Late 20 yr. Old Woman moving to Chicago Region...needs advice (Arlington Heights: affordable apartment, renters)

[emgjacks6892]

Hello,

I've just accepted a position that is based in Chicago, but the great news is that i'll be mostly working from home. I'd be driving to the southwest side about three months out of the year. So the location is pretty much up to me where i want to live. With that said, i'm working on a limited budget as most people are at my age. I have several friends that live in the region whom have suggested Lincoln Park, Lakeview Wrigelyville etc. However after viewing apartment prices combined with parking issues and safety concerns, I don't feel comfortable spend the required rent (starting around 1,000-1,200 starting) for a comfortable apartment. So I'm thinking more of an outer suburb with access to a metra station that will get me within reasonable distance of Lincoln Park where most of my friends are. Below are my criteria followed by areas that I've been looking at. I'm asking for feedback regarding safety, entertainment and ease of access to grocery store, age (like will i be the only single woman under the age of 40 without children), parking and proximity to the metra station. Also if you have apartment suggestions within the areas below or ones that you suggest, that would also be super helpful. Thanks so much I REALLY appreciate it!!!!

Criteria:
Rent Range: 800-1,000 (top end would have to include ample parking options, dishwasher, etc)
Must be safe for a single woman to live and walk around the streets
Within walking distance of a metra
parking space
I have a 40lb dog but she's negotiable at this point as a sibling might take her if I can't find an apartment that works for us both.

Locations:
Evanston
Arlington Heights
Skokie
Forest Glen

I know I'm trying to find the prefect place but this is the first time that I'm moving out of state so I'm a extra nervous about ending up in a bad area away from everyone. Thanks again for your help!!!! It's really helpful and appreciated!

[chet everett]

None of the places listed are really "outer" suburbs. In fact places like Evanston, which is home to Northwestern as well as being very attractive to folks that want something adjacent to Chicago but with a less byzantine school system, tend to be quite pricey. Similarly Arlington Heights is quite desirable for folks that want a nice suburb with good access to both suburban employment centers as well as convenient to Chicago.

Forest Glen in a rather family centric portion of Chicago, very few rentals : Forest Glen, Chicago, IL - Google Maps

I think you can find a safe spot in a lot more areas of both more convenient suburbs and parts of Chicago that are not high on the "hipness factor" that are within your budget. You might include places like Jefferson Park inside Chicago, the suburbs of DesPlaines, Norridge, Niles, Morton Grove perhaps even Oak Park. These are all well served with transit.


While I cannot speak directly to your concerns of being the "only under 40 single woman" I do believe that in a relative sense you would be somewhat less than typical than say inside Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Andersonville, Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village, Bucktown etc... It is not impossible to find a safe affordable apartment that accepts pets in those area and you would certainly be in an area where woman of your age are a lot more common.

[emgjacks6892]

Thank you for your advice and input. I obviously don't know the area very well! haha I'm coming from an area where there is more corn than people so I'm probably being overly concerned with safety. Which is one of the big reasons I was thinking more Evanston or Arlington Heights. I know this sounds ridiculous but because I'm going to be living by myself I'm secretly terrified that I'll get attacked or something walking from my car late at night. (which because of my job walking back from my car late at night is very likely) I'm also concerned that given I need to find a lease that starts Aug 1, that my options are very limited already.

[chet everett]

LOTS of renters decide to move in August, the problem will be finding right place at right price.

Crime in Chicago is far more hyped than it probably deserves. Yes, things ABSOLUTELY can / could / should be safer BUT there are literally millions of Chicagoans that live in quiet areas that go decades with out any sort of violent crime fears. Places like Edison Park and Jefferson Park come immeadiately to mind...

[jamaicabound60565]

do you want metra for going into the city to spend a day or for nightlife? reason i ask is metra stops running at 1230 which is basically pointless for nightlife meaning you have to take it easy, drink and drive, or fork out big bucks for cabs home or crash at a freinds place. if your more interested in the city for biking along the lake, street festivals during the day, etc then metra isn't bad however weekends trains are all milk trains like well over an hour to get to naperville for example.

i dint know trains and schedules nad stops really well but many suburbs close to chicago actually have like blue line, purple line, brown line type trains runnign to the burbs which i think would run later.

you can do lincoln park cheap i know lots of friends with studios for like $600 in nice buildings but you said comfortable so i guess brushing your teeth in the sink from sitting on your bed may not be comfortable lol.

one other thing to mention not sure how far your commuting during those three months youll need to commute but its a nightmare getting to skokie and burbs around there from places far away as there's no good way to get there. evn if its only a few months out of the year those months could be miserable, especially if its winter.

not sure if youd consider south burbs but lagrange, brookfield and a few ohters in that area may be something else to consider. closer to south burbs and also close to city

just had to edit. when you say southwest side are you talking southwest side of the city or are you talking oak lawn or southwest burbs?

[linicx]

Actually you can find everything on your list at Oak Park Palce Apartments in Oak Park. The unit if fully applianced with DW, W/D. Secured parking is available. The anchor store is natural foods grocer Trader Joe's. Oak Park offers 2 CTA lines, Metra, taxi, limo and zip car. It is 8 miles from the city. The apartments are not far from the trains. Oak Park is a mix of family and single, and a fair share of professionals. You can find a walkable downtown as well as a dog park. It has ton of character and architectural charm.

All towns in Illinois have Sec 8 housing. In Oak Park it is for the Elderly and the Disabled. OP is very diverse. You will find a house of worship for Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, African American, Asian, and most major Christian denominations. All places have a "bad side of town." In Oak Park the bad side is Chicago - specifically the street called Austin that is the shared border with the City of Chicago.

Don't poke your finger in the eye of sleeping tiger if you don't want to get hurt. The Oak Park Regional Housing Center has helped folks find an apartment for over thirty years. If you are adverse to living in an racially integrated community as is Oak Park, Chet can probably help you along those lines as he is a realtor.

You will love Arlington Heights if your like horses and racing, but it is 25 Miles from the Loop.. Skokie has a strong Jewish and Asian presence; I liked it a lot when I worked there. Park Ridge, where Hillary Clinton was raised, is nearby. Evanston is a college town; I'm way too old for frat parties.

[chet everett]

Sorry, it would be a Federal crime to guide anyone's housing decisions based on race, won't be able to help with that. http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/title8.php


The Arlington Park season lasts less than five month 2012 Events and Promotions | Arlington Park It is 39 minutes by Metra from Chicago -- http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Ar...nsit:2&start=1


The 74,000+ residents of Evanston are largely not involved in the tiny campus population of Northwestern. http://www.google.com/publicdata/exp...of+evanston+il

[linicx]

n/m

[3Series]

Here's my 2 cents. Live by your friends. Frienships are what life is all about. If you'll be "working from home" a lot, you'll want to get out and you won't want to drive from Arlington Heights to go 'hang out' in Lincoln Park. If your friends are in Lincoln Park, live there. You'll be able to find something for $1k a month but depending on what you are used to, it won't be much. Ditch the car if you need to and rent one when you need it.

If you move to Chicago, realize it's an urban center. Crime occurs, just keep your guard up and let life take it's course.