How is the Roommate Situation in Chicago?

[Drover]

Originally Posted by mrstackhouse89

Because im not from Chicago and I hear that the crime rate is not to great around there however it's not like im scared or anything because im from philly and grew up in those same type of neighborhoods but I would rather not go backwards. Plus I will be working and going to school in the South Loop so areas closer would benefit me a great deal.

So wait, you want to live closer to the South Loop but you don't want to live in the part of town that's closer to the South Loop. I'm kind of confused here. And you don't want to live there based on what you heard about it? Do you think maybe you'd do well to get the facts about it first instead of just going by what you "heard" from 900 miles away? The south side is bigger than all of Philadelphia. You don't seriously think the whole south side is bad do you? Because based on your stated criteria so far, there are a couple of south side options that might work for you...

[mrstackhouse89]

Well since im not familiar with the city it would be nice for you to give some suggestions instead of getting up in arms because im going off of what's been said on the board. When I was speaking on not wanting to live on the south side I didn't literally mean all of it I was thinking more to stay away from places like englewood and etc... that would be more affordable for me but im not interested in.

[Drover]

And I'd be more than wiling to give some suggestions, but that can be difficult when you provide seemingly contradictory criteria such you want to live near the south loop, but not actually in the south loop because you don't want to live on the south side, but maybe you'd consider living on the south side after all, just not Englewood and similar neighborhoods.

So what are you interested in besides affordability and proximity to the south loop? And how many of those interests are you willing to give up (if necessary) in pursuit of not needing to take on a roommate? How much time are you willing to spend commuting? Are you willing to transfer from bus to train or do you have a strong preference for direct access to a train station? Do you just want a quiet place to crash between classes or do you need something more vibrant around you?

[mrstackhouse89]

I basically don't need a whole lot of activity around I don't mind traveling to entertainment. Since I will be working and going to school in the South Loop I would rather something within at least a 20 min commute for convience maybe 30 min at the most. I would rather travel by train but I could do a bus as well. As far as amenities that II would need it's not to demanding I would like something with a Laundry room in the building and Most Utilities included if possible. That's basically it Since im on such a Budget and will have an income off just working at Target full time I really have very little demands. My main interest is living in a comfortable neighborhood and having as much convenience of traveling to my destination as possible.

[Drover]

I think your biggest hitch for a roommate-less arrangement is going to be the on-site laundry. It's not out of the question but it will probably be a substantially limiting factor. Also, a 30-minute door-to-door commute is going to be more realistic than a 20-minute one. Most everything within a 20-minute commute is out of your price range (unless you take on a roommate) mostly because it's within a 20-minute commute.

If you just want some place quiet without a lot of razzle-dazzle but still has some decent restaurants you can walk to, I'd look into Bridgeport and McKinley Park, and maybe the south edge of Chinatown which kind of melds with Bridgeport. Either the Orange Line train, Red Line train, or the Archer bus line will take you pretty much right to school, or at least within a block, so look near stops on those lines or on the Archer Avenue. (NOTE: if you're looking near the Red Line, you want to stay on the west side of the line/expressway.)

You should be able to get a full-fledged one-bedroom in your "$800 including utilities" price range. Plus parking isn't a total nightmare in most parts of these neighborhoods in the event you plan to bring a car. Do you plan to bring a car? If you do, that could help with the laundry situation too. Many laundromats have drop-off service, starting as low as 75 cents a pound. The wife and I did the math and figured that at 80 cents a pound it cost us about $10/mo more to pay them to do our laundry than it cost us to do it when factoring in the cost of the machines plus the cost of soap.

[mrstackhouse89]

Thanks for the suggestion and no I wouldn't be bringing a car. I was also suggested to check out Pilsen,Hyde park and like you stated China town do you know if those areas are in the criteria I gave.

[Drover]

I think you'll be a little hard-pressed to find something habitable in Hyde Park or a decent part of Pilsen for your price range, but it's worth looking. East Pilsen is pretty gentrified, and west Pilsen is still a little rough - not terrible, but it sounds like you've had your fill of marginal neighborhoods. Also, with regard to Hyde Park, if you want to stay within a 30-minute commute window, you'd need to use Metra (regional commuter rail and a separate system from the CTA) or catch an express bus, both of which have pretty rigid schedules.