Industrial building types & specifications
Warehouse, light industrial, manufacturing, flex, cold storage, truck terminals, IOS—and what clear height, loading, power, and fire protection mean for each.
Library
All guides
Eleven free guides to industrial and commercial real estate in Chicago and the nine-county Chicagoland region—how buildings work, how deals are researched and underwritten, and where the official records live. Search every section or browse below.
Industrial property
Evaluating an industrial building
The operations-first checklist: measurements, systems, loading, site access, and the questions to bring to a tour.
Industrial due diligence
Environmental assessments, property condition, title and survey, zoning and permits, utilities, and how findings become price, credits, or repairs.
Submarkets & logistics corridors
O’Hare, I-55, I-80/Joliet, I-88, I-90, North Cook/Lake, South Cook, the city’s industrial corridors, and the outer counties—geography and freight infrastructure.
Nine Illinois counties
Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will—county-by-county authorities, assessors, and official sources.
Property taxes on industrial real estate
How Illinois assessment, equalization, levies, appeals, and Cook County incentive classes work—and how taxes enter underwriting and leases.
Selling an industrial property
Buyer types for 10,000–100,000 SF, how they underwrite, value drivers, the document checklist, pricing, and the sale process.
Transactions and research
Investment & purchase diligence
Income, expenses, financing, downside cases, and the legal, physical, environmental, and tax reviews before closing—with calculators.
Comparing commercial leases
Gross vs. net terms, total occupancy cost over the term, a lease-review checklist, and making the move-in schedule credible.
Researching Chicago commercial property
Jurisdiction, PINs, zoning, building records, and taxes—how to verify a property before comparing it with others.
Industrial & investment glossary
Plain-English definitions of building, lease, underwriting, and Illinois records terms, each with its own link and a live filter.
Scope. These guides are educational—not listings, appraisals, or legal, tax, engineering, environmental, or investment advice. “Chicagoland” here means the nine Illinois counties I work in. Verify records and requirements with the responsible offices and qualified professionals.