Apartment Blog

There are a multitude of attractions, events, tours, and recreational activities happening throughout Chicago, every single day. You’ll never be bored with so many things to do in the ‘Windy City.’ Home to many wonderful eateries, retail locations and entertainment places, there’s something for everyone.  

also has a many distinct and culturally rich neighborhoods which sets it apart from other cities. Hyde Park is a wonderful neighborhood which is known for being the Chicago home of President Barack Obama. Pilsen and Little Village are known for colorful murals and one of the city’s liveliest shopping districts. Bucktown, which is located near the Northwest side of Chicago, has a flourishing nightlife. This, plus its close proximity to downtown has made it one of Chicago’s top neighborhoods for young singles and couples. And who could forget Gold Coast which is known for it’s residents being some of the wealthiest in the city. Filled with luxury high-rises that over look Lake Michigan, it’s no wonder this neighborhood is viewed upscale. 

Get more information and search tips on Chicago Apartments, or view all Apartments for Rent in Chicago, IL. Also, check out some of our recently spotlighted communities:

Southgate Apartments
Aqua at Lakeshore East Apartments
Streeter Place Apartments
2933 N Sheridan Apartments

              
View more information on Chicago, visit Explore Chicago website where we found information about this splendid city.

By Erica Campbell & Gillian Luce

Social media is proving that free speech has extended its reach to new media platforms where conversations are being held between private individuals. Social media is all about people sharing opinions, insights, experiences and perspectives with each other through online media channels. So you would think that one should not be sued in court for simply sharing a thought online, right? Last week’s big Twitter story revolved around a pending libel suit brought by Horizon Realty Group, a Chicago real estate management company, against one of its former tenants, Amanda Bonnen, in Cook County Circuit Court. This case has received extensive publicity and touches on issues such as consumer protection, limits of libel, free speech, and strategic lawsuits against public participation.

Amanda Bonnen complained via Twitter to about 20 followers that her landlord was apparently allowing her to live in mold-infested filth: “Who said sleeping in a moldy apartment was bad for you? Horizon realty thinks its okay.” The response from Horizon was a lawsuit! A short complaint filed in Cook County court last week accused Bonnen of libeling Horizon in 140 characters or less, and sought $50,000 in damages. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Horizon’s spokesperson responded to the situation with a quote, “We’re a sue first, ask questions later kind of an organization.”
Let’s take a look at some of the lessons we can learn from this:

• Consumers are the new media and they know it
• Embrace consumer criticism as opposed to overreacting
• Ask questions first, then maybe don’t sue at all
• Consult with your PR team or agency before the spokesman offers a statement
• Play nice in the sand box
• Use social media as a customer service tool and listen for product insights and feedback
• Build resident retention through sites such as Facebook and Twitter

As we’ve stated before in a recent blog post, Attention Property Managers: Customer Service is Still #1, companies should not fear the social media landscape. We understand that apartment communities are concerned about negative community reviews which could potentially give you a negative image or possibly deter prospective residents away. However, as advertisers we need to understand that consumers are talking about our brands on these social media platforms weather we like it or not. Did you know that according to a JC Williams Group study, 91% say consumer reviews are the #1 aid to buying decisions and Marketing Sherpa states that 87% trust a friend’s recommendation over critic’s review. Customer service is undoubtedly one of the most exciting, measurable and effective uses of social media.

Being involved on social media platforms will give you the capability to build relationships with consumers and will also give you a chance to talk to consumers about your brand. When negative comments are made about your community, instead of ignoring them or overacting, think about how you should to respond to them. Reach out to the individual and seek out more information about their complaint. Think of ways to resolve the issue and make them happy. There is no better way to get a consumer singing your praises then providing them with a positive customer service experience.

It was best stated by Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon.com, “If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell six friends. If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends.” Don’t miss an opportunity to speak to 6,000+ people by not responding or responding improperly.

Do you know what you’re doing this Memorial day? Usually my memorial days consist of swimming at the oceanfront in Virginia Beach, barbeques where I eat too much and hanging out with friends. However, this year, I will be traveling. With the great deals on airline flights, one benefit from the downturn in the economy, my family and I are heading to Key West, Florida. Our three day weekend will feature parasailing, Duvall Street, visiting the Southernmost point of the US and the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum.  It’s going to be fantastic exploring the area and seeing how the locals celebrate. By the way, this would be the same locals that commemorate their large population of chickens by having a Key West Annual Chicken Festival (yea, I couldn’t make that up)!

But enough about my fun filled weekend (jealous much)! What about our readers? How do you plan on celebrating this honored holiday for those who have died while protecting our country? Friends of mine in Chicago, IL are going to attend the Memorial Day Parade in Daley Plaza. And we all know Boston is the city for runners, so other friends from Boston will be running in the Boston’s Run to Remember charity race (good luck to all the participants)!

So let us know! I’m curious to know what others around the United States are doing!

Let me count the ways…we’re lucky that you provide more information about apartment communities to us.  We’re lucky that you are on more video sites like: YouTube, MySpace, Yahoo, Dailymotion and AptsVideo.com to be more visible for us.  And we’re so very lucky by how you make the apartment search process much easier.

In short, we are just plain lucky to have you!

Here are just a few recent videos we’re LUCKY to view….

Apartments For Rent in Arizona:
Camden Towne Center Apartments in Glendale, AZ
Camden Pecos Ranch Apartments in Chandler, AZ
Camden Legacy Apartments For Rent in Scottsdale, AZ
Camden San Paloma Apartments in Scottsdale, AZ
Camden Fountain Palms Apartments in Peoria, AZ

Apartments For Rent in Florida:
The Lexington Apartments in Sarasota, FL
Cypress Point Apartments in Orange Park, FL

Apartments For Rent in Illinois:
1100 North Dearborn Apartments in Chicago, IL
40 East Oak Apartments for Rent in Chicago, IL

Apartments For Rent in Texas:
Dominion Town Center Apartments in Keller, TX
Madison at Scofield Farms Apartments in Austin, TX
Madison at Wells Branch Apartments in Austin, TX
Kia Ora Park Apartments in Plano, TX

Our professionally produced online video enhances the apartment shoppers experience by allowing you to view apartment communities most sought after units and amenities as well as the surrounding city it is located in. All of these videos are syndicated to ForRent.com, AptsVideo.com, along with more than ten major channels including Yahoo, MySpace and YouTube.

Take a look at the most recently uploaded videos for this week….

Apartments For Rent in Florida:
Thornton Park Apartments in Jacksonville, FL
Palms of Monterrey Apartments in Fort Myers, FL

Apartments For Rent in Pennsylvania:
Lynnewood Gardens Apartments in Elkins Park, PA
Copley Manor Apartments in Philadelphia, PA

Apartments For Rent in Texas:
Mustang Ridge Apartments in Grapevine, TX
Reflections at Highpoint Apartments in Dallas, TX
Estancia Apartments in Austin, TX

Apartments For Rent in Ohio:
Four Seasons Apartments in Beachwood, OH
CopperTree Apartments in Mayfield Heights, OH

Apartments For Rent in Illinois:
Windscape of Naperville Apartments in Naperville, IL
Berkshires at Hoffman Estates Apartments in Hoffman Estates, IL
River North Park Apartments in Chicago, IL
Presidential Towers Apartments in Chicago, IL
One East Delaware Apartments in Chicago, IL

Let me count the ways…I love that you provide more information about apartment communities to prospective and current renters.  I love that you are on more video sites like: YouTube, MySpace, Yahoo, and Dailymotion to be more visible for consumers.  I love how you make the apartment search process much easier. And I love your smooth talking voice with mood setting music…..

In short, I love what you do. And boy am I glad we have you, all of you….

Eden Place Apartments For Rent in Eden Prairie, MN

Wyndchase Aspen Grove Apartments in Franklin, TN

Island Club at Wilson Blvd. Apartments in Jacksonville, FL

Bermuda Estates Apartments For Rent in Sarasota, FL

The Palms at Augusta Ranch Apartments For Rent in Mesa, AZ

The Traditions Apartments For Rent in Mesa, AZ

Capital Garage Apartments For Rent in Richmond, VA

Courtney Isles Apartments in Yulee, FL

Falcon Bridge Apartments San Ramon, CA

The Village Green Apartments For Rent in Budd Lake, NJ

Portofino at Lakes of Laguna Apartments in West Palm Beach, FL

The Dunes at Falcon Valley Apartments For Rent in Lenexa, MO

Villas Toscana Apartments in West Palm Beach, FL

Windemere Apartments For Rent in Raleigh, NC

The Club at Coldwater Springs Apartments in Avondale, AZ

Rancho Del Sol Apartments For Rent in Las Vegas, NV

50 Biscayne Apartments For Rent in Miami, FL

Alexan Parkway Apartments For Rent in McKinney, TX

Edgewood Luxury Apartments in North Reading, MA

The Ridge Luxury Apartments For Rent in Waltham, MA

Cumberland Crossing Apartments For Rent in Cumberland, RI

Eachelon at K Station Apartments in Chicago, IL

Villas at Old Concord Apartments in Billerica, MA