I’ve been in the market for rental apartments and homes at various points in my life. I’ve lived in everything from studio apartments to five-bedroom houses. I’ve never felt like I’ve overpaid or left feeling ‘stuck’ in a lease that I couldn’t wait to finish. I feel like I’m a bit of a pro at finding the right rental property at this point.

The first step in researching which rental property is right for you is to set a budget. I know budgets can be thrown out the window when you start looking at properties, so it’s important to try to stick to a comfortable price range.

Let’s say that you’re a single guy who is in the market for a one-bedroom apartment. According to Zumper, the average rent for Chicago is $1,425. This is a 3% decrease from last year. Of course is depends which neighborhood you’re looking at, but that’s a fair average price to live within the Loop.

The second step in finding the right rental would be to research every Chicago neighborhood. Every area has its perks, which can add to the rental price, but if you live in area where there’s a lot of public transportation or nearby all your favorite haunts, it could work in your favor by limiting the extra cost of owning your transportation. Chicago neighborhoods like Lincoln Park or Wicker Park would be options if you wanted to eliminate the extra cost of owning a vehicle since there are so many entertainment/restaurant options within walking distance. Also, Wrigleyville would be a nice spot for that option as well…and I’m not saying that because I’m a diehard Cubs fan.

An important tool in finding the fair market price for a rental in Chicago is to go online and put in the work. There’s a ton of information for every type of rental property. You can even find the most popular neighborhoods like Lakeview and West Town, which have around a thousand different listings to view. I mentioned Zumper earlier and the site is a great reference tool since nearly everything you need is right there.

Lastly, when shopping for your next home, it can be quite easy to get fixated on the big ticket cost items, and rightly so. However it is also important to consider the additional costs of living in a particular place. I.e. what are the utility costs, is there parking available, etc. It would be wise to do your research on service providers like Xfinity internet plans to ensure your total living budget makes sense.

I hope my tips will help you find the right rental property. I’ve learned that you can never do too much research, especially with so much information right there at your fingertips.

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About the Author…

Bobby Roberts (otherwise known as Sweetbob) is the creator of ‘America’s White Boy’ and contributor at Project Shanks. His writing has been featured on ESPN’s ‘SportsNation’, Sports Illustrated’s Hot Clicks, Guyspeed, and various other sites. You can follow him on Twitter at @Sweetbob.