Relocating to Chicago from San Francisco, CA--- Help! (Waukegan, Evanston: apartments, leasing agent)

[MChinch]

Hi. I am new to this but am in need of some feedback.

I am a woman in my late-20s who will be relocating to Chicago to start my PhD in August. I am going to school in North Chicago, IL, but my partner (mid-20s female) will probably be working in the city. We don't know anyone in Chicago and are completely new to the city. Ideally, we would like a 2 bedroom apartment (or a one bedroom plus a den/office) in a safe neighborhood with easy access to grocery stores, some good restaurants, public transportation, etc. I am very interested in getting some feedback on neighborhoods, what I can expect with regard to price ranges for 2 bedroom apartments, etc.

Since we are a lesbian couple, it would be nice to live in a neighborhood where we aren't going to get stared at or get weird looks all the time. San Francisco is a very friendly open-minded city and it would be great to find a neighborhood that was a little bit like home. What would be a reaonable price range for a 2 bedroom apartment (not a garden apartment)?Any recommendations for a rental agency? Or whether or not I should go through a leasing agent?Any neighborhoods that I should be looking at specifically? Any suggestions, advice, or feedback would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

M

[SmartGXL]

Hi M-

For starters, Chicago is a very open and welcoming place for LGBT people, particularly on the North Side of Chicago. It is so open that it somewhat resembles San Francisco in terms of acceptance of LGBT's.

Having said that, there are two neighborhoods on the North Side that are considered to be gayborhoods: Boystown (part of the Lakeview neighborhood), which is something like the Castro, and then a mile or so north of there, is a neighborhood Andersonville, which is literally considered to be a 'lesbian neighborhood'. I would recommend living anywhere on the North Side of Chicago, as you will be totally fine and accepted there, but if you really want to connect with other LGBT's, then I would recommend living and hanging out in those neighborhoods, and just simply enjoy the rest what Chicago has to offer from there. If you partner is working in the Loop (our downtown), then she can take the train from Andersoneville down to the Loop, and since you are going to be working up in North Chicago, IL, you can drive there by easily hitting I-94, following it until it becomes US41, which should be a very easy commute in the mornings.

Welcome to Chicago.

[jsk1983]

Um, what school in North Chicago offers Phds? Or maybe you just meant the north side of Chicago. North Chicago is a separate city about 30-40 miles north of Chicago.

[MChinch]

Thanks so much for your feedback, its much appreciated. I am trying to learn about the different neighborhoods before I come back in the summer to rent a place.

Anyone have any feedback with regard to whether or not to use a leasing agent?

Are there any neighborhoods I should stay away from on north side of Chicago?

I will be attending Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science.

[chirack]

In terms of commute it would be easier for you to live near north chicago, IL(the burbs) and take the Metra into the loop than to live in the city and head that far out into the burbs.

Check to see if it is possibe(timewise, and otherwise(tranportation from the station to the school in place) to use Metra to get from Chicago to North Chicago. Then it could be possible to find a place in chicago and not have a bad commute in.

Otherwise this sounds like a bad commute esp. if you start the commute before the 90/94 split during rush hour.

[MChinch]

The commute would be no more than 4 days a week. I am also looking into the possibility of taking the Metra to North Chicago from the city. I am unsure what my class schedule will be or whether or not I will be hitting traffic.

[chet everett]

Roaslin Franklin (the former Chicago Medical School) offers PhD -- Interprofessional Studies

It is quite long drive from any spot inside Chicago (figure about 45 minutes to an hour in typical rush hor traffic), and not really conducive to any public transit either.

I'd aim for something at least in Evanston, that ought to allow a decent public transit commute into Chicago for the working partner and not too brutal a drive up to North Chicago for the student.

Prices in the more desirable spots in Evanston are going to be higher than those of spots inside Chicago's Roger's Park or Andersonville areas, but given the tie ups that do occur I would encourage spending a bit more cash to get a spot that makes for a tolerable drive.

The fact is there is reallly no part of the region that you would consider living in where there would be any "stares". Even if you decided to scope out rentals in heavily Hispanic Waukegan (which would be closer to North Chicago but hellishly far from downtown Chicago...) you might get some drunken macho men cheering you...

[chirack]

I checked to make sure you meant north chicago IL, not the north side of chicago. Anyway the university offers a free shuttle bus from the lake bluff metra station.

Make sure that this shuttle is in place and works for the hours you need it otherwise living in Chicago could doom you to like 1 hour plus commute in rush and worse in snow. Ravenswood is the perfect loction for the both of you.

One can take the UP-N northline into the city the other can use it to get out to Lake Bluff. Bucktown is another.

The burb of Evanston on the north side is a very liberal urban place too and along this line too.

Ravenswood and Bucktown are also served by the CTA El. Ravenswood by the brownline and Bucktown by the blue both of which gets you downtown. Bucktown gets you close to 90/94 also but at a very south point. Ravenswood puts you a bit distant from 90/94 if you need to drive.

[MChinch]

I have lived in San Francisco or a major city my whole life. When I was looking at the suburbs, I was warned to stay out of Waukegan and North Chicago as they had some rougher neighborhoods. I am not too sure about the public transportation situation in the suburbs and don't want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere without a car.

[oakparkdude]

If you have the option to take the train that is much better than driving. As mentioned previously, make sure the campus shuttle runs when you need it. You can also bring a bicycle on the train as a backup option as the station is not too far from campus.