Search the Widest Selection of Houses For Rent in Chicago

Search houses for rent in Chicago and the Chicago suburbs and get all the space you need in a house for rent: looking for a place with a yard? How about a detached garage? With these sweet features and more, Chicago houses for rent are available now, so don't miss out on the perfect place to call home.

Where Can I Find Houses For Rent?

Renters looking for available houses for rent in Chicago are in luck: even though the Second City is primarily recognized by its skyline that's replete with skyscrapers and high-rise buildings, the outlying neighborhoods -- and more than a few close to downtown -- have houses for rent. Some of the most popular Chicago neighborhoods for renting houses and townhouses can be found on the city's south side, with neighborhoods such as Hyde Park, Bronzeville, Chatham, and Washington Park offering many rentals of single-family homes.

Chicago's NW and SW sides are also characterized by their relative abundance of classic detached homes, many built in the iconic bungalow style. Renters can usually find houses and townhouses for rent in the Portage Park, Jefferson Park, Mayfair, Hermosa, and Belmont-Cragin neighborhoods.

However, houses for rent in Chicago aren't confined to a select few neighborhoods or styles. While the bungalow style house accounts for a large portion of houses for rent in the neighborhoods further out from downtown Chicago, many of the neighborhoods near the core of downtown Chicago will have classic A-frame houses, greystone manors, workers cottages, colonials, Victorians, foursquare's, Queen Annes and a few modernist houses scattered throughout. These neighborhoods include Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Roscoe Village, St Ben's, Bucktown, Wicker Park, DePaul, Graceland West, Logan Square, Humboldt Park, etc.

Why Rent a House in Chicago?

Renting a house in Chicago isn't the same rental experience as living in an apartment; after all, a house will be more prominent in square footage and usually contain more bedrooms and storage. Some houses for rent in Chicago require tenants to perform light maintenance or upkeep the grounds. Renters who aren't keen on light landscaping during the spring, summer, and fall months -- or shoveling snow from sidewalks during the winter -- may want to reconsider renting a house in Chicago. But for those renters who aren't willing to compromise on space or privacy, a rental home is a pleasing experience that can be rewarding in its own right. 

Landlords who lease out their house(s) for rent are often lifelong Chicagoans who've kept ownership of their house but opted to rent it out instead of selling it. In these cases, renters will deal with small-scale landlords who might have downsized to a more manageable home or moved out of state. These arrangements are standard and tend to be less formal than dealing with property management companies. Renters are wise to get everything in writing, even if they're dealing with small-scale landlords. A lease can be a renter's best friend -- even if they're on good terms with their landlord. 

More management companies have been making forays into the houses for rent in Chicago in recent years. These companies will often assume responsibility for leasing and managing the home for rent, sharing the rental income with the home's owner. These houses for rent are typically listed as single bedrooms, or rooms for rent, within multi-bedroom houses. This arrangement has advantages for renters; instead of dealing with a single landlord who may have another full-time job or might even live outside the state of Illinois, renters build a relationship with the property management company. These businesses typically have a team of employees who manage everything from rent payments to maintenance requests.