Moving to chicago, where do I live?

[Que-TiP]

I'm moving to Chicago, and I'm a little confused about what the nice areas are and the best method to find an apartment. Any insight?

-Alex

 

[TallBill]

Well, are you moving for work/school or just because? Do you want to live in the city or suburbs?

 

[kalster]

not sure about the city itself, but i have lived in the naperville area, very nice place, expensive though, although if you are actually gonna be working in chicago the commute would be a lot

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: kalster
not sure about the city itself, but i have lived in the naperville area, very nice place, expensive though, although if you are actually gonna be working in chicago the commute would be a lot

I'm in Naperville now and agree that it's great. Kinda pricey but way cheaper then the city. If you are commuting, the train might be a great option.

 

[Que-TiP]

moving for work, the office is on the way south side of town.
I want to live in the city, close to EL stop, in a decent neighborhood, and i will need parking [I have a motorcycle too].
1 or 2 bedroom. Any ideas of how to find a place? CL?
muchas gracias!

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Lincoln Park by the zoo.

Parking in that area is tough but its a great neighborhod with lots of boutique stores, restaruants, and great bars. This is the nighborhood everyone from the suburbs comes too.

Plus you are close to the Lake for summer fun.

Yes its expensive, yes parking is horrible. But its a terriffic neighborhood.

Another good nighborhood is Bucktown, its up & coming so prices should be a little bit lower. Parking is definitely easier too.

Criagslist is a good start for finding an aprtment but keep a El map handy so that you can cross refernce the stops. Walking the nighborhoods is also a great way to look as lots of Mom & Pop houses have floors they will rent you.

 

[compman25]

If you're moving to Chicago I bet you'll be living in Chicago.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Que-TiP
I'm moving to Chicago, and I'm a little confused about what the nice areas are and the best method to find an apartment. Any insight?

-Alex

budget is big and how far you are willing to commute.

When you say Chicago is it the actual city or somewhere in Illinois.

 

[Dimmu]

Originally posted by: compman25
If you're moving to Chicago I bet you'll be living in Chicago.

compman25, that's some sage-like advice there. :laugh:

 

[Pepsi90919]

ATOT has turned into a big chicago circle-jerk


----
:|
AnandTech Moderator Evadman

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
ATOT has turned into a big chicago circle-jerk

Sorry, we don't want to play your game.

 

[Que-TiP]

wow I went out for some beers and there are replys!

Fmr12B-
Yeah I heard lincoln park and bucktown are decent. Also wicker park, old town? Is there a way to rank these places best to worst?

alkemyst-
Hoping to drop under $1500, but i guess i'm negotiable. Will the commute from lincoln park to the map below be bad???
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=...e=UTF8&z=14&iwloc=addr

 

[EvilYoda]

$1500 should be a pretty nice price range for you...I had a friend who lived in lincoln park before, very nice area. I think it's also dependent on what you like to have around you...bars, shopping, good restaurants, etc.

 

[arrfep]

Originally posted by: Que-TiP
wow I went out for some beers and there are replys!

Fmr12B-
Yeah I heard lincoln park and bucktown are decent. Also wicker park, old town? Is there a way to rank these places best to worst?

alkemyst-
Hoping to drop under $1500, but i guess i'm negotiable. Will the commute from lincoln park to the map below be bad???
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=...e=UTF8&z=14&iwloc=addr

Seriously? WTF are you getting a job in a steel mill or something? That will be a PITA commmute. But at least you won't be living down there. The farthest south I'd be comfortable living is Pilsen. BTW, there was just a shooting today in the area you'll be commuting to. One dead, one in the hospital. It was over a dice game gone wrong. So I hope you're not a big gambler.

Anyway, best of luck.

 

[flawlssdistortn]

Originally posted by: arrfep

Originally posted by: Que-TiP
wow I went out for some beers and there are replys!

Fmr12B-
Yeah I heard lincoln park and bucktown are decent. Also wicker park, old town? Is there a way to rank these places best to worst?

alkemyst-
Hoping to drop under $1500, but i guess i'm negotiable. Will the commute from lincoln park to the map below be bad???
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=...e=UTF8&z=14&iwloc=addr

Seriously? WTF are you getting a job in a steel mill or something? That will be a PITA commmute. But at least you won't be living down there. The farthest south I'd be comfortable living is Pilsen. BTW, there was just a shooting today in the area you'll be commuting to. One dead, one in the hospital. It was over a dice game gone wrong. So I hope you're not a big gambler.

Anyway, best of luck.

Beverly, Mt Greenwood, Evergreen Park aren't bad areas, although I'm not aware of many apartments. Lots of Irish.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Que-TiP
wow I went out for some beers and there are replys!

Fmr12B-
Yeah I heard lincoln park and bucktown are decent. Also wicker park, old town? Is there a way to rank these places best to worst?

alkemyst-
Hoping to drop under $1500, but i guess i'm negotiable. Will the commute from lincoln park to the map below be bad???
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=...e=UTF8&z=14&iwloc=addr

I am not sure of that area, just was pointing out what anyone would need to help you with your post. My family is almost all from around Chicago and two have properties also in Door County, WI. They are mixed bag from struggling upstarts to having cars worth more than my house.

My cousin is a cop in Lombard and lives there, it's reasonable. A lot of places in and around Chicago are pricey, but the suburbs outside are more affordable if you commute.

 

[Que-TiP]

Originally posted by: arrfep
Seriously? WTF are you getting a job in a steel mill or something? That will be a PITA commmute. But at least you won't be living down there. The farthest south I'd be comfortable living is Pilsen. BTW, there was just a shooting today in the area you'll be commuting to. One dead, one in the hospital. It was over a dice game gone wrong. So I hope you're not a big gambler.

Anyway, best of luck.

haha, no not a steel mill, but it is a more blue collar position than I have now.
But I will not live there, so I'm looking in downtown. I'm just trying to understand what the commute will be like? I do 40 mins now, and I can do that again, but I don't want it to take an hour or more.

p.s. i will stay away from the dice games by work.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: Que-TiP
wow I went out for some beers and there are replys!

Fmr12B-
Yeah I heard lincoln park and bucktown are decent. Also wicker park, old town? Is there a way to rank these places best to worst?

alkemyst-
Hoping to drop under $1500, but i guess i'm negotiable. Will the commute from lincoln park to the map below be bad???
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=...e=UTF8&z=14&iwloc=addr

That's not an EL stop, its a stop on the South Shore/Metra Electric line. The terminus for which is at Randolph (Millennium) station downtown. Text

The commute from anyplace much north of downtown to there will be hell trying to use mass transit. Driving it might not be that bad since you would be effectively reverse commuting down Lake Shore Drive and Stony Island.

Without knowing more what you're looking for I'd suggest looking at Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Gold Coast, River North, and the South Loop/Printers Row. Wicker Park and Bucktown (although great neighborhoods) are further west which would greatly increase you road time.

Personally something in the South Loop close to the Roosevelt CTA (Red, Green, and Orange lines served) and Metra Electric stations gets my vote for your circumstances.

 

[chuckywang]

Originally posted by: Que-TiP
moving for work, the office is on the way south side of town.
I want to live in the city, close to EL stop, in a decent neighborhood, and i will need parking [I have a motorcycle too].
1 or 2 bedroom. Any ideas of how to find a place? CL?
muchas gracias!

If your place does not come with a parking spot, then street parking is a HUGE bitch.

 

[chuckywang]

Originally posted by: Que-TiP
wow I went out for some beers and there are replys!

Fmr12B-
Yeah I heard lincoln park and bucktown are decent. Also wicker park, old town? Is there a way to rank these places best to worst?

alkemyst-
Hoping to drop under $1500, but i guess i'm negotiable. Will the commute from lincoln park to the map below be bad???
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=...e=UTF8&z=14&iwloc=addr

Live in the south side .... that commute from the north side is terrible.

 

[Acanthus]

Schaumberg is a very nice and affordable area.

If you shop around in Streamwood you can get some nice places as well.

 

[ScottMac]

IF you're working "way South" then don't move to Chicago, move to Northern Indiana.

Chicago, Cook County, Illinois are major tax whores. Taxes just went up across the board, such that in most areas in Chicago, sales tax is now 10.25% (the "zone" in the Loop is 11.25%), a bottle of water now has an *additional* $1.00 tax, regardless of the bottle size (so a case of water now costs $24.00 extra).

There's no thrill to "living in Chicago" Digger Dick and the (not so) amazing Toad Stroeger will pick your pockets clean. There is more traffic enforcement by camera ... and anything else they can do to liberate you from your cash.

You'll end up going out-county to buy most of your stuff anyway, just move there. Northern Indiana has some pretty nice areas, bus / El, Train service (depends on the area). You'll save a great deal of money by NOT moving to Chicago ... then you can visit Chicago when the urge moves you.

If Indiana holds no appeal, then find someplace outside of Cook county ("collar counties").

I'm serious, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois will bleed the cash out of you ... Blago, Toad, and Little Dick and his amazing steam shovel are out to take everything you earn.

Good Luck

Scott

 

[MotionMan]

Originally posted by: Fmr12B
Yes its expensive, yes parking is horrible. But its a terriffic neighborhood.

Yeah, you can enjoy it after working two double-shifts to pay the rent and driving around for two hours to find a parking space.



MotionMan

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: MotionMan

Originally posted by: Fmr12B
Yes its expensive, yes parking is horrible. But its a terriffic neighborhood.

Yeah, you can enjoy it after working two double-shifts to pay the rent and driving around for two hours to find a parking space.



MotionMan

Renting a space in LP runs 150-200 per month. Depending on where exactly you're talking about street parking might not be that terrible. The closer you get to the park though the worse it gets.

The OP said his budget is 1500/mo for an apartment. It is more than possible to find a 1bd apt and parking under that in (near) downtown neighborhoods.

 

[meltdown75]

in a van down by the river