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I had posted in the suburbs sub-forum as well but I am having hard time deciding which sub-forum would be appropriate so I am putting it here.
I am relocating to Chicago for a job that will have travel Monday through Thursday and will require going to my regional office in downtown on some Fridays. We are a family of 3 with soon to be 4.
So my prime considerations are -
1) Easy Access to both airports (preferably o'hare) and easy access to downtown.
2) Enjoy the city life, amenities, nice restaurants, kids activities till we decide to move to the suburbs when the older kid is ready for school (may be another 2 years).
3) I am planning to rent a 3BR/2+ bath with indoor parking for 2 cars. May be a two story townhome (not 3 story) will work?? Or, any old smaller house with 1800-2000 sqft???
What are some of the safe areas (also areas that are family oriented) for a young couple with kids and what should be by approximate budget for the rent including any association or parking fees?
Also, is it advisable for a young couple with kids to be in the city area?
I think part of this will come down to how much you're willing to pay.
Single family homes in good neighborhoods of Chicago are not cheap for example (probably at least $400,000 for what you're looking for, and on up). You might be willing to do a condo/duplex for even less I think.. There are definitely safe areas for children, for example a Ravenswood/Lincoln Square (where the Mayor lives) or Roscoe Village. Both have a lot of families living there, things to do, public transit, etc. They are very residential, but at the same time, they have things to do. Andersonville is another, and probably less expensive, but still real good, quiet place with things to do and low crime. Here's a few sites, and have some overview videos on them:
Here's one thing I'll tell you. If you're working downtown, i.e. The Loop, and you want to live in the city, I'd ditch one of your cars and just keep one to be honest. There is absolutely no need to drive to work downtown unless your company pays for your parking (parking can be very expensive downtown of course). You can take the train to work, like thousands upon thousands do everyday. The public transit system here is the 2nd largest and most active after NYC. Since you are a family though, I'd definitely keep one of your cars.
Let's start though, I'm curious of what your monthly budget is or what your budget for a home/condo/duplex is. It will determine things.
Also, as far as O'Hare and Midway go, there's two trains that go directly there. Blue line to O'Hare and Orange line to Midway. Very easy to use them, and also very cheap.
Last edited by marothisu; 07-04-2012 at 10:06 PM..
Thank you so much! Our budget is 2200/ month for rent. We are moving from Dallas so did not know the perspective. I think you are right, we can do with one car. I was thinking two cars so that one can be for me to go and come back from airport and one for my wife to travel to work if required.
Quote:
Originally Posted by marothisu
I think part of this will come down to how much you're willing to pay.
Single family homes in good neighborhoods of Chicago are not cheap for example (probably at least $400,000 for what you're looking for, and on up). You might be willing to do a condo/duplex for even less I think.. There are definitely safe areas for children, for example a Ravenswood/Lincoln Square (where the Mayor lives) or Roscoe Village. Both have a lot of families living there, things to do, public transit, etc. They are very residential, but at the same time, they have things to do. Andersonville is another, and probably less expensive, but still real good, quiet place with things to do and low crime. Here's a few sites, and have some overview videos on them:
Here's one thing I'll tell you. If you're working downtown, i.e. The Loop, and you want to live in the city, I'd ditch one of your cars and just keep one to be honest. There is absolutely no need to drive to work downtown unless your company pays for your parking (parking can be very expensive downtown of course). You can take the train to work, like thousands upon thousands do everyday. The public transit system here is the 2nd largest and most active after NYC. Since you are a family though, I'd definitely keep one of your cars.
Let's start though, I'm curious of what your monthly budget is or what your budget for a home/condo/duplex is. It will determine things.
Also, as far as O'Hare and Midway go, there's two trains that go directly there. Blue line to O'Hare and Orange line to Midway. Very easy to use them, and also very cheap.
Thank you so much! Our budget is 2200/ month for rent. We are moving from Dallas so did not know the perspective. I think you are right, we can do with one car. I was thinking two cars so that one can be for me to go and come back from airport and one for my wife to travel to work if required.
Yeah, Dallas is quite a bit different. Big city, but Chicago's metro area population has between 3 and 4 million more people. BIg difference is what I stated kind of. Chicago is more urban in many areas, but at the same time, it's not. There's a lot of public transit in many neighborhoods that makes getting places easy. For example you stated that you'll be working downtown (I just think Loop or River North areas). Very easy to get there from many neighborhoods on the train if you live near one. It's funny because in one area Chicago can look like this: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Chicago_IL.jpg
But even though there's a lot in the 2nd picture, the 1st you might not be able to hear a lot of it. I always take visitors to the Gold Coast, because (apart from being near me), there's all these mansions/huge row houses in this residential looking area, but only a block or two south is a big bar scene and all this stuff going on, yet in the residential area, you can barely even hear anything from the street level.
As far as the O'Hare thing goes, if you talking about traveling somewhere and coming back a few days later, eh. I mean, the train goes directly to O'hare. You get off the train and you're right at the crossroads of all but one terminal (the international terminal). Not only that, but it's $2.25 to ride the train. Even if you pay as low as $5/day for a park and fly, you're still saving money everytime you fly by taking the train. If not, not bad, but the traffic in Chicago can be pretty bad sometimes on the freeway. Depends on when, but I just remember my dad from LA driving on the freeway for the first time proclaiming that Chicago's freeway traffic was worse than LA's. Of course, it's not always like that, just depends on what's going on.
I think though ultimately, it's a good idea for you guys to keep at least one car with a soon to be family of four. If the place you were to get doesn't have alley access parking (many places do), then you'd have to deal maybe with zone parking. Some areas are free (i.e. parts of Ravenswood), but if you have to do Zone Parking, it's $25/year and you also have to pay for a Wheel Tax (like $85). Part of that is that you have to convert your plates to Illinois plates within 90 days and also your licenses to Illinois ones (have to take a 30 question written test at the DMV. Not too hard, but worth studying a little bit for and reviewing).
For the record, the cost of the unlimited monthly CTA pass is somewhere around $80/month. Compare that with a car. You'd probably be paying at least $80 for insurance per month alone, plus gas, etc. If you live in an area near a train, it's easier to take the train to work (unless work pays for parking, but I'd be willing to say that most don't) and you'd be paying that too anyway. Also you'd have a lot of things within walking distance to you most likely.
I think $2200/month for 3 bed/2 bath is doable in areas like Lincoln Square/Ravenswood, Irving Park (http://www.chicagoapartmentfinders.c...ving-Park.aspx), and even Lakeview (found this place, not sure how good it is though Surf Apartments | Chicago, IL Apartments for Rent | Rent.com®), but you're going to have to look around. It might be too little, but in that case, your money will do more for you in the burbs. Not only that, but the parking will be easier than in the city, and there's also Metra trains that go downtown (i.e. Union Station, Ogilvie). Most of my coworkers with kids live in the burbs and ride the Metra downtown every weekday.
There are good schools in the city of course, but on average they're probably better in the burbs. It all depends on your personalities. IMO if you can do it, I'd say to rent in the city for a year and see how it goes. If you don't like it or want something else, look at the burbs. I am part of a city homer, but I do enjoy the fact I can walk out my front door and be confronted with an amazing number of restaurants/bars, or entertainment options (concerts, comedy, etc), or other things (i.e. record, book stores, art galleries) within walking distance, and if not I can take a train/bus for cheap. If I want to relax in a park, then I have them near me too or a short transit ride away (I live downtown).
Last edited by marothisu; 07-05-2012 at 12:33 AM..
I think the budget f $2200/mo will not be easy for a family a decent place in any desirable part of the city or suburbs.
Seriously.
There are 2 bd/2 ba condos with no parking that routinely rent for $2K/mo in the nicer parts of Lakeview or Lincoln Park, the link to the apartments in Old Irving are 2bd/1ba in older buildings.
There is not a whole lot of indoor parking associated with older buildings. Period. If the OP is serious about a 3br/2ba unit with indoor parking they are going to have to SIGNFICANTLY increase their budget.
I can state CATEGORICALLY that there are NO family friendly homes for anywhere near $400k in Lakeview. The ONLY single "family detached" listed for under $400k is this coach house that is RIGHT ON very busy Halsted Ave -- http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/261.../home/13369139 Honestly you need to move WAY WAY WAY up in price before you get to something that is even remotely similar to what would be considered traditionally oriented to a true single family detached buyer - http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/152.../home/13364518
I further would suggest that with a new baby on the way and coming from a significantly different environment in terms of climate , lifestyle , friends, etc it would be madness to try to get by with one car. I know many people that live in Chicago with young children and the even if they live right up the street from their pediatrician they really appreciate the peace of mind that comes from knowing they can drive there in bad weather. Similarly I have a number of friends / business associates that travel frequently, while I agree that taking the Blue Line to O'Hare is generally the most cost effective way to get to the airport 90% of business travelers FAR prefer the ease and speed of having the COMPANY PROVIDED livery service pick them up / drop them off. If the trip is going to be with the whole family it is flat out NUTS to try to get all the kid gear on the CTA...
Finally I would caution that anyone that is unfamiliar with the impressive range of offerings that any desirable suburb has in terms of dining, entertainment, recreation, healthcare, education, childcare etc really is in no position to do other than encourage exploration of the whole region. The value at just about every price point when comparing single family homes and even townhomes/condos greatly favors the desirable traditional high performing suburbs with excellent Metra commuter rail service. The factors that pushes up prices in more lively Chicago neighborhoods are mostly absent. The younger childless couples and singles who compete for spots in Chicago are largely not interested in the suburbs.
If the OP has not explored the range of options that can put them a 30 minute train ride from a downtown office they may be surprised as to how appealing that option may be with a new baby especially coming from an area that is known to be extremely car-centric. There are a range of rather walkable train-centric suburbs that fan out like spokes in every direction from Chicago. They are convenient to both airports, and are generally filled with people much like the OP...
If the OP had a more realistic budget and maybe some experience in a more urban setting maybe a nice apartment or condo in somewhat family friendly part of Chicago would be an option too, but having worked with younger couples that were so put off by their attempt to settle in Chicago I would caution that an unrealistic budget is often the start of a whole range of rather hard to overcome hurdles. Fact is even the costliest parts of Lincoln Park the sort of interaction a new mom is likely to get is often NOT with other young moms but with nannies taking the kids out for a very very very very very well paid family. Stay at home parents that are active in their children's care are not particularly rare in the desirable suburbs and there are some natural opportunities to get involved with folks from the neighborhood that are just a lot harder to do in even the most "child dense" parts of desirable destinations inside Chicago even with a mountain of money...
Last edited by chet everett; 07-05-2012 at 06:43 AM..
I don't think a Lincoln Park is what they need, Chet. There are MANY, MANY families who live in areas like Ravenswood/Lincoln Square, Roscoe Village, and Andersonville. I'm in Ravenswood a lot, and I see a good number of parents with children every single time I'm there. It's very family friendly up there. There are things to do, but overall it's a lot of green and a very neighborhood feel. It would be ludicrous to think otherwise in most areas of thsoe neighborhoods.
Ravenswood is nice because it's very residential, yet has "urban" options within walking distance. They might not be right next door to you, but they're within a short walk. Andersonville is the same exact way. I used to go to Andersonville almost once a week and walk around for a year. I think it's fairly obvious you haven't spent much time in those neighborhoods because they are perfect for a family who wants to live in the city IMO and they aren't that out of the question with the OP's budget.
Another good neighborhood is Jefferson Park which is even more family oriented than the others listed IMO. I know a handful of people who grew up there too. SO much that I thought Jefferson Park was a suburb when I first moved here, and not an actual neighborhood.
As far as the CTA thing goes, you'd be surprised. It all depends on what time you're going to O'Hare. I get paid to travel, as do all my collegues. Most care more about getting to the airport on time than how they're traveling. Sure, if it's not rush hour and 6am, we don't care. If it's during rush hour? Forget about it. I'd rather take the train than be stuck in traffic with a cab worrying about whether I'm going to get to the gate on time. I really don't care that it's paid for by my company. The only thing I make $$$ off of when I travel is my per diem, not how I travel to the airport. I care about getting there on time, and many of my friends I work with are the same exact way. To group us all and say we all prefer that is incorrect frankly. If you're talking about a family and lived near say Irving Park, how is that madness to take the CTA? The train ride from that stop is 20-25 minutes to O'Hare. Car is obviously better, but taking the CTA from a place like that is easy. It depends on how easily the kids can sit and not run around the cars, or get angry about a 20-25 minute ride. Young kids ride the CTA all the damn time, and 20-25 minutes is nothing big.
Overall, OP, it's going to come down to your personalities. I think some suburbs are nice, have nice schools, etc, but in the good parts of the city you will have more to do within short reach of you, more exposure to different cultures and the arts, good schools (i.e. north like Ravenswood) etc. Luckily though in the suburbs, there are the Metra trains which you can take to get you to the city, so even if you were in the burbs, you could still come to the city on the Metra pretty easily.
You definitely do not need two cars. If you are going to O'hare or Midway from within the city its also cheaper to take a taxi then it is to park for four days. Plus the train is super easy and cost $2. Also parking for the second car is going to be extremely hard to find. There will be some places with one car garage but almost none with 2 cars in your price range. You need to ditch one car if you are serious about living in the city. Or at least be willing to deal with street parking though it seems 2 cars is completely unnecessary in your situation.
I live in Ukrainian Village which would be a good bet for you. Its close to the blue line which runs from downtown to O'hare so you will have convenient transportation to both places you need to go. There are lots of activities for kids and parks and also restaurants and bars. There are lots of couples with babies around here.
Cost wise its probably slightly higher than you were thinking. A very common building in the city is a 3 flat. Which is basically 3 units stacked on top of each other. The bottom unit is often a duplex down meaning 2 floors, the bottom one being garden level or half below ground, half above ground. I just bought a duplex down and rented one before that for $2400. It had 4 bedrooms and about 2200 sq. ft. Rents are only rising now though. But maybe you can find one a little smaller or in a slightly cheaper location. The three-flat will generally have a garage in back with each unit getting one spot.
My sister lives in Lincoln Square. She has a nice single family house that she has owned long enough not to be upside down on but even with the prices roller coastering I don't think it is signficantly cheaper than Lakeview. Andersonville is nice enough but the commute time via CTA is negative to either downtown (about 40 minutes via Red Line to the Loop) or to O'Hare (well over an hour via any combination of buses to the Blue Line or nearly two hours to take the Red Line all the way down to spot where one can transfer to the Blue Line...) limits the appeal .
When it comes to Jefferson Park the question is less about travel than it is appeal. Sure if you are a cop or otherwise work for the City and are required to live inside the city limits there are certainly worse places but from a value standpoint the difference between say a similar looking home in close in suburb like Berwyn, Skokie or Norridge is hard to argue with and if long term plan is to take advantage of nice schools for kids then it also makes a lot of sense to include more upscale towns like Park Ridge.
Now I suppose one could argue that the special status that comes from really living in Chicago as opposed to a neigboring suburb that is all but indistinguishable in terms of housing styles and such is worth bragging rights or something to those who like to argue about what makes a "true Chicagoan" but for folks relocating to Dallas I gotta think that being right in the thick of all the benefits of things like the Lincoln Park Zoo , Wrigley Field, dozens of theatres and everything else that is central to Lincoln Park and Lakeview is going to hold a lot more appeal than having good access to the bowling alleys and greek diners /[ pancake houses of Jefferson Park...
I further would suggest that with a new baby on the way and coming from a significantly different environment in terms of climate , lifestyle , friends, etc it would be madness to try to get by with one car. I know many people that live in Chicago with young children and the even if they live right up the street from their pediatrician they really appreciate the peace of mind that comes from knowing they can drive there in bad weather.
I am not sure why your reasoning indicates the need for two cars. OP flys every week and will go to the office downtown on fridays. He has absolutely no need for a car for work. SInce OP will never need the car for work, one car will be available to service the needs of his wife and family 100% of the time. A second car will do nothing but just sit there.
OP driving himself to the airport would be a ridiculous idea. I think that LP and even Lakeview may be a little outside the OP's price range unless they were willing to deal with significantly smaller space. But I don't think a 3BR with parking for under $2500 is undoable in places like Ukrainian Village, West town, Lincoln Sqaure, or Logan Square. Those neighborhoods still offer plenty of bars, restaurants and shops. Plus they are still very convenient to the activities of downtown and the lakefront.
Now I suppose one could argue that the special status that comes from really living in Chicago as opposed to a neigboring suburb that is all but indistinguishable in terms of housing styles and such is worth bragging rights or something to those who like to argue about what makes a "true Chicagoan" but for folks relocating to Dallas I gotta think that being right in the thick of all the benefits of things like the Lincoln Park Zoo , Wrigley Field, dozens of theatres and everything else that is central to Lincoln Park and Lakeview is going to hold a lot more appeal than having good access to the bowling alleys and greek diners /[ pancake houses of Jefferson Park...
I think you are making a bigger deal of this point than needs to be. Tons of people move from more suburban/rural areas to Chicago every year who aren't used to it. I'd say most college kids who get jobs in Chicago are the same way. Very few people actually go to college in places that's an actual city. Many people are getting hired from Michigan State (East Lansing = 45,000 people), Purdue (West Lafayette = 35,000 people), Iowa (Iowa City = 70,000 people). I moved from suburban Minnesota (Population 110,000) and half suburban Iowa (Population 55,000) to come here. I had no problem doing this, because I was open to living here even though I'd never lived in a CITY before.
It's overstated, IMO. Tons of people do it and have NO problems doing so. It all comes down to what you're open to. If you're open to living in a city and stick to it, you'll have no problems doing so. Not to mention, it's not like the OP is coming from a small city. Dallas is one of the largest cities in the US. Population of 1.2 million, and an MSA population of 6.3 million. Yeah, Dallas and Chicago are not the same in terms of urbanism, but so are pretty much every city in the US including Atlanta, Houston, LA, etc and people have no problem moving from even those cities and adjusting to Chicago within a month or two. Sorry to say it, but I think your point here is just moot. It all comes down to what the OP and family are willing to "get used to" versus stay with what they're already used to.
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