20-something moving to Chicago this Summer - Illinois (IL) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

Attrill · 03-08-2007, 10:06 PM

cw68's apartment links are the definitely the best to check out.

Compared to NYC, LA, Boston, and SF Chicago is cheap. It's a little less expensive than Seattle and a number of other cities.

I'd recommend checking out Ukrainian Village, Wicker Park, and Bucktown.

cw68 · 03-08-2007, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Attrill

cw68's apartment links are the definitely the best to check out.

Compared to NYC, LA, Boston, and SF Chicago is cheap. It's a little less expensive than Seattle and a number of other cities.

I'd recommend checking out Ukrainian Village, Wicker Park, and Bucktown.

If you are able, it's worth it to drive around and jot down numbers. When I got my last apartment there, in 1995, my roommate and I were able to get a three-bedroom, 1300+ sq foot 2nd floor Victorian in Lakeview for $850, heat included. Beautiful place, wood floors, fireplace, sun porch, walk-in pantry, formal dining room, den, big bathroom, gardens, two blocks from the "L" etc. Though this was 10+ years ago, it was a steal for the time. It could have rented for $1000 more per month.

We rented from Bridgette, who past away last year at almost 100, who bought it in the 50s when it was a slum area and she was a housekeeper. First it was a rooming house, then she and her husband converted it to a four-flat. She rented it to mostly single girls because she wanted to provide a nice, safe place for a girl to afford. (Sexist, yes.) We were allowed to update or paint anything but wood. She figured the more we treated it like our home, the better we'd treat it and she was right. This apartment was willed down through a chain of our friends until both Thaddeus and Bridgette passed away last year.

I think these kind of things happen more often in Chicago than any other big urban area. Keep your mind and eyes open.

jman07 · 03-09-2007, 06:10 AM

Oh. I would also highly recommend using apartment hunters or some service like that. They have a office. They pretty much have a data base of places to live and know everything and drive you around for free to find a place. They work on commission form the people that own the places. They were very helpful.

Naya01 · 03-09-2007, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jman07

Oh. I would also highly recommend using apartment hunters or some service like that. They have a office. They pretty much have a data base of places to live and know everything and drive you around for free to find a place. They work on commission form the people that own the places. They were very helpful.

Oh yeah, they are good! They have an office on the North Side by Belmont right? Right by the redline? By that Dunkin Donuts? I don't know the other street name, lol.

Evlevo · 03-10-2007, 01:49 AM

First, go with an apartment hunter (they basically rent privately owned condos), they don't charge you a fee (owner does), and are Waaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than cruising apt complexes.... better deals too!

The second thing is LOSE THE CAR!!! It will cost you $125-$200 a month to park your car in your own building, which probably won't have openings for several months (and you may not even get your own spot, they frequently "valet-stack" the cars which is a huge headache!). There are some other parking options, but none of them are good. (People pay $30,000 - $100,000 for the "deed" to a parking space in highrises!)

The cheaper parking options are:
Park in Lincoln Park (or the street, or another park) overnight and get a new radio 3X a month, or work out a deal with a nearby private school or something where you can park before 8am or after 5pm M-F plus weekends. That might only cost you $100/ mo, but you still have to move your car on sick days, etc.

You'll still have to pay car ins (over $130/mo for basic).

You have to buy a City Sticker every year in addition to car tabs, (I can't remember if it was $75 or $200)

You'll probably have to pay to park at your job as well (another $100-$500/mo). Usually the only people who get "free" parking are the execs who could actually afford to pay for it.

PUBLIC TRANSIT IN CHICAGO ROCKS!!! The trains ("L"), busses, cabs, and commuter trains will take you just about anywhere you need to go in the region, and most routes have a new bus/train every 3-15 minutes. If you ever have to go further, rent a car for the weekend. The $50-75 weekend rate plus $10 ins (even if you do it every weekend) is way cheaper than the $400-$750 /mo you are going to pay before you even pay for the car or put gas in the tank (and BTW, Chicago has one some the nation's highest gas prices).

Dropping your car could literally save you more than picking up a roomate.

Evlevo · 03-10-2007, 01:52 AM

They never told me this (I grew up in the suburbs) but when you move from a place in the city to a different place in the city, either schedule the move for a time other than the end of the month, or better yet, reserve a moving truck 3 months in advance!

Everyone moves at the end of the month, and even 2 weeks in advance, I was SOL (I called 15 places, and had to go 20 miles outside the city to find an overpriced hoopty truck).

cw68 · 03-10-2007, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evlevo

First, go with an apartment hunter (they basically rent privately owned condos), they don't charge you a fee (owner does), and are Waaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than cruising apt complexes.... better deals too!

The second thing is LOSE THE CAR!!!

I second the car thing. I got rid of mine after eight months or so. Took the "L" to work daily and rarely drove anywhere but the grocery store because there's no parking once you get there anyway. Paid out the wazoo for parking tickets from not moving my car on street cleaning days! Really not needed. I took the Metra out to the 'burbs to visit my sister and rented cars for the weekend when I wanted to go out of town. You'll always know someone who has a car and they'll usually host a shopping weekend where they'll drive their carless friends to the malls, big box stores, etc.

Attrill · 03-10-2007, 01:45 PM

I agree that you don't need a car in Chicago, especially for commuting to work, but it isn't that much of a hassle to own a car in the city.

Most neighborhoods like Ukrainian Village, Andersonville, Logan Square, West Town, Lincoln Square, etc. have plenty of street parking. City stickers are $75/year ($90 for an SUV). Depending on the neighborhood you want to live in you could move to Chicago with a car and make the decision to keep it or not after you've lived here for awhile.

AnnaDW1991 · 11-20-2011, 04:31 PM

Hey guys, this forum is awesome! Does anyone have any advice on the funnest neighborhoods for young people? I'm only twenty, and I'm interning downtown this summer at PWC. I don't mind roomates or a tiny place!