Moving and Getting so Confused (Chicago, Roscoe: real estate, apartments, rentals)

[tlake]

I'm moving to Chicago with my boyfriend in July and we're getting so confused on our apartment hunt. There are just so many different apartment websites, listings, restrictions, and guidelines for what streets to avoid.

I have been browsing these forums for a while but am still getting stressed out about the move.

Do you have any tips on what sites/management companies are a waste of time? Best ways to find apartments?

We are looking for something in the North side (typical Lakeview/Buena Park/Roscoe Village area) or the safer parts of the west side (east village/bucktown/parts of Logan Square/maybe the University Village). Our budget is only $1,200 for a one bedroom with a dog, so unfortunately this rules out a lot of options.

Any advice would greatly be appreciated! We are headed there this week and I'm setting up meetings with some apartments we're interested in.

[ChiNaan]

That budget should be doable in some of those neighborhoods. It might be difficult in Lakeview, Roscoe Village, Bucktown (depending on how far you stretch its boundaries), and University Village (a private development of fairly new units affiliated with UIC) for a true one bedroom, though. Buena Park (Uptown), East Village, much of Logan Square, and places that real estate agents will try to convince you are in Bucktown should be pretty doable.

I would recommend, when you're here, walking around the neighborhoods you're interested in, looking for "for rent" signs, calling the numbers on them, and being prepared to write a check when you find something you like.

Craigslist can be okay for setting stuff up ahead of time, but there are a lot of agents and bait-and-switch artists on there.

[marothisu]

$1200/month is pretty much doable in most any neighborhood for a one bedroom. For the website, it depends on the housing stock you want. If you want to go with a BUILDING, then I'd recommend something like Rent.com (which is owned by Yahoo) or a similar site such as My New Place (I think that's what it's called). If you want a smaller type of place or more independent, then a site like Domu.com is good or go to the Chicago Reader (Chicago Reader - News & Politics, Music & Nightlife, Arts & Culture, Film, Food & Drink, Blogs, Classifieds, Deals) website and look on their rentals section.

Craigslist can be full of scams and it's hard to know, but if you're in town and can set up a meeting with someone who has that, then go for it. Only some of the stuff on there is a scam

[hjt123]

padmapper.com

1200 would easily cover all of the listed neighborhoods

[ProgMichael]

Domu.com is how I found my place. It's hands-down the best Chicago apartment finder I've seen. Give it a shot if you haven't yet, it's ridiculously easy to use too.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by hjt123

padmapper.com

1200 would easily cover all of the listed neighborhoods

"Easily"? An actual 1 BR suitable for a couple and a dog? In Lakeview or Bucktown proper?

Do you have some links to examples?

[linicx]

If you want to rent in a decent place in Chicago, is a dog a deal breaker?

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by linicx

If you want to rent in a decent place in Chicago, is a dog a deal breaker?

Depends on the size and type of dog. In some neighborhoods, such as River North, it is harder to find, but it's doable. However, if you have an 80 pound dog, you probably aren't going to have much luck, if ANY, in somewhere like River North. Have to go outside of that. For *some* apartments though, it can be a dealbreaker because some do not accept any types of dogs.

[Lorielicious]

Originally Posted by ProgMichael

Domu.com is how I found my place. It's hands-down the best Chicago apartment finder I've seen. Give it a shot if you haven't yet, it's ridiculously easy to use too.

Hmm. I'd previously written off Domu because I find their ads to be irritatingly smug, but are they any good? As in wide choice of neighborhoods, price ranges, actually DECENT pictures of the place (f-ing itty bitty thumbnails and pics of the exterior only are pure balls!), etc? Might be ditching my current digs when lease is up.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Lorielicious

Hmm. I'd previously written off Domu because I find their ads to be irritatingly smug, but are they any good? As in wide choice of neighborhoods, price ranges, actually DECENT pictures of the place (f-ing itty bitty thumbnails and pics of the exterior only are pure balls!), etc? Might be ditching my current digs when lease is up.

My girlfriend found her last place through it. It's decent and there seems to be far less scams on it versus ...Craigslist. The site is pretty easy to use and I think most listings have at least one picture.