Moving to Illinois. New job in Elk Grove Village. Where to rent for a year? (Chicago: 2014, apartment)

[Titan444]

Hello.

I'm starting a new job in January 2014. The location of the job is in Elk Grove Village. My wife, me, and my two cats, will be moving to Illinois in the next few weeks. We'd like to get an apartment for about a year while we look around and decide where we'd like to buy a house.

We don't have children nor do we plan to. We both like to use mass transit but that won't work for me and my new job so I'll be driving. I'd like to keep my commute short (or with minimal traffic). My wife will likely rely on busses and trains.

Any recommendations on apartment buildings or complexes in any of the following: Itasca, Mount Prospect, Wood Dale, Bensenville, Oak Park, Elmhurst. Any recommendations on any towns other than the ones mentioned? Any areas to avoid?

Thanks,
Jeff

[MSchemist80]

I pick a town along the Milwaukee District West line to the south or the Union Pacific Northwest to the North. Any of the towns you mentioned would be nice. Oak Park would be a very long commute for you so I would definitely not recommend it.

[chet everett]

Of the towns you mentioned I would probably rate Mt. Prospect and Elmhurst as your best bet for a combination easy drive to Elk Grove Village employers as well as good transit options. I might also add that depending upon where exactly in EGV the employment is, it may also make sense to also consider places like Franklin Park, DesPlaines and Rosemont ...

[ToriaT]

I would look in Elk Grove Village itself first. Its a nice overall place, nothing thrilling but nothing bad. Itasca, Roselle, Wooddale, all might be possibilities. I'd skip Bensenville. Oak Park is too far away. Mt Prospect and Arlington Heights also would not be out of the question.

[cubssoxfan]

Where does your wife work?

[MSchemist80]

Originally Posted by ToriaT

I would look in Elk Grove Village itself first. Its a nice overall place, nothing thrilling but nothing bad. Itasca, Roselle, Wooddale, all might be possibilities. I'd skip Bensenville. Oak Park is too far away. Mt Prospect and Arlington Heights also would not be out of the question.

The trouble with that is there is no Metra station in EGV and the OP indicated he will do the driving. Therefore the wife would need to drive or take the bus to the metra which is rather inconvenient.

[cubssoxfan]

DId I miss it, or WHERE DOES WIFE WORK? All the speculation about mass transit is pointless if she is commuting to Libertyville rather than commuting to Chicago

[ToriaT]

Yes its important to find out where the wife works and if she will be taking transit and to where. There is a train station in Wood dale.

[Titan444]

Originally Posted by ToriaT

Yes its important to find out where the wife works and if she will be taking transit and to where. There is a train station in Wood dale.

Ah, my wife doesn't have a job lined up yet. We're assuming it'll be somewhere where the Metra takes her. Otherwise we'll have to get a second car and she'll be driving to work as well.

[MSchemist80]

That could be troublesome unless she gets a job downtown. It is not easy nor efficient to get from a station on one metra line to another. For instance to go from Bensenville to Desplaines one would have to take the MD-W to Union station then walk a few blocks blocks to Oglesvie Station then come all the way back west on the UP-NW. That could take 2 hours to go 8 or so miles.