Sorry! Another apartment question..... (Chicago, Magnolia: transplants, sales, renters)

[cgadams]

So, I went studio hunting today with an agency. There are two places out of the four that caught my eye.

739 W. Belmont (inside of Boystown) for $595 per month. Heat, gas, water included.

4646 N Magnolia (about 10-15 minute walk away from Andersonville) for $550 a month. Heat, gas, water included.

Are both areas safe and are these rents reasonable? They seemed so by the look of the neighborhoods, but I am not familiar with the city enough to say.

Also, is it true that six month leases are hard to come by in Chicago? I would have prefered one, but the agent who toured me around the city said they are very rare. I don't know if I trust her advice as she had the same look in her eye that you see in used car sales people......lol.

[surlycue]

Take the place in Boystown. It will be quick getting downtown and fairly quick getting to Andersonville if you want to go there. That's a great price for that part of town.

6-month leases will not be found this time of year because no landlord wants to try to find renters during the winter months. They are still rare but more common in October so that the apt becomes available again in the spring.

[Intergalactic]

Crime-wise they seem about equal.
Crimes › 1 block around 714-771 W. Belmont Ave. › Robbery | EveryBlock Chicago (http://chicago.everyblock.com/crime/filter/streets/belmont-ave/714-771w/1-block/by-primary-type/robbery - broken link)
Crimes › 1 block around 4600-4699 N. Magnolia Ave. › Robbery | EveryBlock Chicago (http://chicago.everyblock.com/crime/filter/streets/magnolia-ave/4600-4699n/1-block/by-primary-type/robbery - broken link)

I would choose based on the amenities of the apts and the neighborhoods.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by cgadams

So, I went studio hunting today with an agency. There are two places out of the four that caught my eye.

739 W. Belmont (inside of Boystown) for $595 per month. Heat, gas, water included.

4646 N Magnolia (about 10-15 minute walk away from Andersonville) for $550 a month. Heat, gas, water included.

Are both areas safe and are these rents reasonable? They seemed so by the look of the neighborhoods, but I am not familiar with the city enough to say.

Also, is it true that six month leases are hard to come by in Chicago? I would have prefered one, but the agent who toured me around the city said they are very rare. I don't know if I trust her advice as she had the same look in her eye that you see in used car sales people......lol.

Jump all over the Boystown apartment. The Magnolia address is right on the edge of gangland. The rent on the Boystown unit is more than reasonable unless the building is crumbling into the ground or something.

And yes, six-month leases are basically unheard-of. One-year leases are the standard while you can find an occasional month-to-month lease. At $600/mo heat included, you shouldn't have much difficulty finding a sublessor should you need to get out early.

[Avengerfire]

Forget about the one on Magnolia.

[jessiegirl_98]

Ditto. Go for the boystown one, now. Seriously. That's a great price (if you like the place...just out of curosity, how big is it?). It's in a MUCH better location. Hands down.

[Carantini]

well, do you rather live around gays and transplants (non chicago natives)? you will see gay people all day every day if you live in boystown. The magnolia one is more chicagoan and not gay. other than that, the boystown one is closer to the loop, but if your not working in loop, then doesnt matter. crimewise they are the same. the magnolia one is probably bigger.
I would prefer the magnolia one, hands down. plus its 45 dollars less a month, that adds up.
6 month leases are hard to find, yes.
rental agencies are exactly like car salesmen.

[Drover]

Oh yeah don't worry, there's no transplants in Uptown.

[coldwine]

Wait, wait, wait...

You found a ****ing studio in Boystown for less than $1,000? Heat, water and gas included?!

Chicago, baby, how badly are you suffering since I left?

[Carantini]

Please, boystown is like 80% transplant, uptown is like 30%. and $1000 for a studio you can find in any neihborhood.
Boystown isnt some very expensive high income area anyway.