Chicago Fourth Most Miserable City Ranking (Atlanta: apartments, condos, how much)

[Maintainschaos]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

Just listing a bunch of relatively well-off areas doesn't mean those areas don't contain people who are having issues. I'm sure there are many people who are under water in their homes, meaning they cannot sell and are therefore trapped. Sure, they can pay the mortgage, but maybe they wanted to move somewhere else, but are now stuck. That would make me feel pretty darn miserable!

A lot of housing in Chicago is down 20-40% from their highs 7 or 8 years ago. That means there are a lot of people who are "trapped" in their home - able to pay the mortgage, but unable to sell without taking a huge loss and having to bring a check to closing. That means people can't move, they can't upgrade to a larger home to accomodate a growing family, they can't take that great job offer in another city, they can't move to be with a sick loved one. That makes a lot of people feel miserable.

But doesn't that same reasoning apply to a big chunk of the U.S. post housing bubble burst...?

[55degrees]

Headline: Forbes, 2nd most stupid list-making organization

[Now What]

Anything is what you make of it. Interview any of the thousands of people at Wrigley field during a Cubs game and ask if they are miserable. Or anybody at one of the many, many incredible restaurants or bars if they are in one if the worst cities in the country. Between the lake front, the beautiful skyline and the great people, there is no way you classify Chicago as one of the worst places to be.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by Now What

Anything is what you make of it.

Anything?

[Lookout Kid]

Chicago has been on this list for years. It's a dumb list that makes little sense to me.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

Just listing a bunch of relatively well-off areas doesn't mean those areas don't contain people who are having issues. I'm sure there are many people who are under water in their homes, meaning they cannot sell and are therefore trapped. Sure, they can pay the mortgage, but maybe they wanted to move somewhere else, but are now stuck. That would make me feel pretty darn miserable!

A lot of housing in Chicago is down 20-40% from their highs 7 or 8 years ago. That means there are a lot of people who are "trapped" in their home - able to pay the mortgage, but unable to sell without taking a huge loss and having to bring a check to closing. That means people can't move, they can't upgrade to a larger home to accomodate a growing family, they can't take that great job offer in another city, they can't move to be with a sick loved one. That makes a lot of people feel miserable.

Did Forbes poll these people?

[eddhead]

Originally Posted by 55degrees

ah, Forbes. not everyone thinks Houston > Chicago because we have cold weather.

Houston bites.

[marothisu]

I like how Lake County made the top 10 even though it's one of the wealthiest counties in the entire country. Yep, I'm sure the average family in their McMansion is so incredibly miserable.

[Atlanta_BD]

Whomever said that Chicago is the most miserable city and ranked it 4th has never been to Atlanta lol. I was surprised when I read this last week that Atlanta ranked 16 on this list when it doesn't offer half of what Chicago does; and as far as arts and culture, it's not nearly on the same scale. The only good thing Atlanta has going IS the weather. Everything else pretty much sucks.

I miss Chicago and I definitely prefer it over Atlanta. The same problems that was listed as making Chicago the 4th most miserable, Atlanta has the exact same problems, the only difference is the weather. I guess cold weather is a deal breaker for a lot of folks.

When I lived in Chicago, I never felt I wanted to leave there because of the weather. When it got cold, you bundled up. But even with the cold and snow, I was always excited to go places and explore the city at every opportunity and I'm a native! Even with Atlanta's so-called great weather, I sit in the house a lot more here than I ever did back home because there just isn't as much to do or see. Don't get me wrong, Atlanta definitely has its beautiful areas, but it's still not the same. Whenever I visit Chicago, I'm always excited to hit the ground running to explore the city.

My philosophy is that for the much bigger cities like Chicago or NYC (or LA), a city is only as great as your income or where you choose to live. If you can manage somehow to live in a great area in Chicago, it's awesome. I used to live on South Shore Drive and I absolutely loved it! I didn't always live in the greatest areas of metro Chicago, but that didn't stop me from getting on the bus and going to other parts of the city to do all the neat stuff. If you are poor and living in the hood in Chicago, coupled with being surrounded by gangs and vice, you will think Chicago is a bad place. Every major cities has those problems. It's not Chicago that's the problem, it's the environment you choose to immerse yourself in.

For every teenage shooting death I hear about in Chicago, I also hear about one happening in Atlanta. There was just one here last week. But other cities' crime isn't sensationalized in the media the way Chicago's is.

The people who think Chicago is a horrible place aren't allowing themselves the choice to enjoy what that great city has to offer. Gang violence aside, Chicago still rocks major a**, I don't care what anyone says!

[Atlanta_BD]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

Just listing a bunch of relatively well-off areas doesn't mean those areas don't contain people who are having issues. I'm sure there are many people who are under water in their homes, meaning they cannot sell and are therefore trapped. Sure, they can pay the mortgage, but maybe they wanted to move somewhere else, but are now stuck. That would make me feel pretty darn miserable!

A lot of housing in Chicago is down 20-40% from their highs 7 or 8 years ago. That means there are a lot of people who are "trapped" in their home - able to pay the mortgage, but unable to sell without taking a huge loss and having to bring a check to closing. That means people can't move, they can't upgrade to a larger home to accomodate a growing family, they can't take that great job offer in another city, they can't move to be with a sick loved one. That makes a lot of people feel miserable.

This is the case around the country, as the housing bubble burst in 2007. This isn't a problem unique to Chicago. I know people in Atlanta who are homeowners but can't sell their homes. They are having the exact same issues you describe. I was laid off my job here in Atlanta in 2009 that was directly connected to the housing market. Once the housing bubble burst, one of the local developers who we regularly worked with went out onto one of his sites, laid out a blanket and committed suicide. Shot himself in the head. I think it's fair to say he was pretty miserable about Atlanta's housing market crisis.

I think a lot of people in various parts of the country are having these problems.