chicago from manhattan beach ca... good/bad idea? help! (Lincoln: real estate, rentals)

[tdenice]

need a little help here...i hope this post isn't too played out...i've been searching on here for a few days and haven't exactly found the answers...so here's the net/net:

*lived in la (manhattan beach) for 6 years via oregon.
*i'm close to some family down here (brother hour drive away, parents hour plane ride away)
*love my job (pharma sales)
*block from the beach...walk to everything-yoga, shops, cafes, etc.

why would i want to move??

*rent is insane...1 bdrm is $1800/mo
*thinking of owning--impossible here...ave home/condo in mb is over 1.95mil
*SINGLE and not loving it anymore...this place is pretty much full of 20/30 something bachelors not looking to settle down anytime soon...dating is an urban legend here-doesn't happen.

so my questions are mostly related to the job market (for pharma), dating scene, affordable real estate opportunites, AND weather...do ur winters scare off southern californians?

thanks!

[Steve-o]

Give it a try, why not? If you dont like Chicago, there is always a plane ticket back to SoCal. Regarding your questions.... yes, Chicago is MUCH cheaper than SoCal. There are numerous places in Chicago that could give SoCal a run for its money (no pun intended), but overall the city is significantly more affordable, and the jobs pay just as well, if not better. Im not in your field nor do I know anyone who is, but you shouldnt have too hard of a problem finding a job. Put your resume out here and see what happens...

The dating scene can be crazy awesome or a dud, depending on where you end up. Places like Wicker Park, Bucktown, Wrigleyville/Lakeview, Lincoln Park (kinda), etc, can be a haven for those looking to pick someone up. The locals in Chicago will be able to give you specifics better than I can.

The winter might scare you off. Expect around 36" or so of snow falling between mid-November and mid-March. Expect several days where the highs barely get above 0 degrees, with nights falling below 0. The rest of the winter is usually 25-45 degrees, with some days getting above 50 degrees, but they dont last long. Sun shines in winter a lot less than in summer. Expect 50% sunshine in winter, 60-70% in summer (with some days with obnoxious Florida-style humidity that doesnt stick around too long).

Hope this helps!

[chet everett]

Let's see, weather questions? Well tonight we got hit our fourth rush hour snow storm. Very bad. Every road is just a mess. Yuck.

Pharma sales. Well, Sis-I-L in a former Abbott employee. Also has worked for about four or five other firms. Is now working out her home in WI for one of the bigger high tech paharma/bio firms. She does OK, but there is a lot of talent in the region, so she has not so much stability...

Real estate? Prices are dropping, but nice stuff is great areas is still pricey. More affordable than MB, but you get sunshine and ocean waves while we get untold months of "don't leave house with mittens, scarf, overshoes, portable heater, avalanche pole, et cetera"...

Dating scene? I have no idea. I am old fart. Well my 29 yr old niece with an MBA from Duke did get married to a nice guy last spring. They both work in finance, and just got transferred to Dallas. Don't know if that is any indication, but I suspect that job cut backs /relocations are going to make the social scene less vibrant... Dating can be expensive, especially when you kinda need to rely on cabs so your high end shoes aren't ruined by the slush!

[tdenice]

thanks guys! this is helping and brings up a couple more questions...my lease is up mid june so i'm thinking that would be a great time to move and ease my way into the cold (if there's such a thing) but how are the rents in july? i am finding some great deals rite now but how much should i expect landlords to raise rents in july vs jan? thx again!

[hsw]

Chicago rentals/condos might be some 20-30% cheaper than equivalent stuff in LA

IL state income tax is 3% vs CA's ~10%

Far more "normal" people than LA (or NYC or SiliconValley)....but good and bad aspects to those cultural differences

Weather sucks vs coastal LA's near-perfect weather....hot/humid/insects 7mos/yr....cold/slushy 5mos/yr...Chic and NYC have perhaps 12d/yr of CA-like weather; 6d in Fall and 6d in Spring....some of most boring topography in world (aside from Lk MI) in surrounding Midwest....nowhere nearby to go for a quick scenic drive or wkend getaway, unlike LA's Malibu canyons or SantaBarbara/PebbleBch/SF/Napa/LV, etc

City of Chic is one of world's most favored business destinations to visit briefly....great hotels, restaurants, highly educated/sophisticated population, very clean and well-organized city....but a difficult place to live for anyone addicted to CA weather/topography....not surprisingly, one runs into many wealthy Chicago residents in Malibu and BeverlyHills, where they keep wkend houses to escape Chic weather