Dekalb? Rochelle?

[via chicago]

Originally Posted by XtremeBiker278

Between all of the new housing and new businesses being built, it will be as expansive and as crowded as the city and numerous suburbs.

Ironic, is it not.

"The majority of sprawl in this country is created by people fleeing from sprawl."

[sonicreducer]

I just accepted a job at NIU in DeKalb, and have started looking around (online only so far) at my options for housing. I have to say that I'm really shocked at the price of both rent and real estate! I'm currently a Madison, WI resident (home of a booming real estate market, and over-inflated costs), and expected that my cost of living would go down with this move--but I'm afraid this isn't going to really be the case. I am guessing that DeKalb is getting sucked into the Chicago metro area quicker than I thought, and this is driving the prices skyward. I'd been told DeKalb was a sleepy rural area, and in my experiences this means less expensive...

I'm only finding a handful of decent-looking houses priced under 150K. I'm not real picky either, but would prefer an older home with some character, but not lots of big issues. I'd be a first time buyer, and I have student loans to pay off, so I'm trying to not get in over my head, price-wise. My rental options don't seem too good either. I'm not sure why, but the landlords there seem to be VERY anti-pet -- 85% of the ads I've seen emphatically state "No pets!", or they ask for a huge "pet deposit" on top of the first, last, and security deposits. I'm not used to this. I understand they are probably worried about students renting their properties and trashing them, but surely the area has some properties for "professional adults" who don't want to live in those new cookie-cutter condo developments. My ideal would be to rent a house or half a house if I can't afford to buy one, I guess.

Sycamore seems even more expensive than DeKalb, from what I can tell (although I definitely think the town looks a little "nicer" overall based on driving around), and Rochelle is really not that much cheaper to justify the drive (and according to folks on here, is depressing). What are the littler towns nearby like (Creston, Kirkland, etc.)? Thanks for any help!

[nJohn]

I'm not sure how different DeKalb is now compared to those who attended way back, but as a current student at NIU Dekalb, the parts I've been to, are dirty and crime is not new. Numerous people have been mugged and jumped near Greek Row, which really is a dump, and just this past week a girl was violently attacked in University Plaza, NIUs private housing, while studying. Stabbings, ambulance sirens, and police patrolling at 9PM at night outside the dorms are common occurrences. Downtown DeKalb has some nice shops but really has nothing to comeback to on a daily basis. DeKalb does have a nice shopping center due to the university and that area is kept clean most times. Also, the previous posters who said NIU wasn't that great for being a party school are correct. I'm currently a sophomore and the parties I've been to were fun but they don't live up to the hype. Notorious it is not. Sycamore seems like a nice town to raise a family. I had a teacher who is raising a family there and seemed satisfied with the area.

One thing I'm pleased about NIU is their library. It's awesome and I do most of my studying there. The carpet hasn't caused any heart attacks, yet.

[Schmoo]

Originally Posted by nJohn

Numerous people have been mugged and jumped near Greek Row, which really is a dump, and just this past week a girl was violently attacked in University Plaza, NIUs private housing, while studying. Stabbings, ambulance sirens, and police patrolling at 9PM at night outside the dorms are common occurrences.

One thing I'm pleased about NIU is their library. It's awesome and I do most of my studying there. The carpet hasn't caused any heart attacks, yet.

This is why I transferred out of NIU my sophomore year, after several on-campus rapes and one drive-by shooting after some student caucus meeting.

They still haven't changed that awful carpet?!

[nJohn]

Originally Posted by Schmoo

This is why I transferred out of NIU my sophomore year, after several on-campus rapes and one drive-by shooting after some student caucus meeting.

They still haven't changed that awful carpet?!

Where did you transfer to Schmoo? I may transfer also since I'm not being challenged in my department. Also the overall environment doesn't seem like college - more like high school to be honest.

The surrounding area of the university is dangerous at nights. Just today, the school's newspaper published the local crime: pizza route mugged, another person was jumped near Greek Row, etc. The front page was dedicated to the increase crime rate:Northern Star Online: DeKalb crime faces an 'uptick' (broken link). In 2004 there were 9 robberies compared to this years 28.

Truly, NIU feels like an inner-city school, which is odd since it's an hour away from the city surrounded by corn.

[ballplaya]

Sorry to intrude on your big convo. but, i was about to go to east aurora school and decided it wasnt for me anymore.. so my ma moved to rochelle, how is it there? 15, lookin to get a scholarship in basketball, is it good ball round there? is it ilke a richy white town, or what would you call rochelle? ELGIN REPRESETN lolz, peace people.
hope yall can help

[jrsully5]

Originally Posted by SRedmon

Any info about living in DeKalb or Rochelle?

What do you need in order to be more specific? Rochelle is smaller, not much to do, but that might be what you are looking for. There is no traffic, you know your kids teachers, see them in the grocery store and out to eat. Your kids can spend the night at their friends house because you met their parents through "family game night" at the school, and then easily were able to develop friendships with them. The bike/walking path surrounds the community and you aren't scared to use it (even at dusk). There are still old town hardware stores, and bike shops. A little theater that gets new movies just as quickly as the large theaters. They are not called "The Hub" because they are so far out, as stated previously, but because they are at the center of an extensive railway/roadway system. Yes, there is "diversity" within the community. Rochelle has many small surrounding subdivisions with very nice homes.
Dekalb, is bigger. A college town, and more to do. There is a nice brand new hospital and more healthcare options. More to do and more people means all that comes with that. Less intimacy among the town, but you may like not seeing your children's teacher in the grocery store. It is not missing all of its quaintness though. There is an awesome family owned confectionary and seasonal original frozen custard stand.
I want the best of all so I live in the Mayberry of Rochelle, travel less than 30 min to the additionals of Dekalb, and drive another 30 min to the best shopping in the burbs of Chicago.

[jrsully5]

Originally Posted by sonicreducer

I just accepted a job at NIU in DeKalb, and have started looking around (online only so far) at my options for housing. I have to say that I'm really shocked at the price of both rent and real estate! I'm currently a Madison, WI resident (home of a booming real estate market, and over-inflated costs), and expected that my cost of living would go down with this move--but I'm afraid this isn't going to really be the case. I am guessing that DeKalb is getting sucked into the Chicago metro area quicker than I thought, and this is driving the prices skyward. I'd been told DeKalb was a sleepy rural area, and in my experiences this means less expensive...

I'm only finding a handful of decent-looking houses priced under 150K. I'm not real picky either, but would prefer an older home with some character, but not lots of big issues. I'd be a first time buyer, and I have student loans to pay off, so I'm trying to not get in over my head, price-wise. My rental options don't seem too good either. I'm not sure why, but the landlords there seem to be VERY anti-pet -- 85% of the ads I've seen emphatically state "No pets!", or they ask for a huge "pet deposit" on top of the first, last, and security deposits. I'm not used to this. I understand they are probably worried about students renting their properties and trashing them, but surely the area has some properties for "professional adults" who don't want to live in those new cookie-cutter condo developments. My ideal would be to rent a house or half a house if I can't afford to buy one, I guess.

Sycamore seems even more expensive than DeKalb, from what I can tell (although I definitely think the town looks a little "nicer" overall based on driving around), and Rochelle is really not that much cheaper to justify the drive (and according to folks on here, is depressing). What are the littler towns nearby like (Creston, Kirkland, etc.)? Thanks for any help!

In that price range, you might not find what your looking for unless it is run down from the college crowd. It is expensive, but worse.... the housing taxes in Dekalb because of the college. Rochelle is not as bad as the people are posting, it is just small and boring to most. Not a lot of crime, good teachers, and homes are much less expensive. I have some friends who just moved there and spent in the $80s for a small 3 bedroom that needed to be fixed up. You can find homes in the $500s range and all in between. In town, you will find something cute with character. I noticed the people that bought my first home just sold it for $125 on a nice little street with big trees and sidewalks. It was a home with lots of character; old wood floors, archways, build-ins, three blocks from an elementary school and close to the bike path. Give it a chance. Creston and Malta are in between Dekalb and Rochelle. They are smaller than Rochelle, but each unique to one business. Creston has a quaint old fashion butcher shop that does most of the areas catering. Great food! Malta has an apple orchard that is becoming infamous for the area. Family owned, again, and a very nice homemade selection of goodies. Each gets more affordable the farther west on 38. You would have to drive to get groceries or much of anything else.

[HOWELL_STREET]

... When I suggest that B & N is actually located in Sycamore and not DeKalb. B & N is on Route 23 / "Sycamore Road" and also very close to the transistional border between DeKalb and Sycamore. I believe the B & N 'cross street' is "Barber Greene Road" and maybe County Farm Road(?). But it really doesn't matter which town B & N is located.

IF you were to choose employment closer to Chicago, then the DeKalb area would be much better in comparison to Rochelle.

For a moment, consider how many college graduates NIU is 'pumping out per quarter or tri semester - - which ever is correct.

So all of these graduates are now looking for employment - - first in the tri - city area of DeKalb, Sycamore and Cortland.

IF they can't find work in that area, maybe they look out at Rochelle. IF that doesn't work, then they set their goals toward Chicago.

IF 'they' find a job closer to Chicago, then everything else is forgotten in regards to the NIU area. That's because automobile driving between the DeKalb area and the Chicago area is something like 67 PLUS miles one way.

So my point - - find employment FIRST and then think about where 'you' are going to live.

Carter Glass

[via chicago]

Originally Posted by HOWELL_STREET

So all of these graduates are now looking for employment - - first in the tri - city area of DeKalb, Sycamore and Cortland.

I can assure you, as a recent NIU graduate, the last place I or any of my classmates would look for employment would be the DeKalb area. We went to school there, thats where the association ends. 4 years of that town was enough, thank you. There are some grads who stay behind, but to assume the majority of NIU students are aching for employment in the DeKalb area upon graduation is laughable

I live 15 minutes away from the city, I wanted to work downtown, and thats where I found it. The overwhelming majority of students (over 90%) are from the city and suburbs. Thats where they will return to once they're done with school.