Relocating from NYC to Chicago (Evanston, Lincoln: real estate, apartment, home)

[Lana33]

Hi all,

I have recently accepted a position located in Evanston, IL. I am relocating from Brooklyn, NY. I am a single female in my 30s. I am looking for an apartment is a safe neighborhood, not near schools (I live across the street from an elementary school in NYC, bad idea), and located in more of a residential neighborhood. I am looking for a 1 or 2 Bedroom for $1000/month or less. What areas of Evanston would you suggest that I look? I thought that I read on a thread to avoid the SE area of Evanston but a real estate agent is attempting to convince me to reconsider. Thanks in advance for your responses.

[chet everett]

There is "SE" and then there is DO NOT GO SOUTH OF OAKTON --

http://www.city-data.com/forum/3892127-post28.html

That map is pretty darn useful...

[Lana33]

Thanks! That map is pretty clear.

[MannheimMadman]

I love that map, lol.

But it should become pretty apparent after visiting that the NO is definitely no, and meh could swing either way - being from Brooklyn, meh probably swings towards no.

[Golden Camel]

Are you required to live in Evanston? Would you consider one of the bordering communities?

[Lana33]

Thanks everyone for your comments. @Golden Camel, no I'm not required to live in Evanston. I just have an awful commute at my present job in NY and I want my travel to work in Evanston to be as seamless and painless as possible. I am also considering looking at Lakeview and Edgewater communities. Please let me know if I am missing one. I'm very worried about finding a place in such a short time period!

[cubssoxfan]

Regarding the no area; St. Francis hospital is located on Ridge and Austin 1 block south of Oakton. Even though it is in the NO section if you within a block or so of the hospital it is meh, not NO. The real NO areas are south of Mulford especially the area east of Custer and south of the CTA Yellow line tracks. IF you can afford being farther north and closer to the CTA purple line puts you closer to shops and being farther east is nice because it gives you option to walk to the beach.

[Vlajos]

Live in Andersonville. It's nice, safe, quieter with a mix of families, singles and gays.

[MannheimMadman]

Edgewater to Evanston is cake, depending on what time you leave home to go to work, and vice versa. I live in a subset of Edgewater, and my wife works in Evanston. She works 9-6:30, and encounters quite a bit of traffic. Maybe 20-25 minutes to go about 3.5 miles.

However, sometimes they let her use flex scheduling, and she'll go in at 6:45A or 7A. In those cases, the same 3.5 mile commute can be done in 12-15 minutes.

I'd only commute from Lake View if I could work from home a few days a week, or I had the ability to have a much earlier schedule. Chicago surface streets suck during traditional rush hour. Especially near Lake View and Lincoln Park, gridlock is a common occurrance.

[chet everett]

The street traffic and comings and goings of patients and employees is a bit of trade-off near St. Francis Hospital -- it does make for a safer street scene, but the folks heading to the hospital are not really "boutique shoppers and fine dining enthusiasts" if you catch my drift...

I agree with the above poster that gives a thumbs-up to Andersonville, although the housing stock is not as historic as the solid brownstones and such of Brooklyn the mix of alternative lifestyles types along with hipper young families and some older more ethnic types is similar to the gentrified portions of Brooklyn -- you do get a fair number of nicer eating spots and little shops too, easy commute to Evanston too...