Thoughts on Oak Park? (Chicago, Naperville: appointed, apartment complex, rent)

[chitownnoob]

My wife and I are moving to Chicago shortly for my job in the Naperville area. We will likely live in Naperville to start, but my wife still needs to finish school. Unfortunately, the only colleges/universities in the Naperville area are insanely expensive private schools that don't seem worth their price (no offense to people who are attending or have attended them). There are several decent public universities, but from what I can tell, they're all in or near the downtown Chicago area. That, on top of working at least part-time, would be difficult coming from the Naperville area.

Would Oak Park be a reasonable choice while she finishes school? How much monthly rent would a place with the following characteristics cost in Oak Park:
2 BR, 1+ BA, 1100-1300 sf, off-street parking for 2 cars, in-unit laundry or in-unit laundry hook ups, safe area for Oak Park, reasonable walk to Metra or El. It doesn't need to be new or fancy, but it needs to do all the basics well.

Also, I'm curious what will the commute be like from the safe area of Oak Park to Naperville (near I-88 and Diehl) leaving Oak Park at 7am? What about 6:30am? How about the return commute leaving Naperville at 5:30pm? What about 6:30pm?

Thanks for the help.

[oakparkdude]

Oak Park Place apartments is a new high-rise apartment complex with in-unit laundry, parking deck, and a Trader Joes in the same building. Two blocks from the metra station/green line. Check out their website (Oak Park Place Apartments) for rates. My guess is about $2k for a 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath. Lots of other apartments of course, mostly vintage (pre WW2), but only new construction will have in-unit laundry.

In the morning its about 30 -40 minutes from downtown OP to that part of Naperville. Coming back in the afternoon anytime from around 3-7 PM will be probably an hour.

[chitownnoob]

Thanks for the info. Commute to Naperville is fine. If I run errands in Naperville until after 7, maybe the commute back would be more reasonable?

While we can afford $2k, that is extremely high and impractical to throw away on rent, not to mention likely annual rent increases for a place like that. The most we were hoping to pay was $1500, possibly $1600 if that's what it took to get what we need. In-unit laundry or just the hook ups is a must for us. (We're moving from an area where 80% of everything is new and $800 apartments have in-unit laundry). We do not need 1.5 BA, a 1 BA would be ok if it made the price reasonable. We do need 2 BR, as the other BR would be a dedicated office.

Is this not possible to find in Oak Park for our price? If not, we will probably just stay in Naperville, as I know we can find what we want there for our price. Unfortunately, if this is the case, I will have a very unhappy and tired wife. Is there a reasonable option for our price range that my wife can have access to the public universities in downtown Chicago? It's really a pain that almost all of the schools in DuPage County are private and cost an arm & a leg.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by chitownnoob

Thanks for the info. Commute to/from Naperville is ok. If I run errands in Naperville until after 7, maybe the commute would back would be more reasonable?

While we can afford $2k, that is extremely high and impractical to throw away on rent. The most we were hoping to pay was $1500, possibly $1600 if that's what it took. In-unit laundry or just the hook ups is a must for us. (We're moving from an area where 80% of everything is new and $800 apartments have in-unit laundry). Is this not possible to find in Oak Pakr for our price? If not, we will just stay in Naperville. If this is the case, then this really sucks for my wife, and I am sorely disappointed. I wish we didn't have to move.

Maybe you could find a new construction two bedroom condo with all the bells and whistles within your price range (plenty of excess supply on the market), try craigslist.org.

I'm not sure I understand why you are looking at Oak Park. Is it to be closer to Chicago or desire for a more urban lifestyle? If its simply to have easier access to downtown universities, you can stay in Naperville, take Metra and lower your living expenses. If its for the urban amenities, you'll just have to accept that housing with be older, smaller, and more expensive than in the newer parts of the metro area.

[chitownnoob]

Thanks Oakparkdude, living in Oak Park would only be for my wife's access to the downtown universities and downtown job market. It seems like Metra is the most practical solution. We actually prefer Naperville to Oak Park, although it would be fun to live in Oak Park if I made twice as much!

[JacksonPanther]

Originally Posted by chitownnoob

Also, I'm curious what will the commute be like from the safe area of Oak Park to Naperville (near I-88 and Diehl) leaving Oak Park at 7am?

All of Oak Park is safe. About 45 minutes, but thing are starting to tighten up by 7am. Maybe 50 minutes?

Originally Posted by chitownnoob

What about 6:30am?

Things will be nice and smooth at 6:30am. Your time will not be limited by traffic, only by distance. Assume 40 minutes.

Originally Posted by chitownnoob

How about the return commute leaving Naperville at 5:30pm?

God help you. Assume an hour, worse if it's raining or snowing.

Originally Posted by chitownnoob

What about 6:30pm?

God help you, although it might be better than at 5:30pm.

Coming home you'll be angry every day. You'll either creep along the Eisenhower from 25th ave to Harlem, or you snake through the streets of Hillside/Bellwood/Maywood.

It will help your commute to live as far South and West in OP that you can - living in less convenient parts of OP can add 10 minutes to your commute time.

[dekova]

Originally Posted by oakparkdude

I'm not sure I understand why you are looking at Oak Park. Is it to be closer to Chicago or desire for a more urban lifestyle? If its simply to have easier access to downtown universities, you can stay in Naperville, take Metra and lower your living expenses. If its for the urban amenities, you'll just have to accept that housing with be older, smaller, and more expensive than in the newer parts of the metro area.

What he said. Just know that there's serious competition for the Metra parking spaces in Naperville.

[chirack]

Oak park is a middle ground. It is not particularly close to Napervile. The only good reason to choose it is if her schools were located in parts of the city other than downtown and she needed to drive in. Or if it were a lifestyle choice(more urban over suburban). Also rush hour is roughly 6:30am-9am and 4pm-6pm in the city itself. Out in the burbs things might clear a little better(but not much).

If the schools are in downtown Chicago(the loop) then driving downtown from anywhere is a pain. Public transit is preferred and you can get express Metra trains from Napervile that can get you downtown in around 30 mins(an hour if non express). There is a bad parking situation at the Metra lot I hear, but there maybe pace bus service or she could cab it or you could drop her off/pick her up.

Also check and see if any schools have suburban locations a few do.

[LJS8510]

Naperville is pretty far west from Chicago there a many suburbs between Chicago & Naperville.
You may want to consider Elmhurst, Downers Grove, or Clarendon Hills, maybe Westmont. There are others also. I love Oak Park but considering your logistics I would consider others.
If you know where your wife is thinking or will be attending school that will help a lot in determining best choices.

[chicagomama]

I love Oak Park. But if you want another alternative, Naperville is only 25 minutes (well, depending on where you go) at rush hour from Elmhurst. THe train from Elmhurst to downtown is under 30 minutes (but then of course you'd have to get from train to school). There are nice and relatively cheap apts a couple of blocks from the metra so no need to park, just walk.