White male looking at moving into the Auburn Gresham neighborhood... (Chicago: houses, neighborhoods)

[deliz]

I go to auburn Gresham occasionally for work. I'm all for being an urban pioneer but move a bit closer to Beverly and you'll have better resale

[urza216]

I wouldn't worry too much about gangs targeting you for having a different skin color than rival gangs. Don't present yourself as a potential target for being taken advantage of. You don't sound very street smart if you seriously saw nothing alarming in that neighborhood. If you want to experience living in the hood, there are tamer areas you can try out.

[Ace Rothstein]

This sounds like a terrible idea. If you are looking for somewhere to get a strong return on your real estate investment, you might be waiting until your kids or grandkids are your age before you see this neighborhood turn around.

[SCCP]

To the OP, you could always just say you are Fr. Pfleger's nephew!

On a more serious note...

Originally Posted by ProgMichael

MCKINLEY PARK
-The geographic center of Chicago, so fairly accessible to every neighborhood by car. Small neighborhood on the rise with some gentrification. That's good for investment purposes. Among the city's safer neighborhoods too, and you don't hear a lot about it. Access to two Orange line stations (Ashland and 35th/Archer). Also, there's a burgeoning arts and nightlife scene immediately east in neighboring Bridgeport and, since you're a southwestern suburbanite, will be in close proximity to the Sox! Fairly diverse too (60% Hispanic, 30% White, 7% Asian). I would really consider McKinley Park if I was looking to invest in the southwest side.

I lived in McKinley Park for a year, and it has to be one of the sleepiest neighborhoods in the City. I agree, though, that it would be an ideal spot for the OP. The Orange Line commute to the Loop is a piece of cake. I would give McKP a high rank as a cheap, safe, and convenient residential neighborhood. A fixed-up single family home would definitely have some value.

[Larry Siegel]

I'm not aware of the crime situation block-by-block on the South Side, but when I lived in Hyde Park a long time ago, Auburn Gresham was highly thought of and was a prime example of a neighborhood that had transitioned from white to black while maintaining a very middle class look and feel. I'm glad to hear somebody is thinking of investing in it - it has lots of beautiful bungalows and 3-flats.

But I would check out safety and speculative real estate activity before making a financial commitment to the area.

And, agreed, McKinley Park is more established as a destination for urban pioneers.

[urza216]

Originally Posted by Larry Siegel

I'm not aware of the crime situation block-by-block on the South Side, but when I lived in Hyde Park a long time ago, Auburn Gresham was highly thought of and was a prime example of a neighborhood that had transitioned from white to black while maintaining a very middle class look and feel. I'm glad to hear somebody is thinking of investing in it - it has lots of beautiful bungalows and 3-flats.

But I would check out safety and speculative real estate activity before making a financial commitment to the area.

And, agreed, McKinley Park is more established as a destination for urban pioneers.

Well, driving south on Halsted late at night, I couldn't tell the difference between Auburn Gresham and Englewood. My experience is extremely limited but I saw enough to know that on Halsted, it's FAR from having any kind of "middle class look and feel".

[aragx6]

I second (or rather fourth?) looking at McKinley Heights.

[Plzeň]

Originally Posted by aragx6

I second (or rather fourth?) looking at McKinley Heights.

Park.

[Larry Siegel]

Originally Posted by urza216

Well, driving south on Halsted late at night, I couldn't tell the difference between Auburn Gresham and Englewood. My experience is extremely limited but I saw enough to know that on Halsted, it's FAR from having any kind of "middle class look and feel".

That may well be the case. I haven't been there since the late 1970s. Google Street View shows that the residential streets a few blocks south and west of 79th and Halsted look well preserved. Business streets usually go downhill before the residential ones and, if they come back uphill, do so later.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Larry Siegel

That may well be the case. I haven't been there since the late 1970s. Google Street View shows that the residential streets a few blocks south and west of 79th and Halsted look well preserved. Business streets usually go downhill before the residential ones and, if they come back uphill, do so later.

It's not uncommon on the south side for the residential streets to look well-maintained even if the neighborhood has pretty serious crime problems.