Relocating to Evanston from AZ ... need info (Skokie, Washington: apartments, rentals)

[CLBrannan]

Hi guys --

I am relocating to Evanston in two weeks and am trying to get things set up ahead of time but am having trouble finding resources for actual information-- This forum seems to be the best!

I will be on a strict income so am trying to decide whether to sacrifice room for location or location for room. I have a 14 year old and a 2 year old, so I thought I found a great house about a block from the high school and in our budget range -- but when I researched the previous tenant seems to be a bit shady. So how is that area right by the school... we are talking on Dodge Avenue. I dont want to write off the place if it was just a bad seed. Things seem to be so different there than in Arizona.

Also... when looking at other places some include heat and water (and cooking gas) in rent... am I right in assuming that if that is all included then the electric bill should be fairly low?

Im excited about Evanston because it seems diverse, and we can start in a less expensive place and move up without my daughter having to change schools.

Thanks for any info you guys can give!

[nana053]

I would NOT buy near the high school. Dodge avenue can be extremely shady. Actually in most towns, you don't want a home too close to the high schools or middle schools. With a 2 year old, you want to be in a neighborhood with more little ones, it seems to me.

Here's a neighborhood map
//www.city-data.com/nbmaps/neig...-Illinois.html

What kind of budget do you have for your home? I assume you are renting?

[CLBrannan]

Thanks... things are a bit different there! Here being within walking distance of school is golden! LOL

I am trying to stay around $900 (can go a little higher if needed) even if it means going all the way down to a 1 bedroom and sleeping on a pull-out. Ill have a commute and day care (which seems to be double the cost there) to cover. I just want to do the best within the budget and Im not sure if that is living in a lesser area with more room or having less room in a better area.

My teen, Ive already made arrangements with the band teacher to work with her last minute.. so she should have a good group of friends to start...

[nana053]

Originally Posted by CLBrannan

Thanks... things are a bit different there! Here being within walking distance of school is golden! LOL

I am trying to stay around $900 (can go a little higher if needed) even if it means going all the way down to a 1 bedroom and sleeping on a pull-out. Ill have a commute and day care (which seems to be double the cost there) to cover. I just want to do the best within the budget and Im not sure if that is living in a lesser area with more room or having less room in a better area.

My teen, Ive already made arrangements with the band teacher to work with her last minute.. so she should have a good group of friends to start...

Try here:
Evanston Apartments for Rent | Evanston, IL - Apartments.com

There does not seem to be much in that price range in Evanston. There are some in Skokie, but unless they are in the Evanston School district for your teen, that might not suit you.

Nice rentals seem to be in the $1400 to $1700 per month range, especially if you want more than 1 bedroom. You will be awfully cramped with a toddler and a teen in a 1 bedroom, it seems to me.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by nana053

I would NOT buy near the high school. Dodge avenue can be extremely shady. Actually in most towns, you don't want a home too close to the high schools or middle schools. With a 2 year old, you want to be in a neighborhood with more little ones, it seems to me.

Here's a neighborhood map
//www.city-data.com/nbmaps/neig...-Illinois.html

What kind of budget do you have for your home? I assume you are renting?

it would be hard to argue that Dodge can be extremely shady, certainly true around ETHS (for an eternity). But apparently that didn't discourage the developers who built that good sized town house project next to the old r.r. viaduct, just east of the Dodge & Church intersection.

This is an area the city has targeted for redevelopment which, no doubt, has slowed due to the economic troubles we've been in. But again....there is already one fairly high priced development in place here and more will probably come.

Indeed if you think about the recession and all the implications it has about the cost of gas now and into the future, the West Side of Evanston with its outstanding location seems, IMHO, ripe for a turnabout.

[CLBrannan]

Thank you guys for the input!! The job transfer just came through and it is paying more than I thought, so I can raise up to $1100 -- which opens some options!

I have my sites set on a couple so let me ask you this...

Is the Brummel Park area ok? Or possible right North of the big cemetary that they have (sorry don't have the name of it handy).

I'm trying to get things set from afar so I can walk into town and register DD in school and start band camp on day 1!

I have photos of some places and have "walked them" on Google. And the streets seem ok... but what do I know? LOL

[CLBrannan]

Also looking at one on Washington/Florence...

[nana053]

Both areas should be safe and nice enough.

I like the one at Washington and Florence better because it is not far from Crown Center. That would be a good place for activities for the 2 year old. They have city preschools there too (or did when I lived in Evanston), though these were for 3 and up, I think. Your teen might enjoy the ice skating rink there as well. It's far enough from Main so that traffic should not be a big problem as to noise or danger for the little one.

The Brummel Park area is ok, but it seemed a bit more run down to me (it may have changed since I lived there). It had more industrial stuff too. The park is nice though.

[CLBrannan]

Thank you so much!!! That is just the info that I needed!!!