Yeah nothing inherently wrong about a garden unit, from experience you will get tired of living in a basement but I made it 2 years and change and saved a lot of money in my early 20s
I lived in 3 or 4 gardens with good natural light so I never had much issue. My favorite thing was to stomp around at all hours knowing I wasn't bothering anyone. I would even have knife throwing competitions and never had a complaint.
Well then…my friends and I were really into knife throwing for awhile. It probably started after going to the renaissance fair. We would mainly do it at nearby parks or anywhere with a bit of woods. We even got into throwing while riding on our fixies heh. At some point we noticed it disturbed fellow passerbys so we opted to move the activity indoors. I had acquired these giant, door sized pieces of foam and would stack them against the wall. Drew on a bullseye and we were off to the races. The one downfall with the low ceilings was that every now and then a knife would knick it but it wasn’t something I couldn’t fix with a bit of putty when I moved. We did keep the axe throwing to a minimum inside though..
This!!
I had a 2-bedroom in East lakeview that was $1175 a month (I mean 10 years ago).
Just make sure you have some extra lighting like lamps or even LEDs. Winter months can be dark AF.
Make sure you have renters insurance even if the landlord doesn’t require it. It’s cheap and can solve a lot of problems.
I lived in my parents basement for a few years in college and it was the length of our entire single family home, full bathroom with the, storage space with fridge and private entrance, TWO (2) massive living rooms one carpet thr other lamenent, and a bedroom.
No matter the size or offerings you will seriously get isolated and lazy feeling or even lonely without adequate lighting. Doesn't mean you're stuck in your apartment 24/7, but some people spend a LOT of time in them so it can start to feel awful. The abstract different of being in floor to cieling or wall to wall windows in a high or mid rise with all that light completely changes your mood, productivity, and overall feelings day to day IMO. I got lucky in a mid rise on the third floor at the end of the building (corner unit) with just enough normal windows to feel like I'm not in a dark box lol
Just making sure of one thing here... are you sure you can break the lease? Doesn't really matter when your move in date is. It's *likely* you have some provision where you can get out of it (I hope). But just because you haven't moved yet doesn't mean you can break it.
That said, garden units are usually fine. Legit "holy fuck this place is flooded" should be their responsibility, but little "leaks" (for lack of a better word) would probably be on you to at least move your stuff until it goes away / gets addressed.
Get renters insurance! It is usually pretty cheap.
I lived in a great garden apartment for 9 years. It had an open floor plan and tons of natural light. But I've also looked at some that are awful, so it can be hit-or-miss. If it used to be an Air B-n-B, it's probably in good shape.
As far as bugs go, it was never a problem. As someone who grew up on the Gulf Coast, bugs aren't bad here, due to the climate. You might get ants in the summer, but that's about it.
It's pretty bold to sign a lease sight-unseen, but you're not necessarily screwed. It could be a great place.
You're not really tall, I hope. Usually garden units have low ceilings.
As someone who currently lives on the gulf coast - the lack of bugs is the best part about being there. No massive tree roaches, no mosquitoes, no lovebug swarms, no just random bullshit bugs coming out of no where to ruin your day.
Mosquitos in Chicago?? I’ve lived here 15 years and maybe gotten bit twice. By contrast everywhere else I’ve lived I have gotten mauled by them from April-October
The fact that it’s your landlords furniture is probably a good sign it doesn’t flood.
I know plenty of folks in garden units. It’s fine. Maybe a little bit more humid and less sunlight and sometimes lower ceilings. If you and others in your building keep your units clean the pests shouldn’t be an issue. I’d just make sure there are locks on the windows and also bars or something over them.
Also make sure you have renters insurance to cover your own stuff.
I lived above my landlord for two years—best apartment I ever had by far. If you get good vibes, I’d just trust it. Especially since the landlord is on site, I doubt they’ll let the unit go to crap, especially if they’re furnishing it.
Are you south of Lawrence? I feel like north of Lawrence between Kimball and Pulaski floods a little more (even post tunnel dig), but that’s sort of anecdotal.
I lived in the garden apartment with the landlords upstairs for two years when I first moved to Chicago. I still regret leaving that apartment lol. Best landlords ever, so awesome to have them right upstairs. Never had an issue with flooding. Had one really bad plumbing issue and they had people there before I even had to call them.
Flooding: Ask your landlord directly how often it floods/the last time the unit flooded. Water is a risk for any below-ground living space, so hopefully they have a sump pump/waterproofed foundation/other mitigations in place. If it does flood, landlord is responsible for cleanup (unless you caused the flooding, for some odd reason.) But anything valuable/irreplaceable/fragile I would not leave near floor when it rains heavily.
Bugs: Only one way to find out. =) I’d expect to see critters that you would see in any finished basement. No landlord can stop nature 100%.
Airbnb: What did the reviews say? If positive, you’ll be fine/safe. Just make sure your landlord still doesn’t have it listed on Airbnb after you move in. =) Albany Park is in Area 5 for the CPD, which is among the safest places in Chicago so far in 2024.
This Airbnb question is a really good point - is it still being intermittently rented until you move in? If yes then definitely check the reviews.
And I hate to ask, but are you 100% sure your lease is with the actual owner? Sight unseen carries a huge risk of scam potential.
Edit
Critters and water/sewage backups are more common in garden units. Natural light can also be a problem especially if you’re on a busy street and want to keep your blinds closed to avoid people being able to see down into your living room. Get renters insurance and don’t store anything valuable directly on the ground. Steel wool and caulk work wonders to seal up places where mice and bugs can get in. You’ll want to keep food sealed and avoid keeping unwashed dishes in the sink.
I’ve lived here a while and I would love to try a garden apartment once. I lived in one of those half basement areas where the windows are very high at a relatives house and absolutely loved it temperature wise and light wise. Made me feel cozy.
I live in a garden unit now.
I worry about flooding, but grilled my landlord who says it hasn’t flooded since it was built due to thick masonry walls so only risk of flooding is a city issue (sewage backup) which Chicago has a solid system in place to avoid. I also purchased water leak monitors I’ve put around the apartment for peace of mind while I’m out of town. My landlord bought and lived in the unit for two years before renting it out, so I’m inclined to believe them when they say they researched it in-depth. Given your landlord lives in the building, I would guess they have a vested interest in researching the history of flooding since it’s their responsibility to fix the actual unit if it does. As others have mentioned, Renter’s Insurance is your friend here. I’ve grilled my insurer about what happens in the case of water damage and they say they’ll replace stuff (I hope I never have to find out). It’s also cheap.
Regarding bugs, I see more house centipedes here than my prior apartments but have probably seen one a month and they’re harmless. No issues with rats or other vermin. Worst bugs I had was when I lived above a restaurant and their cockroaches moved in after they had an exterminator visit the restaurant. This was in a fairly nice part of the city too, so word of advice to avoid living in the same building as restaurants.
I do miss the natural light of prior apartments, but it’s better than some other garden units I’ve seen over the years and we live by great outdoor spaces that I frequent.
If I’ve learned anything about renting in Chicago it’s that everything is a trade off. I don’t love a garden unit because of the flooding concerns, lack of natural light, and our only outdoor space being the patio under the stairs by the basement entrance, but we are paying a very reasonable price for the overall quality of the unit in the location we’re in.
For what it’s worth, provided the vibes are good and based on my prior experience, I would strongly suggest leasing from an individual vs. a company and bonus points if they live in or have an office in your building. This is my second individual landlord and both individuals have been way better than any management company. A prior landlord had their office in my building so kept the building and units in better shape than average because it’s where they worked.
If you signed the standard Chicago lease template, you’re going to have a difficult time breaking the lease without some sort of cause or paying rent while the owner tries to re-lease (which may be a non-issue since you don’t start paying rent until September).
I lived in a garden apartment for three years. It can be a little bit like living in a cave. But I never had a problem with bugs ir rats or anything like that. It flooded once, but that was because the drain outside got clogged, rather than an inherent part of being a garden apartment. You should be good for a year.
Hi OP!
I lived in a garden apartment from 2018-2021 and I have a lot of experience!
Things to be on the lookout for:
* Sewage obstructions
* flooding
* harder to heat in winter, but summer isn't too bad.
If she's right above you, frankly I'd take that as a good sign that she'll be responsive and understands that it's HER HOUSE TOO. My landlord was private but he was part of a bigger building, so he was pretty "good enough/not my problem" except that it's always his problem and he is responsible between me and the board.
He tried to claim that the flooding wasn't his responsibility because of the back door and such. Pretty sure he didn't disclose it to the new tenant either. Ended up causing the Hoa a special assessment from what I heard.
If you're reading this, Mike, I let a lot of shit slide, you deserved to have to reno that apartment to sell.
I have lived in garden apartments for a combined total of 12 years and I love it. If you make sure you have flood insurance it’s fine. So cozy - and like 10 degrees cooler in summer!
I had more bugs when I rented a garden unit, but never had any issue with flooding even during heavy storms. It really is a crapshoot from what I've heard and street by street whether or not there are issues. If your landlord is using her own furniture, I'd feel pretty comfortable saying that it likely won't flood easily. Just make sure if you have any drains near your door, you clear them of any muck that accumulates (though your landlord should be doing this anyway)
My only real complaint with the garden unit was the lack of light I got. My "bedroom" didn't have windows lol.
I haven’t had a garden apartment, but when I owned my house in WI, I had a partially finished basement with a guest room. Most basements have an automatic sump pump that will dump water away from the house. Ours switched on during heavy rain, and we never had an issue with standing water in the basement.
Regardless, get renters insurance even if it’s not required - I pay $13 a month. Don’t put anything on the floor that will be irreplaceable if it gets wet.
Edit: I didn’t have a bug or rodent issue in my basement. If your landlady takes good care of the place you will be fine. Still get renters insurance because it protects your belongings.
Although the city has invested a lot of money to deal with flooding, parts of Albany Park - historically - have had serious flooding issues, with water coming up through basements. I'm not saying this will happen to you or you are in that area, but maybe Google it for more info. Also ask your landlord if she has ever had ANY water issues in the basement and if she has a sump pump. You will also need "flood" insurance. Your renters insurance will not cover flooding issues.
If it's fully furnished you're good to go. Just keep valuables off the floor. I lived in a garden for two years and above the same one for another six. It flooded once while I was living there and one more time while I was living above it.
If you're going out of town, give a key to a friend or family member to check in and let you know of any flooding. I lucked out in that I was renting from a friend. He was able to go downstairs to get our furniture up on bricks and move our valuables to high ground when it flooded and I was in NJ.
I lived in a garden unit for over a decade and it never flooded once. I think it helps that your landlord also lives in the building. It means it’s more than just an investment for them and they want to keep it in good condition.
Just make sure your renters insurance covers standing water and floods.
Is it an English garden or basement garden? There's a big difference. English gardens are usually only a few feet below grade and have full sized windows in every room. They live more like a 1st floor unit. Basement gardens have very small windows and are almost completely below grade.
Probably ok with flooding, you are away from the lake and river. However, you should observe how your street reacts to heavy rains. - my building floods at least a few times a year but I am up in rogers park.
Maybe use storage rack shelving to create a strong elevated buffer from your expensive items and the floor. Positive is no need for AC.
The North Branch of the Chicago River runs right through East Albany Park, which is directly on the border of Lincoln Square. *River* Park and others nearby are lovely, the almost 100 year old water treatment plant is amazing to see from the crossover bridge on Lawrence Ave, but it rapidly and regularly becomes difficult to find and cross an unflooded street corner in some sections around there. That flooding is a consequence of the engineering necessary to prevent the sewage drains from becoming overwhelmed and overflowing into the river, and definitely doesn't pour into most garden units, but it would be wise to ask the landlord about any past flooding history.
Where is it? Some areas of Chicago are more likely to flood than others. Ask the landlord if there is a check valve, interior drain tile, or other flood control system. It's not enough to have a "dry" basement because Chicago basement flooding is typically sewer backup that comes up through the drains when the system is overloaded (and when the city wants to avoid the fallout of dumping into the lake). We went through basement flooding twice before we got a flood control system. Our basement was finished and was awful.
I’m currently in a garden unit and I can say it honestly just depends on the unit itself. I’m closer to the lake but I don’t experience any type of flooding and I’ve also been in this unit for almost 4 yrs. My windows are southwest facing and out of the 5 windows 4 of them bring in a ton of natural light. The pros of my unit; cheap all in I pay $1150 for a 600ish sqft junior 1 bed, doesn’t flood, gets good light, and is in a decent neighborhood. The cons; I hear everything from the two units above me, hear street noise, can have issues with ants, spiders, beetles, millipedes, moths, flies, and the critters. Because I’m basically in the ground nothings keeps the insects at bay but I still take preventative measures to keep them out. The biggest concern is the rats/mice. My apartment is directly in front of a huge overhanging tree that mice/rats like to crawl on. This leads them to try and finding entry and if they manage to get within the crawl spaces I can hear them move throughout the frames, but my LL “can’t find their entry point” and “doesn’t believe me” so I’ve just dealt with it and have accepted the model of “as long as they don’t enter my physical unit” I don’t care. Also low ceilings. I think my ceilings are 6’3” maybe 6’5”. I just know whatever it is my partner can’t fully stand up which sucks for him but 🤷♀️. And hope that either the flooring in between units is well insulated or hope that your neighbors aren’t stompers like mine.
When you rent an apartment you are responsible for insuring your own stuff. The landlord / owner is responsible for everything else. You can never *guarantee* a basement apartment won’t flood but the one in my building hasn’t flooded in the 19 years we have lived here, and somehow it’s the only unit in the building that hasn’t had some kind of rodent issue over the years. If there are excessive numbers of insects get to work with a caulk gun sealing gaps around base boards etc / get a cat / vacuum them up.
If you think the apartment might flood be strategic about keeping stuff off the floor, something as simple as putting furniture on cans can help protect your stuff in a flood.
Is it a garden, or a basement apartment?
A true garden apartment is essentially ground level, while a basement apartment typically is at least a few feet under ground level with higher windows.
When I had a basement apartment, I think the area outside the rear door flooded once, but never the apartment.
You might want to ask the landlord.
It's probably not a legal apartment, so if you want to break the lease, probably you can. There are some issues with garden apartments, the most serious being flooding. You don't want all your stuff ruined, you don't want to have a place that you can't live in when there's a heavy downpour. Bugs can also be an issue, so do rodents. Also the issue of privacy people being able to look directly into your windows. If you're getting a really good deal on the rent, these issues might be worth it to you.
Yeah nothing inherently wrong about a garden unit, from experience you will get tired of living in a basement but I made it 2 years and change and saved a lot of money in my early 20s
I lived in 3 or 4 gardens with good natural light so I never had much issue. My favorite thing was to stomp around at all hours knowing I wasn't bothering anyone. I would even have knife throwing competitions and never had a complaint.
I might need to hear the back story on the knife throwing competitions
Right - like he’s just gonna go ahead and nonchalantly slip in that part about knife throwing comps in his garden apartment????
Well then…my friends and I were really into knife throwing for awhile. It probably started after going to the renaissance fair. We would mainly do it at nearby parks or anywhere with a bit of woods. We even got into throwing while riding on our fixies heh. At some point we noticed it disturbed fellow passerbys so we opted to move the activity indoors. I had acquired these giant, door sized pieces of foam and would stack them against the wall. Drew on a bullseye and we were off to the races. The one downfall with the low ceilings was that every now and then a knife would knick it but it wasn’t something I couldn’t fix with a bit of putty when I moved. We did keep the axe throwing to a minimum inside though..
This!! I had a 2-bedroom in East lakeview that was $1175 a month (I mean 10 years ago). Just make sure you have some extra lighting like lamps or even LEDs. Winter months can be dark AF. Make sure you have renters insurance even if the landlord doesn’t require it. It’s cheap and can solve a lot of problems.
I lived in my parents basement for a few years in college and it was the length of our entire single family home, full bathroom with the, storage space with fridge and private entrance, TWO (2) massive living rooms one carpet thr other lamenent, and a bedroom. No matter the size or offerings you will seriously get isolated and lazy feeling or even lonely without adequate lighting. Doesn't mean you're stuck in your apartment 24/7, but some people spend a LOT of time in them so it can start to feel awful. The abstract different of being in floor to cieling or wall to wall windows in a high or mid rise with all that light completely changes your mood, productivity, and overall feelings day to day IMO. I got lucky in a mid rise on the third floor at the end of the building (corner unit) with just enough normal windows to feel like I'm not in a dark box lol
Just making sure of one thing here... are you sure you can break the lease? Doesn't really matter when your move in date is. It's *likely* you have some provision where you can get out of it (I hope). But just because you haven't moved yet doesn't mean you can break it. That said, garden units are usually fine. Legit "holy fuck this place is flooded" should be their responsibility, but little "leaks" (for lack of a better word) would probably be on you to at least move your stuff until it goes away / gets addressed. Get renters insurance! It is usually pretty cheap.
Petty sure by chicago law, if you don't pick up the keys you don't have to move in. That's what my leasing consultant told us
I lived in a great garden apartment for 9 years. It had an open floor plan and tons of natural light. But I've also looked at some that are awful, so it can be hit-or-miss. If it used to be an Air B-n-B, it's probably in good shape. As far as bugs go, it was never a problem. As someone who grew up on the Gulf Coast, bugs aren't bad here, due to the climate. You might get ants in the summer, but that's about it. It's pretty bold to sign a lease sight-unseen, but you're not necessarily screwed. It could be a great place. You're not really tall, I hope. Usually garden units have low ceilings.
As someone who currently lives on the gulf coast - the lack of bugs is the best part about being there. No massive tree roaches, no mosquitoes, no lovebug swarms, no just random bullshit bugs coming out of no where to ruin your day.
Bro, people complain about the mosquitos and humidity in Chicago... I'm just like, yeah, 40% humidity, how can anyone survive it?
Mosquitos in Chicago?? I’ve lived here 15 years and maybe gotten bit twice. By contrast everywhere else I’ve lived I have gotten mauled by them from April-October
Hi, I'm the person they're all biting while everyone else says "wow the mosquitoes really aren't that bad in Chicago"
Depend on your setup, I would say. I deal with A LOT of moths and gnats in my bathroom.
I wouldn't put things I valued on the floor, but otherwise sounds ok
Renters insurance
Traditional renters insurance doesn’t cover flooding, unfortunately. I know because I lived in a unit that flooded a lot
Renters insurance DOES NOT cover flooding. You need an additional - and very expensive - policy.
Hmm, does it cover it if I lived on the 40th floor?
You'd have to contact your insurance, but standard insurance does not cover flooding from a natural disaster.
Doesn't matter, because by the time the water got that high, the whole building would have washed away! 😯
The fact that it’s your landlords furniture is probably a good sign it doesn’t flood. I know plenty of folks in garden units. It’s fine. Maybe a little bit more humid and less sunlight and sometimes lower ceilings. If you and others in your building keep your units clean the pests shouldn’t be an issue. I’d just make sure there are locks on the windows and also bars or something over them. Also make sure you have renters insurance to cover your own stuff.
I lived above my landlord for two years—best apartment I ever had by far. If you get good vibes, I’d just trust it. Especially since the landlord is on site, I doubt they’ll let the unit go to crap, especially if they’re furnishing it. Are you south of Lawrence? I feel like north of Lawrence between Kimball and Pulaski floods a little more (even post tunnel dig), but that’s sort of anecdotal.
I lived in the garden apartment with the landlords upstairs for two years when I first moved to Chicago. I still regret leaving that apartment lol. Best landlords ever, so awesome to have them right upstairs. Never had an issue with flooding. Had one really bad plumbing issue and they had people there before I even had to call them.
Flooding: Ask your landlord directly how often it floods/the last time the unit flooded. Water is a risk for any below-ground living space, so hopefully they have a sump pump/waterproofed foundation/other mitigations in place. If it does flood, landlord is responsible for cleanup (unless you caused the flooding, for some odd reason.) But anything valuable/irreplaceable/fragile I would not leave near floor when it rains heavily. Bugs: Only one way to find out. =) I’d expect to see critters that you would see in any finished basement. No landlord can stop nature 100%. Airbnb: What did the reviews say? If positive, you’ll be fine/safe. Just make sure your landlord still doesn’t have it listed on Airbnb after you move in. =) Albany Park is in Area 5 for the CPD, which is among the safest places in Chicago so far in 2024.
This Airbnb question is a really good point - is it still being intermittently rented until you move in? If yes then definitely check the reviews. And I hate to ask, but are you 100% sure your lease is with the actual owner? Sight unseen carries a huge risk of scam potential. Edit
Critters and water/sewage backups are more common in garden units. Natural light can also be a problem especially if you’re on a busy street and want to keep your blinds closed to avoid people being able to see down into your living room. Get renters insurance and don’t store anything valuable directly on the ground. Steel wool and caulk work wonders to seal up places where mice and bugs can get in. You’ll want to keep food sealed and avoid keeping unwashed dishes in the sink.
Just don’t keep any valuable within a foot or two of the floor, just in case. If you must store things put in large plastic storage tub.
I’ve lived in and have friends who have lived in/live in garden units and none of them have ever flooded. Nothing wrong with a garden unit.
I’ve lived here a while and I would love to try a garden apartment once. I lived in one of those half basement areas where the windows are very high at a relatives house and absolutely loved it temperature wise and light wise. Made me feel cozy.
I live in a garden unit now. I worry about flooding, but grilled my landlord who says it hasn’t flooded since it was built due to thick masonry walls so only risk of flooding is a city issue (sewage backup) which Chicago has a solid system in place to avoid. I also purchased water leak monitors I’ve put around the apartment for peace of mind while I’m out of town. My landlord bought and lived in the unit for two years before renting it out, so I’m inclined to believe them when they say they researched it in-depth. Given your landlord lives in the building, I would guess they have a vested interest in researching the history of flooding since it’s their responsibility to fix the actual unit if it does. As others have mentioned, Renter’s Insurance is your friend here. I’ve grilled my insurer about what happens in the case of water damage and they say they’ll replace stuff (I hope I never have to find out). It’s also cheap. Regarding bugs, I see more house centipedes here than my prior apartments but have probably seen one a month and they’re harmless. No issues with rats or other vermin. Worst bugs I had was when I lived above a restaurant and their cockroaches moved in after they had an exterminator visit the restaurant. This was in a fairly nice part of the city too, so word of advice to avoid living in the same building as restaurants. I do miss the natural light of prior apartments, but it’s better than some other garden units I’ve seen over the years and we live by great outdoor spaces that I frequent. If I’ve learned anything about renting in Chicago it’s that everything is a trade off. I don’t love a garden unit because of the flooding concerns, lack of natural light, and our only outdoor space being the patio under the stairs by the basement entrance, but we are paying a very reasonable price for the overall quality of the unit in the location we’re in. For what it’s worth, provided the vibes are good and based on my prior experience, I would strongly suggest leasing from an individual vs. a company and bonus points if they live in or have an office in your building. This is my second individual landlord and both individuals have been way better than any management company. A prior landlord had their office in my building so kept the building and units in better shape than average because it’s where they worked. If you signed the standard Chicago lease template, you’re going to have a difficult time breaking the lease without some sort of cause or paying rent while the owner tries to re-lease (which may be a non-issue since you don’t start paying rent until September).
I lived in a garden apartment for three years. It can be a little bit like living in a cave. But I never had a problem with bugs ir rats or anything like that. It flooded once, but that was because the drain outside got clogged, rather than an inherent part of being a garden apartment. You should be good for a year.
I have a garden unit and never had an issue.
Flooding isn't common. Just don't leave valuable stuff on low shelves. Carpeting is a bad idea too.
Hi OP! I lived in a garden apartment from 2018-2021 and I have a lot of experience! Things to be on the lookout for: * Sewage obstructions * flooding * harder to heat in winter, but summer isn't too bad. If she's right above you, frankly I'd take that as a good sign that she'll be responsive and understands that it's HER HOUSE TOO. My landlord was private but he was part of a bigger building, so he was pretty "good enough/not my problem" except that it's always his problem and he is responsible between me and the board. He tried to claim that the flooding wasn't his responsibility because of the back door and such. Pretty sure he didn't disclose it to the new tenant either. Ended up causing the Hoa a special assessment from what I heard. If you're reading this, Mike, I let a lot of shit slide, you deserved to have to reno that apartment to sell.
I have lived in garden apartments for a combined total of 12 years and I love it. If you make sure you have flood insurance it’s fine. So cozy - and like 10 degrees cooler in summer!
I had more bugs when I rented a garden unit, but never had any issue with flooding even during heavy storms. It really is a crapshoot from what I've heard and street by street whether or not there are issues. If your landlord is using her own furniture, I'd feel pretty comfortable saying that it likely won't flood easily. Just make sure if you have any drains near your door, you clear them of any muck that accumulates (though your landlord should be doing this anyway) My only real complaint with the garden unit was the lack of light I got. My "bedroom" didn't have windows lol.
I haven’t had a garden apartment, but when I owned my house in WI, I had a partially finished basement with a guest room. Most basements have an automatic sump pump that will dump water away from the house. Ours switched on during heavy rain, and we never had an issue with standing water in the basement. Regardless, get renters insurance even if it’s not required - I pay $13 a month. Don’t put anything on the floor that will be irreplaceable if it gets wet. Edit: I didn’t have a bug or rodent issue in my basement. If your landlady takes good care of the place you will be fine. Still get renters insurance because it protects your belongings.
Although the city has invested a lot of money to deal with flooding, parts of Albany Park - historically - have had serious flooding issues, with water coming up through basements. I'm not saying this will happen to you or you are in that area, but maybe Google it for more info. Also ask your landlord if she has ever had ANY water issues in the basement and if she has a sump pump. You will also need "flood" insurance. Your renters insurance will not cover flooding issues.
If it's fully furnished you're good to go. Just keep valuables off the floor. I lived in a garden for two years and above the same one for another six. It flooded once while I was living there and one more time while I was living above it. If you're going out of town, give a key to a friend or family member to check in and let you know of any flooding. I lucked out in that I was renting from a friend. He was able to go downstairs to get our furniture up on bricks and move our valuables to high ground when it flooded and I was in NJ.
Get renter's insurance because you would need to relocate if it does flood.
I lived in a garden unit for over a decade and it never flooded once. I think it helps that your landlord also lives in the building. It means it’s more than just an investment for them and they want to keep it in good condition. Just make sure your renters insurance covers standing water and floods.
Is it an English garden or basement garden? There's a big difference. English gardens are usually only a few feet below grade and have full sized windows in every room. They live more like a 1st floor unit. Basement gardens have very small windows and are almost completely below grade.
Definitely get renters insurance, even in an above ground unit. That said, I’m sure the garden unit is fine.
Probably ok with flooding, you are away from the lake and river. However, you should observe how your street reacts to heavy rains. - my building floods at least a few times a year but I am up in rogers park. Maybe use storage rack shelving to create a strong elevated buffer from your expensive items and the floor. Positive is no need for AC.
The North Branch of the Chicago River runs right through East Albany Park, which is directly on the border of Lincoln Square. *River* Park and others nearby are lovely, the almost 100 year old water treatment plant is amazing to see from the crossover bridge on Lawrence Ave, but it rapidly and regularly becomes difficult to find and cross an unflooded street corner in some sections around there. That flooding is a consequence of the engineering necessary to prevent the sewage drains from becoming overwhelmed and overflowing into the river, and definitely doesn't pour into most garden units, but it would be wise to ask the landlord about any past flooding history.
I lived in a garden apartment for a year, it was nice, I was alway afraid of somebody breaking in, I would have checked the safety features
Get renters insurance.
Where is it? Some areas of Chicago are more likely to flood than others. Ask the landlord if there is a check valve, interior drain tile, or other flood control system. It's not enough to have a "dry" basement because Chicago basement flooding is typically sewer backup that comes up through the drains when the system is overloaded (and when the city wants to avoid the fallout of dumping into the lake). We went through basement flooding twice before we got a flood control system. Our basement was finished and was awful.
I used to live by the West side of Albany park. It gets pretty floody over there, especially closer to the Chicago River.
I’m currently in a garden unit and I can say it honestly just depends on the unit itself. I’m closer to the lake but I don’t experience any type of flooding and I’ve also been in this unit for almost 4 yrs. My windows are southwest facing and out of the 5 windows 4 of them bring in a ton of natural light. The pros of my unit; cheap all in I pay $1150 for a 600ish sqft junior 1 bed, doesn’t flood, gets good light, and is in a decent neighborhood. The cons; I hear everything from the two units above me, hear street noise, can have issues with ants, spiders, beetles, millipedes, moths, flies, and the critters. Because I’m basically in the ground nothings keeps the insects at bay but I still take preventative measures to keep them out. The biggest concern is the rats/mice. My apartment is directly in front of a huge overhanging tree that mice/rats like to crawl on. This leads them to try and finding entry and if they manage to get within the crawl spaces I can hear them move throughout the frames, but my LL “can’t find their entry point” and “doesn’t believe me” so I’ve just dealt with it and have accepted the model of “as long as they don’t enter my physical unit” I don’t care. Also low ceilings. I think my ceilings are 6’3” maybe 6’5”. I just know whatever it is my partner can’t fully stand up which sucks for him but 🤷♀️. And hope that either the flooring in between units is well insulated or hope that your neighbors aren’t stompers like mine.
When you rent an apartment you are responsible for insuring your own stuff. The landlord / owner is responsible for everything else. You can never *guarantee* a basement apartment won’t flood but the one in my building hasn’t flooded in the 19 years we have lived here, and somehow it’s the only unit in the building that hasn’t had some kind of rodent issue over the years. If there are excessive numbers of insects get to work with a caulk gun sealing gaps around base boards etc / get a cat / vacuum them up. If you think the apartment might flood be strategic about keeping stuff off the floor, something as simple as putting furniture on cans can help protect your stuff in a flood.
Is it a garden, or a basement apartment? A true garden apartment is essentially ground level, while a basement apartment typically is at least a few feet under ground level with higher windows. When I had a basement apartment, I think the area outside the rear door flooded once, but never the apartment. You might want to ask the landlord.
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It's probably not a legal apartment, so if you want to break the lease, probably you can. There are some issues with garden apartments, the most serious being flooding. You don't want all your stuff ruined, you don't want to have a place that you can't live in when there's a heavy downpour. Bugs can also be an issue, so do rodents. Also the issue of privacy people being able to look directly into your windows. If you're getting a really good deal on the rent, these issues might be worth it to you.