Thinking of a move from L.A. to Chicago... (Evanston: condo, houses)

[310man]

I guess that wouldn't be so bad, but it would seem more fun for a big city person to live in Chicago or maybe north Indiana, but I think Michigan is too far.

[kasipple]

Here's an outside the box suggestion for you... What about northwest Indiana? My husband and I used to live in a loft in the West Loop in Chicago and also had a lake home up in Michigan. One day we decided to drive around the city (about an hour's radius) and ended up in Valparaiso, Indiana. Admittedly, there are nowhere near as many restaurants here, but they're working on it! We just got a new Indian place and a sushi place within the last year. Also, the South Shore train is available to get into the city fairly easily. Valparaiso is a college town so it has some extras in the way of entertainment and other amenities due to that. The schools are great, taxes are low and people are friendly! You could get a very nice home for your budget, on some land if you wanted to. My husband used to commute into the city daily--door to door it took him an hour.

There are also some beach communities on the shore of Lake Michigan that might make you feel more "like home" -- Beverly Shores, Ogden Dunes, Miller Beach -- are all quite a surprise and offer some great views of Lake Michigan.

My husband spent his entire life in Chicago and had barely ever been in northwest Indiana until we started our own house hunt. He admits he didn't know what was there, once you get off the expressways...

If you would like more info, please feel free to contact me.

Best regards

[mod cut]

[sukwoo]

If you're able to pay a mil for your house you'll probably demand better than Chicago public schooling for your kids. I'd budget at a bare minimum 15k per year for private school and probably a lot more. Magnet schools are an option, but competition to get in is fierce. Property taxes in the city are lower than in the Illinois burbs (don't know about Indiana), but I don't think school tuition is deductible. Financially speaking you'd probably be better off in an inner suburb. You could live literally across the street from Chicago but in a better school district. The northern inner burbs, Oak Park, and River Forest are all dense, walkable towns with good schools and good public transit options.

Speaking of property taxes, expect a huge increase coming from CA. Still, assuming you have high income, with our flat 3% state income tax you should see a net decrease in tax burden.

[Lookout Kid]

If you want a single-family home on the Lake in the city for under a million, you have a few options:

1. Live in Rogers Park. Lakeshore Drive stops before Rogers Park, so there is unfettered lake access up there. However, Rogers Park is a little bit rough and the crime isn't very family-friendly.

2. Live on the South Side. Crime would be an even bigger issue in most of these neighborhoods.

3. Move in a few blocks from the lake.

4. Get a really big condo. For a million bucks, you could get a large three-bedroom plus den condo in a great neighborhood like Lincoln Park, Lakeview, etc.

[neonwattagelimit]

I'd actually recommend you check out Evanston, or maybe Andersonville (though if you are in the city you may want to send your kids to private school, I don't know much about the schools but I've heard some bad stuff). Unless you want to live in a high-rise its unlikely you'll find something on the lake, but for that money you ought to be able to get a nice house that's within walking distance. For real lakefront property, you'd have to go further out, as many others have said.

[laviachi]

You mentioned you live in West LA. All the city areas mentioned in Chicago are more urban than West LA -- you do not need a car, good public transportation and can walk in the neighborhoods. The streets and sidewalks are more abundant with people than West LA. You may want to stay closer to the lakefront if access to the lake is important to you (Lincoln Park, etc). Do you want the urban lifestyle in the city or an edge suburb like Evanston/Oak Park where you can get into the city fairly quickly?

[Lookout Kid]

My wife and I are having an infant daughter any day now, and we often find city SF houses we would love that cost about a million bucks. For instance, you could get a beautful house in the heart of Lincoln Square close to shops, restaurants, parks, a library, the Old Town School of Folk Music for about that much money. North Center is another option. Basically just follow the path of the Brown Line "L" from Lincoln Park to Lincoln Square, and there are many urban family-friendly neighborhoods with homes in your price range. They won't be right on the lake, but they will be great city neighborhoods.

In terms of Lake Michigan being clean, it's actually pretty good along the coast of Chicago. It gets very industrial in Northwest Indiana, but it is lined with parks in the city of Chicgao. Go up to Milwaukee and the lake is green and smells terrible from rotting algae blooms, but down here we don't have those problems. You can definitely use it for recreation.

[jessiegirl_98]

I lived in West Lakeview and around Barry/Paulina there were a lot of nice single family homes in your range, it's walkable, parks/dog parks, and close to brown line/buses. It's at 1600-1800W, so about 10-12 blocks farther from the lake thank many other places that are suggested, but a really quick, easy bus ride.

[jessiegirl_98]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

In terms of Lake Michigan being clean, it's actually pretty good along the coast of Chicago. It gets very industrial in Northwest Indiana, but it is lined with parks in the city of Chicgao. Go up to Milwaukee and the lake is green and smells terrible from rotting algae blooms, but down here we don't have those problems. You can definitely use it for recreation.

I'll disagree with part of this. I would use it for rec (boating etc), but not much for swimming right off shore. Last time I swam in Lake Michigan I ended up with a lovely rash all over my body.
Generally, the father north you go, the better off you are.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by jessiegirl_98

I'll disagree with part of this. I would use it for rec (boating etc), but not much for swimming right off shore. Last time I swam in Lake Michigan I ended up with a lovely rash all over my body.
Generally, the father north you go, the better off you are.

Milwaukees lake water quality sucks. They routinely release raw sewage into the lake. That is one of the reasons we get soo many e-coli days in Chicago.
I will tell you that I have avoided swimming in the lake too often for years myself...