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Why It's Smart to Make a Priority List Before Going Chicago Condo Shopping

Alec and Terry Wellman were pros 'bout time they were done Chicago condo shopping. But they didn't' start out that way.

"We had just rented an apartment since we got married two years ago," said Terry. "Luckily our realtor sat us down and made us come up with a list of what we wanted in a condominium."

Alec added, "They told us if you don't know what you want it's hard to find it. Since we had been scouting around on our own we kinda knew what we wanted. But laying it all out sure made picking from all the with Chicago condos we found online easier."

Here are the basics:

Size - how many square feet do you need?

How many bedrooms do you want?

What part of town and do you want to be on the bus line? Near the train. Have easy access to the expressway?

Do the condominiums have laundry facilities? If the washer/dryer is in your garage will it be warm enough to use in the dead of winter?

What about parking? Off street or some kind of garage? What if you have more than one car?

What can you afford?

How soon you need to move?

"Don't forget to find out about storage," Alec pointed out. "That may not be first on your list, but if you're trying to squeeze your life into 800 square feet it's important to know if there's room to stow all your stuff."

Did You Know? Aside from affordability and freedom from maintenance issues condo buyers cite security as another reason for buying.

Speaking of which, what kind of access is there? Is it street level or do you have to climb stairs or take an elevator?

Now it's smart to separate your list into must-have and nice-to-have items. Just such a list gives you something to compare to when considering any Chicago condo your realtor leads you to.