How did you pick your neighborhood (or apartment)? (Chicago, Oak Park: apartments, leasing)

[Michael Scott]

This may seem like a strange question, but I'm wondering how some of you Chicagoans chose your neighborhoods. I included apartment in the title because I'm not exactly sure whether the "normal" way to do this is by choosing the neighborhood based on a good apartment or the apartment based on one or two neighborhoods that you've narrowed it down to. If that makes sense..

I'll be moving to Chicago around September, as I start work there mid September. I'm sort of starting to look at apartments now (too early?). I'm moving from the east coast, just graduated college, and will be working anywhere from the suburbs to the loop depending where my clients are, as I'm in a professional services field. I'm looking to be around other young professionals, but certainly wouldn't mind an area with some families mixed in. While I want to be around college grads, I definitely don't want to be in a frat boy haven. I definitely like to go out to bars and such, but I also enjoy trying out new restaurants, coffee shops, other activities like that. I certainly don't have to drink every weekend to have a good time. Certainly looking to make friends and meet other singles wherever I move, thats a priority.

From my limited knowledge of the city, I am basically thinking about the neighborhoods of River North, Gold Coast, Old town, Lincoln Park, and probably the more south half of Lakeview. As I said I'm not interested in the frat boy scene so I don't want to be around wriggleyville which is why i say south lakeview (please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong here). I'm also going to look into Bucktown/Wicker Park, although I'm not as sure if they fit what I'm looking for, again I'd love any input! Also, as I said I will possibly need to reverse commute, so I'll need a car and somewhere to park be it street parking or a garage/building.

I'd love to keep the rent under like 1200 or so. Could probably stretch it to 1500 for a place with everything I'm looking for, but I'd much rather be around 1000. Would prefer a 1 bdr but would be ok with a larger studio as well.

Would love any input, tips, guidance, etc!

Thanks in advance!

[bella84]

If you're looking in Lakeview, you could also look at West Lakeview. There is still a lot of Lakeview west of the Wrigleyville area, and it's not full of frat boys. I don't think you'll find much in the way of apartments with parking (street or designated space) within your budget in River North, Gold Coast, or Old Town. Street parking is difficult to find in those areas, and it's quite expensive to rent a designated space. The same goes for the eastern parts of Lincoln Park and Lakeview. You can probably find something within your budget in Lincoln Park, Lakeview, or in areas further north or west, like Bucktown, Wicker Park, or even some other areas northwest.

I think looking for the neighborhood first and then the apartment is the way to go. Of course, you have to keep an open mind and be willing to look further out of your preferred neighborhoods, if you're budget doesn't align to the price of rentals.

It actually sounds like you're looking for a lot of the same things that I'm looking for and within a similar budget. I'd love to live in River North, but it's just not gonna happen on a $1000-$1200 budget with a car that needs to be parked. I'm primarily looking in West Lakeview, Roscoe Village, St. Ben's, and North Center, but I'm also considering Bucktown, parts of Logan Square, and maybe Irving Park or Avondale.

[marothisu]

East Lakeview is good too - Boystown serves as a buffer and the area is pretty chill. Not a fan of Wrigleyville or some areas around Sheffield, but East Lakeview is mostly fine.

If you're looking for places in Gold Coast, I'd look north of Chicago Avenue but between about Pearson and Maple. You'd have to reach into the top end of your budget. However, if you want parking then - not going to find it readily on the street. I have a friend who lives near me who parks on the street and he finds free parking zones everytime. However, sometimes he's 3-4 blocks away. Sometimes he also has to park in an area and wake up before 8am to move his car as he's in one of those "no non-permit parking between 8am and 5pm" types of zones. It's doable though if you know the areas you can park in on the street. Budget wise though all of downtown rents are rising. However, my building still has units in your price range - though within a year that might change completely.

[Manigault]

I chose my neighborhood through inertia. Graduate study at the UofC took me to Hyde Park and I never found a reason to leave.

[Michael Scott]

Originally Posted by bella84

If you're looking in Lakeview, you could also look at West Lakeview. There is still a lot of Lakeview west of the Wrigleyville area, and it's not full of frat boys.

I think this is one of the challenges for me, I don't know the neighborhoods well enough to say this side of neighborhood x is better/worse than this side so I tend to make sweeping generalizations. I wish there was a way I could know this all better but I suppose it just comes with living there (which is why I come to city data!).

Originally Posted by bella84

It actually sounds like you're looking for a lot of the same things that I'm looking for and within a similar budget. I'd love to live in River North, but it's just not gonna happen on a $1000-$1200 budget with a car that needs to be parked. I'm primarily looking in West Lakeview, Roscoe Village, St. Ben's, and North Center, but I'm also considering Bucktown, parts of Logan Square, and maybe Irving Park or Avondale.

This is another issue for me, I tend to only really KNOW some of the more common areas so I tend to lean that way to be safe. For instance, I could really love LS, bucktown/wicker park, Irving Park, etc, but I've never spent time there nor have I heard much about them. On the other hand, LP, LV, etc, I've been to when I was in Chicago for a few weeks in the summer. Picking a neighborhood is proving much tougher than I thought.

Originally Posted by marothisu

East Lakeview is good too - Boystown serves as a buffer and the area is pretty chill. Not a fan of Wrigleyville or some areas around Sheffield, but East Lakeview is mostly fine.

I mentioned this just above to the other poster, but this is a problem I definitely have: I don't know the neighborhoods well enough to say this side of neighborhood x is better/worse than this side so I tend to make sweeping generalizations. I wish there was a way I could know this all better but I suppose it just comes with living there (which is why I come to city data!).

Unfortunate to hear that downtown will likely be out of my price range but its good to know. I will still look there but I'll know not to keep my hopes up or spend too much of my time on it. My starting salary will be around $55-60k, so at around 25% of my monthly gross income is my goal, which is why I say 1,200 would be more or less my limit.

Originally Posted by Manigault

I chose my neighborhood through inertia. Graduate study at the UofC took me to Hyde Park and I never found a reason to leave.

I have heard that areas surrounding UofChicago are dangerous, is this true or is it sort of isolated to a particular street or so? As I mentioned to other posters on this reply, I tend to gravitate towards the "typical" northside neighborhoods because I know them more than places like Hyde Park. Plus I'm assuming the young professional demo is more in that area.

[SubconsciousMe]

My situation was a bit unique. Moved here from Phoenix with a lease already signed. I sent out an email with my situation and it got forwarded to someone in Chicago that was moving out of their place about 5 days before our arrival--and we moved in. It was in Pilsen and was a 2 bedroom for $700, with a parking space for an additional $25 and a few steps from the Pink line. It was a beautiful apartment with a private landlord that lived on premises.

Would we have moved to Pilsen if we did it any other way? Probably not. But we have absolutely no regrets.

We stayed there for 1.5 years and learned all about Chicago in that time -- including neighborhoods. Wouldn't have changed anything about it.

Good luck!

[bella84]

Based on your salary/rent budget, your need to park and sometime drive a car to the suburbs, and your need to sometimes take the train into downtown, your best bet would be to look on the west or north side of the city. Ideally you can find a neighborhood that has access to the train and relatively easy-to-find street parking and is still within a reasonable distance to the expressway. I think anything along the brown or blue line would best suit you. If you go further east, close to the lake and the red line, parking will be much more difficult or expensive. When I lived by the lake in East Lakeview several years ago, I paid $175 a month to park my car about 2.5 blocks away from where I lived. Street parking was impossible to find. As nice of a neighborhood as it is, I just wouldn't go back and live there again, unless I had a lot of discretionary spending money or didn't own a car. Plus, if you are going to need to get on the expressway to drive to the suburbs, you'll probably want to live somewhat closer to it than to the lake. I'd say you average roughly 10 minutes for every mile of city driving on the north side, so having to drive even three miles from the lake to the expressway would take about half an hour.

So, start by looking at neighborhoods on the north and west side that have either the blue or brown line running through them. Then do some research on those specific neighborhoods to find out if they meet your preferences in other ways. Read up on the neighborhoods here, and look up some apartments on Zillow or Craigslist and see if there is anything you like within your budget. Again, don't go too close to downtown, as that will likely be out of your budget. Be willing to compromise, as rent in Chicago is really high. You aren't likely to get an awesome place for your money. Trust me. As I said, my budget is about identical to yours, and I'm looking for a similar type of neighborhood with a place to park my car. I've been looking on Zillow, and it's slim-pickings. I'm definitely going to have to compromise - either give up the neighborhood for the apartment or give up the apartment for the neighborhood. Finding my perfect apartment in my perfect neighborhood is unlikely to happen.

ETA: There are probably other neighborhoods on the south or southwest side to consider as well. However, it sounded like you had a preference for the north or west side, which is why my recommendations were what they were. Plus, I'm only really familiar with the areas I suggested. Others might suggest some places where you can get more for your money on the south or southwest side.

[Manigault]

Originally Posted by Michael Scott

I have heard that areas surrounding UofChicago are dangerous, is this true or is it sort of isolated to a particular street or so?

I'd say that it is surrounded by less affluent areas.

The funny part is that 'Hyde Park' is expanding to the north, south and even west.

[mjtinmemphis]

Before moving to Chicago, I came to city data just like you are doing now and chose Oak Park as my first address near Chicago and don't regret it. After selling my home in Tennessee I made the move to Hyde Park after networking and asking questions at work and getting out of my bubble and I also made a good decision.

The neighborhood can make or break your stay in any city especially Chicago. I had strict standards for diversity and pricing rather than the typical safety concerns.

As far as finding an apartment, I know of many who have gone to Craigslist and searched for a landlord through advertising for what you're looking for (short term leasing big dogs or poor credit) and eliminating a lot of time and hassle of apartment shopping. You've got to use common sense when dealing with Craigslist. I've heard good things about real-estate apartment finders but you have to be firm and be specific about what you want and make sure they don't show you alot of mess that will waste your time.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Manigault

I'd say that it is surrounded by less affluent areas.

The funny part is that 'Hyde Park' is expanding to the north, south and even west.

Those areas are also slightly improving right now.