Cheapest SFH's close to downtown (Chicago, Berwyn: apartment complexes, condos, dorm)

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by ajolotl

I have seen probably two white people over there in the last ten years, had no idea that any actually lived in the neighborhood. Is this east or west of Jeffrey?

Slig lives in Minneapolis.

[ParkerP]

Originally Posted by ajolotl

I have seen probably two white people over there in the last ten years, had no idea that any actually lived in the neighborhood. Is this east or west of Jeffrey?

Its west of Jeffery and ends before you get to stoney island. It would be great if stoney had a greater variety of stores and restaurants. The jewel on 95th is decent though.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Slig

Our current home is 3 BR, 1 Bath, 1380 sq ft and it's plenty of house for the time being. My current neighborhood is about equal between Blacks (African Americans and East Africans), Whites and Hispanics with some Asians and Native Americans and I like living with diversity. As long as my neighbors are nice I'm cool with any kind of ethnicity.

Try the inner suburb Berwyn. It's on the "L", the Metra, and is diverse. It's also more urban than most Minneapolis neighborhoods. I want to say it's about nine miles from the Loop.

[Slig]

Berwyn would be a possibility if we ever moved there. We actually have a good friend who lives in Berwyn. The train is awesome and everything but is 9 miles really the closest I can get to downtown on that budget? My current house is like a mile and a half from downtown Minneapolis so 9 miles seems far for me.

[surlycue]

Originally Posted by Slig

My current house is like a mile and a half from downtown Minneapolis so 9 miles seems far for me.

Not to mention that 9 miles in a Chicago commute is equal to about 30 in a Minnesota commute.

[Slig]

Originally Posted by surlycue

Not to mention that 9 miles in a Chicago commute is equal to about 30 in a Minnesota commute.

In many cases you're probably right. On Monday afternoon it took me like 30 minutes to get from W Touhy and N Western Ave to the expressway.

[MannheimMadman]

Originally Posted by Slig

Berwyn would be a possibility if we ever moved there. We actually have a good friend who lives in Berwyn. The train is awesome and everything but is 9 miles really the closest I can get to downtown on that budget? My current house is like a mile and a half from downtown Minneapolis so 9 miles seems far for me.

There are some in Gage Park and Brighton Park too. I'm not too hot on Gage Park, but Brighton Park doesn't seem too bad before sunset. I've visited in the night time and wasn't too sure about it.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by ManheimMadman

There are some in Gage Park and Brighton Park too. I'm not too hot on Gage Park, but Brighton Park doesn't seem too bad before sunset. I've visited in the night time and wasn't too sure about it.

Brighton Park is a marginal neighborhood that has been getting worse rather than better over the last few years. It was a solid working-class neighborhood and was billed as one of the "up-and-coming" neighborhoods in the 1990s when the Orange Line opened for business. Unfortunately it hasn't happened that way.

If you want Brighton Park-like affordability with less crime and more stability, I'd look one neighborhood to the east in McKinley Park. You'll still probably pay at least $200K for a move-in SFH though.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Slig

Berwyn would be a possibility if we ever moved there. We actually have a good friend who lives in Berwyn. The train is awesome and everything but is 9 miles really the closest I can get to downtown on that budget? My current house is like a mile and a half from downtown Minneapolis so 9 miles seems far for me.

Chicago is like a gazillion times larger than Minneapolis and is much more expensive. Our outer suburbs are quite a bit further out than your outer suburbs, but we make up for it with express Metra service (the ride in from, say, Naperville is surprisingly quick). Nine miles is as good as you're going to do with any measure of safety involved. To really find nice homes in safe communities in that price range you need to head way out into the boondocks. Or you'll have to live in the hood. You could buy a 1-Bedroom condo in Lakeview on that budget, but houses are in the millions in that popular neighborhood.

Everyone in Chicago wants three things in a place to live: (1) safety, (2) affordability, and (3) proximity to the Loop. Unless you really find that truly unique circumstance, you can only ever have two out of three.

[Slig]

Ok, screw safety then, let's go affordability, proximity to the loop and maybe an area that is showing signs of improvement, an up and comer if you will. Also, access to the metro system is a neccesity.