Is Chicago as stressful as NYC? (Manhattan, Time: best city, for sale, to rent)

[prelude91]

Originally Posted by ParkerP

You know what, I think I read about something like this on another board I frequent. Like if the refrigerator breaks in the rent controlled apartment, they don't get a nice new stainless steel replacement like the market rent ones. They get plain used white ones. Or the kitchen counter is replaced with old laminate instead of granite. Can't say I agree or disagree with the landlords doing this but its fascinating stuff. I can't really pinpoint if this is done in Chicago as much because from what I've seen and experienced, once a building decides to sky-rocket its rent or turn into luxury condos, that's it. Everybody has to get out. Maybe someone else here knows?

As a land lord myself, I would hate rent control, you are basically forced to give a reduced rate to a tenant. I have had a few instances where I made my tenants life a living hell to force them out before their lease is up; if lease is up, I can raise their rent at my discretion.

[trailblazer33]

Originally Posted by prelude91

As a land lord myself, I would hate rent control, you are basically forced to give a reduced rate to a tenant. I have had a few instances where I made my tenants life a living hell to force them out before their lease is up; if lease is up, I can raise their rent at my discretion.

Wow. You're why rent control exists in the first place.

[glass_of_merlot]

Originally Posted by prelude91

Your knowledge of NYC (and the tri state area) seems to be poor at best.

Im just going by what i heard.. and you are mean

[prelude91]

Originally Posted by trailblazer33

Wow. You're why rent control exists in the first place.

Shame on me for wanting to make money

[sheaosaurus]

Originally Posted by prelude91

Shame on me for wanting to make money

No shame on you. The other problem is rent stays the same for decades, but property taxes rise, heating costs rise, the cost of water rises and things break and someone has to pay the difference.

[Flamedown]

Originally Posted by sheaosaurus

No shame on you. The other problem is rent stays the same for decades, but property taxes rise, heating costs rise, the cost of water rises and things break and someone has to pay the difference.

Does rent control account for the rise in property taxes?

[nana053]

My dh would love to move back to New York and thinks he would love living in NYC. He has only lived on Long Island and I don't think he would actually like living in the city itself. For me, I don't like the east coast at all. Too crowded - where my sister lives it just feels congested to me and she is not in NYC, but just in a middling sized city in New York.

Chicago to me has the best of both worlds. It's got good public transportation, yet it has some *space* to spread out it too depending upon where you live.

It is definitely more laid back than NYC (people walk slower - when we first moved here that annoyed me, but I like it now). The rat race is just not as prevalent although Chicagoans can be focused on their careers if they want to be so.

[Chicagoist123]

Originally Posted by nana053

My dh would love to move back to New York and thinks he would love living in NYC. He has only lived on Long Island and I don't think he would actually like living in the city itself. For me, I don't like the east coast at all. Too crowded - where my sister lives it just feels congested to me and she is not in NYC, but just in a middling sized city in New York.

Chicago to me has the best of both worlds. It's got good public transportation, yet it has some *space* to spread out it too depending upon where you live.

It is definitely more laid back than NYC (people walk slower - when we first moved here that annoyed me, but I like it now). The rat race is just not as prevalent although Chicagoans can be focused on their careers if they want to be so.

A lot of people say that when having visited NYC and Chicago. They say in Chicago you can "breathe" and the sunlight isn't blocked by buildings.

I also like that about Chicago is that we are hard workers but we don't have the rat race mentality. Most people take their jobs seriously but don't let it consume their life.

To me Chicago is one of the most balanced cities you will ever find in almost everything.

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by ParkerP

You know what, I think I read about something like this on another board I frequent. Like if the refrigerator breaks in the rent controlled apartment, they don't get a nice new stainless steel replacement like the market rent ones. They get plain used white ones. Or the kitchen counter is replaced with old laminate instead of granite. Can't say I agree or disagree with the landlords doing this but its fascinating stuff.

Granite and stainless are overrated, IMO. I have neither, yet my kitchen is as nice and functional as it needs to be. That's mere fashion, not some fantastic new invention that makes life so much easier. It's such a minor issue. I'm sure most of those New Yorkers living in rent-controlled apartments would rather make do with used appliances and old laminate than pay sky-high rents.

(Not that I'm pro-rent control, understand. I'm not. I don't agree with too much tampering with free markets and property rights.)

[andrew61]

Here's an interesting quote I found in Time Out's "This Week in Chicago" column (where they feature their "person of the week"):

A lot of people think that Chicagoans are somewhat more laid-back than New York people. Well, I lived in New York and I don’t think that’s necessarily true. Everyone’s cold and angry. ---Stefan Batista

Full interview:

Stefan Batista, 24 - This week in Chicago - Time Out Chicago

I somewhat agree with his remark.