Need to find a good neighborhood to rent in (Chicago: 2009, apartment)

[DoneWithDC]

My wife and I will likely be moving back to Chicago from the DC area within the next 3-4 months. I lost my job in DC and Chicago seems to have the most prospects for me and my wife. Plus it is where I grew up, so I still have most of my family in the Chicago area. We really want to live in the city, preferably on the North Side.

Could anyone recommend some areas on the North Side that are safe and have a decent amount of nightlife where we might be able to find a 3 BR, 2+ bath rental? Since we have a couple of dogs we would prefer a single family house with a little bit of a yard, but we are fine with a condo or townhouse as long as there are some grassy areas around. Since I will be taking a substantial pay cut, even after taking into account lower cost of living in Chicago compared to DC, we do not want to spend more than $2000 a month.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

DWDC

[chet everett]

The unemployment for DC and surrounding areas is among the lowest in the country. Chicago and Illinois are running ahead the national averages.

Renting with two pets is much harder than renting with even one. I really doubt you will find a 3br 2ba single family /townhouse /condo for under $2000/mo in a desirable area. If you really need / want that much space you will competing with families for a fairly limited number of units.

In regards to the COL of Chicago the data from the Federal Government OPM suggests it is actually MORE expensive to live here than DC -- Salary Table 2009-DCB
Salary Table 2009-CHI

It could disastrous to move to Chicago with a lower salary than in DC and expect to live a similar lifestyle..

[DoneWithDC]

No, we are definitely not expecting a similar lifestyle. Also, regardless of what OPM's pay scales say, it is less expensive to live in the Chicago area, than it is to live in the DC area. I am (was) a government employee and have been looking into how to best take advantage of government locality pay for years and I have no idea why Chicago is provided higher locality pay, than the DC area.

We would be able to deal with a 2 BR, 2 Bath, but a 3 BR place is definitely a plus in our minds, since we will be having kids in the not-too-distant future.

I am looking to leave DC because I have been laid off. I have been working for the government for the last 6 years in positions that require government security clearances and I am not eligibile to hold a clearance at this point in time, for the next year or so anyway. The only jobs I am getting calls about in the DC area require security clearances because when people see the experience on my resume, they automatically assume that I still hold a security clearance.

We are willing to live right outside the city, but we are hoping to find a place in the city in our price range with at least 2 BR, 2 bath.

[chet everett]

The kids complicate things, as do the dogs. Honest. It would fairly straightforward to find a decent apartmentfor under $2K/mo, but the need for room for the dogs and a neighborhood / area that is kid friendly / has decent schools makes things tough. Unless the dogs are very small you are going to be really pushing things in many traditional "near to the lake" neighborhoods... As my wife is also a government employee I too know that sometimes OPM locality pay seems hard to understand, but the formula takes into account the mix of workers and the likely housing needs they have -- singles in DC can live differently than families in Chicago region and you might find that out the hard way when you try to work schools into the mix...

You might have a bit more luck in an area adjacent to close Chicago that is more affordable and still an easy commute. Places like Skokie, Elmwood Park and Morton Grove might be a way to have your money go a little farther, get more space for the dogs, and still be acceptable for starting a family.

You are going to need to spend more down the road, though if you can renew your security clearance that ought to help with income...

[Lookout Kid]

There are tons of three-bedroom condos for rent right now on the North Side, and $2K definitely puts you a nice place. Smaller buildings (like a three-flat) might have a back yard, but you may have trouble finding a landlord that will allow two dogs--especially in a condo building that may have regulations against it.

I'd consider renting this place! Awesome location. One of the best places to be in the city, and in the Nettlehorst School District.

##3BR+DEN IN LAKEVIEW...PARKING INCLUDED, HARDWOOD, OVER 1700 SQ FEET#

You can definitely get under $2000 pretty easily if you don't need a house. Lincoln Square and North Center are great for kids and dogs and are cheaper than Lakeview and Lincoln Park. Roscoe Village is another good option. If you give up some of the "night life", you can get a nicer house on the Northwest Side. Since you don't have kids yet and are only renting, the school districts probably aren't that important yet. You have time.

[surlycue]

I'd check out Irving Park, Norwood Park and the Oriole Park area. SFH's or 2-flats where you have access to the back yard are common there and reasonably affordable. I'd expect it to be around $1,500 a month for a super nice 2/2 or a reasonable 3/2. You may have access to garage parking as well. The schools in Irving and Norwood aren't wonderful but since you don't even have kids yet it is inconsequential for renting. Oriole Park has one of the best grade schools in the city.

None of these neighborhoods offer much in the way of nightlife, though Irving is the closest to some semblance of it (yay Abbey!) and it is on the blue line with fast access to Wicker Park/Bucktown. Any of the "park" neighborhoods on the northwest side should provide you what you are looking for in terms of space and affordability but plan to pay more in rent if you are within walking distance to the train. You also may want to check out the Sauganash neighborhood that borders Skokie but it is pricier.

[DoneWithDC]

Thanks Lookout and Surlycue!

I'll definitely look into the areas you both suggested. Lookout, I do like the place you provided a link to, but my wife and I aren't quite on the same page for how much we can afford to spend, so selling her on the $2,100 would be tough at this point.

One thing I was really glad that I remembered was that Craigslist has rentals on it. I had been looking at realtor websites only for a while, but now that I have been sifting through the listings on Craigslist, I've found plenty of options in our price range.

Thanks again! I'm sure I'll have more questions as the likely move approaches.

[kodaka]

Even in Lakeview you should be able to get a 3BR that allows dogs for less than $2000 It may not be have luxury finishes, and it may require devoting to some time to the search. But just a quick craigslist search shows a lot of 3BRs in this range. Wicker Park and Lincoln Square are other possibilities. The neighborhoods mentioned above may have more spacious properties and yards, but they won't have the nightlife you are requesting.

It is true that DC has a more robust job market overall than most places but I understand your desire to leave (I moved here from Chicago a year and a half ago). Every market sector is different and it doesn't matter if people are hiring in another field, it only matters what is happening in your corner of the market.

The security clearance thing is so frustrating. Its a chicken-and-the-egg thing--everyone wants you to have security clearance but you can't get clearance unless you have a job with clearance already.

Best of luck to you.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by surlycue

I'd check out Irving Park, Norwood Park and the Oriole Park area.

Not much night life way out there. Unless you're Polish. Edison Park has a little strip of stuff, but it's nothing to write home about.

[StrayKitten]

Try Portage Park or Jefferson Park. Both are safe areas, but are not big on nightlife. There are some little neighborhood bars and a few restaurants. Some parks for the kids. Close to the expressway in case you want to drive into the city for work or for play. For the money that you would save being this far out, you could probably afford to go into the city or nearby suburbs a few times a month. I have seen listings on Craig's List for houses for rent in these areas. Good luck!