Best Apartments in chicago suburbs on Metra (Naperville, Arlington Heights: appointed, apartment complex)

[kool_doc]

Hi Friends,
I will be relocating to chicago area to work in UIC and looking for apartment to live. May be 1 or 2 bed room in 1000-1200 range in nice neighbourhood.

I came for 2 days to chicago with my wife with lot of expectations thinking it a great city but we got lost don't know places in trash/ horrible /old areas of chicago and Everything close to UIC very bad and pricey too.....someone suggested Oak park and forest park...but we found it too old and crappy from our standards and returned without getting anything. Saw a alltogether different face of US.

So now we are doing some research and will come next week with some homework.

People are saying Naperville, DOWNERS GROVE, is good ..If some one can please suggest some other good suburbs/places or apartments to live around chicago will be great. Since we will have to travel by trains so if someone can please suggest some rental Apartments close to trains will be great..but would love to live in luxary/better apartments though will compromise on bit far. Any friend working in UIC or closby can be a great help for us. Any input is highly appreciated and Thanks in Advance !!!!!!!!!!!!

[EABEAB]

I've just spent about two months searching for the same type of area your looking for. I found Arlington Heights to have best mix of location, metra access, apartments, and nice downtown area. The best part is that the metra station is in the best part of the city. Make sure you look at around the Arlington Heights metra station for apartments, not the Arlington Heights racetrack metra station, they are very close to each other. The Avalon apartment complex in A.H. is a good place to start.

[reppin_the_847]

In the southwestern burbs definitely take a look at Naperville. In the north, I'd definitely look at Evanston if its within your budget. It's a quick Metra ride into downtown from Evanston, and CTA trains are also an option from there as well. As someone else stated here, Arlington Heights would be a great option. Glenview is also another suburb that Metra serves that may have what you're looking for. It's not a long train ride from there into downtown either. Good luck!

[kool_doc]

Thanks Eabeab and repppin, it is very helpful.. i pulled apartments and these look to to me in which normal people should be lving..otherwise i was just thinking otherway about chicago.. is there some way/search engine to pull apartments close to trains. How do peole go to train stations if it is not walking distance ??? please don't laugh on me it is first time in my life i will be using the public transportation. We are more used to going to work by car but now have to use train so need to find a way out.Thanks

[mdz]

If you can't walk it, either bus it (if there's a route close enough), drive yourself and park in a metra lot (you should check ahead on that because a lot of the lots fill up quickly), or get dropped off.

[Steve-o]

Naperville's Railway Plaza apartments are RIGHT ON the tracks. Theyre a bit pricey, but well worth it if youre a commuter. Check em out.

[kool_doc]

Thanks guys for so much input...can we park car on these metra station ??Any suggestion for decent Apartments on CTA train preferably Blue root since i am going to work in UIC....can walk 5-10 min no problem.

[HOWELL_STREET]

Dear Friends:

I cannot claim originality to this idea since I belive it was a realtor lady from Munster, Indiana who first suggested Indiana.
Why not consider an area such as Munster or Chesterton both in NW Indiana? After you are settled in your apartment that should be cheaper than Chicago area - - and after you appreciate the cheaper gasoline taxes than Illinois - - then take the SOUTH SHORE ELECTRIC RAILROAD system to Chicago. From memory - - at least years ago - - it seems to me that the SSERR had its terminal in the old Dearborn Railraod station. But perhaps that is erroneous?
Anyway, where the SSERR terminates in Chicago should give you a very close proximity to UIC. You will also then have access to many other Chicago 'HUB' railroad / third rail electric & bus transportation systems. 'Hope that helps you decide.

Carter Glass

[HOWELL_STREET]

Now maybe I am going to have to apologize on this one? As an afterthought, I looked for the SESSRR on Google. Although I knew that the name had changed, recently, I can't find out if it still exists or was incorporated into another system? Does anyone know?
I do know that a recent family friend took that system from Chesterton, IN to Chicago. But maybe that railroad system has recently folded? If it has, a lot of Indiana people depended upon that system for passenger transportation. And so I would assume that they are very disappointed if the system went bankrupt.
So perhaps someone has a current knowledge about that railroad where mine is probably out of date?

Carter Glass

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by kool_doc

Thanks guys for so much input...can we park car on these metra station ??Any suggestion for decent Apartments on CTA train preferably Blue root since i am going to work in UIC....can walk 5-10 min no problem.

If you lived at Railway Plaza in Naperville, you wouldnt need to worry about parking. The station is literally right next door.