect of «What’s the issue? Where do you live? Bye.» I understand that time is money, and sure, the request is taken care of, but I feel completely worthless in their eyes.
Furthermore, I write this review at midnight because I am waiting for my laundry to be finished. Twice today I have had to restart the dryers because they just stop. The light is on, but the dryer is not working, effectively wasting my time and money.
Another instance: The dryer vents were detached from the wall recently because an extension cord needed to be run through the exhaust hole to the outdoors. OK, fine. I can accept that… for maybe a day. It was still this way after two days! I had to try and correct it myself, but it didn’t stick.
And one more instance: Someone was pressure washing the deck out back. Again, fine, thank you. But then the person decided to wash the windows, apparently. The window was open because it was hot out, and if I hadn’t been home, I would have come home to a soaking mess in my apartment.
When my lease is up, I will be looking elsewhere, if not breaking it so I can get out of here. Although now I am afraid, given lee’s comments about the security deposit.
What happen Krenger? You used to be such a good proeprty management company.
I give 2 stars just because of my first experiences.

My boyfriend and I are moving to Chicago in July. We toured several apartments in March, including one under Krenger management. It was in the perfect location and the price was more than reasonable. That being said, I checked their website every day in hopes that an apartment would be available in July.
The moment I saw the listing on their website, I frantically made my boyfriend complete the application. He tried faxing on Saturday, but they failed to receive it. He faxed the application successfully on Monday and mailed a money order worth $ 250 for the administration fee. The apartment wouldn’t be shown until Wednesday, so the money order will arrive on Thursday.
He received a call on Wednesday informing him that the apartment has already been taken. Someone else already paid them the administration fee. That’s it and that’s all. My boyfriend was reluctant to tell me, and for good reason. I was much more angry than he was. I was pretty sure that, with the application in their hands and a money order arriving, we would be first in line for that apartment. Indeed we were (with the application), but not with the money.
We are from Washington, DC for fuck’s sake. Any mail (Priority or First Class) takes three days to get to Chicago. Was it our mistake to not overnight the money order? I didn’t feel it was necessary at the time. There was no way the money could’ve gotten there on Wednesday unless one of us flew to Chicago. That’s absolutely impractical. There is no instant transaction that involves money orders or checks. Like all management companies, they don’t accept that form of payment. Even if my boyfriend did mail the money order early, they still won’t hold apartments.
They disregarded our application completely and stated that it was prerogative that the administration fee was paid first. In other words, it doesn’t fucking matter if you sent the application and other required forms. They just want that money, which is a mere $ 250. That amount is really not much for a real estate company to get greedy over.
«I understand, but that’s our policy». WHAT POLICIES? They didn’t inform us of ANY policies. They have a bias system because it favors locals and disadvantages out of towners by making their process of getting an apartment more difficult. Before today, they «graciously» will inform us of any future availabilities. Fuck that. By the time our money order gets to their office, someone else will take the apartment.
In the end, the apartment was not worth dealing with these greedy SOBs. If they are so damn stringent about their «policies», then who would want them as their landlord? It doesn’t matter how much we wanted the apartment, how frantically we rushed to get the apartment, nothing. It’s whoever gives them the money first. They don’t give a damn about anything else, and they certainly don’t give a damn about you.
I am absolutely appalled by their inconsideration, indifference and their greed. No matter of reason will work with these people. They only care about the bottom line. They are what is wrong with this world — They aren’t interested in helping people, only in finding another sucker to hand them the cash.