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Old 03-06-2012, 04:31 PM
 
5 posts, read 24,091 times
Reputation: 10

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Hello, this is my first time using this forum!

I plan on moving to Arlington Heights (coming from a suburb of Boston)
for a government job, and am wondering what the best place around AH is for me:

-I'm a male in my mid 20's
-Would like my commute to be around half an hour.
-Friendly place to live.
-Definitely suburbs, seeing as how i'm coming from suburbs of Boston, MA and am not used to city life.
-Reasonable apartment prices.
-Suburb with a chance to meet people (Just friends to hangout with/a girlfriend) around my age group 20-26.

I have looked at apartment complexes online, and the website obviously talks it up, but on other review websites people say that a lot of them are terrible. So I don't know where to look! Any suggestions?

ANY other information that you suggest would be REALLY helpful!!!

Thank You All!
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Old 03-06-2012, 04:53 PM
 
28,453 posts, read 85,681,295 times
Reputation: 18733
First off the problem with the interwebs in general is you get a whole lot of angry emotional posts and too few normal folks. The odds of an apartment that is merely adequate having anyone say "Yeah this is an OK place to live" is pretty nearly ZERO...

That said there are a fair number of larger crummy complexes in and around Arlington Heights that were probably built 30+ years ago when companies like Motorola were BOOMING and have not been updated in a looooong time.

Arlington Heights itself is actually one of the better places in the NW suburbs for some one like you to live & work BUT I would try to track down a condo for rent by an owner or at least a smaller more modern building with updated units. The best places don't bother to advertise as they can often just hang out a sign and get rented fast...

Finally I will say that even the best suburbs will not hold a candle to Chicago for even quieter nightlife options -- the extreme bias toward Chicago and against suburbs is perhaps nowhere as exterme as in this region. If you can deal with a 35-50 minute to /from work and all the other hassles of living in Chicago you will certainly have SCORES more people your age to hang out with...
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Old 03-06-2012, 06:57 PM
 
44 posts, read 140,232 times
Reputation: 24
If you work in Arlington Heights might as well live there as well especially since you already mentioned that you prefer a more suburban locale and want no longer than a 30 minute commute. There will be some younger, professional commuter types around for you to mingle with and there is some limited nightlife. 30 minutes doesn't get you very far w/traffic and you will be working in the middle of suburbia so why fight it. You have access to the metra so you can get downtown on weekends or whenever the need arises. I cannot think of any other nearby town that has something that would justify a longer commute given your requirements. The Avalon downtown AH is a good location if you dont mind older highrise apartment living - I think about a year ago 1 bedrooms were going for around $1K/month.
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Old 03-06-2012, 07:39 PM
 
921 posts, read 1,099,229 times
Reputation: 96
Quote:
Originally Posted by TFlo182 View Post
Hello, this is my first time using this forum!

I plan on moving to Arlington Heights (coming from a suburb of Boston)
for a government job, and am wondering what the best place around AH is for me:

-I'm a male in my mid 20's
-Would like my commute to be around half an hour.
-Friendly place to live.
-Definitely suburbs, seeing as how i'm coming from suburbs of Boston, MA and am not used to city life.
-Reasonable apartment prices.
-Suburb with a chance to meet people (Just friends to hangout with/a girlfriend) around my age group 20-26.

I have looked at apartment complexes online, and the website obviously talks it up, but on other review websites people say that a lot of them are terrible. So I don't know where to look! Any suggestions?

ANY other information that you suggest would be REALLY helpful!!!

Thank You All!
Look no further than Arlington Heights itself than.
There is no better suburb that fits your criteria 30 min from Arlington Heights.

You may take a look at these apartment complexes in downtown AH:

Avalon: Arlington IL Apartments | Avalon Arlington Heights

Dunton Tower: Dunton Tower Apartment Ratings, Reviews, Map, Rents, and other Arlington Heights apartments for rent from ApartmentRatings.com

These apartments are across the Metra Station for easy access to Chicago, close to bars, restaurants, theaters....you can't go wrong with it
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Old 03-06-2012, 08:55 PM
 
Location: Not where you ever lived
11,531 posts, read 30,375,977 times
Reputation: 6427
A H is a very nice area plus there is a ton of interesting and perhaps some unusual things to do in the suburbs.. If you like horses you'll find a race track in Arlington Hights, too.
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Old 03-07-2012, 02:24 PM
 
5 posts, read 24,091 times
Reputation: 10
Thank you for responding!

How is the safety in the area?

And do you think it would be better for me to go through online looking for an apartment, or just from the newspaper and not go through a company to get an apartment?

Thank you!
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Old 03-07-2012, 02:42 PM
 
921 posts, read 1,099,229 times
Reputation: 96
Quote:
Originally Posted by TFlo182 View Post
Thank you for responding!

How is the safety in the area?

And do you think it would be better for me to go through online looking for an apartment, or just from the newspaper and not go through a company to get an apartment?

Thank you!
Perfectly safe area.

I don't know what will be the best way to look for apartment though...
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Old 03-07-2012, 05:32 PM
 
5 posts, read 24,091 times
Reputation: 10
I just noticed that alot of places posted online say that they are amazing, but people that lived there that review it say its terrible! So I don't know if its better to just rent from a private party, or try to go to a housing apartment community!
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Old 03-07-2012, 06:02 PM
 
Location: Not where you ever lived
11,531 posts, read 30,375,977 times
Reputation: 6427
The best way to find what you are looking for is with your feet on the ground. I do not know how long it takes to get into an apartment once you apply. It might be right away and it might be seceral weeks. Every area seems to be different.
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Old 03-07-2012, 06:03 PM
 
Location: Not where you ever lived
11,531 posts, read 30,375,977 times
Reputation: 6427
Here is the rental section of the AH newspaper. If you don't liike the apartments look at a smaller condo.

Daily Herald - Suburban Chicago's Information Source





Quote:
Originally Posted by TFlo182 View Post
Hello, this is my first time using this forum!

I plan on moving to Arlington Heights (coming from a suburb of Boston)
for a government job, and am wondering what the best place around AH is for me:

-I'm a male in my mid 20's
-Would like my commute to be around half an hour.
-Friendly place to live.
-Definitely suburbs, seeing as how i'm coming from suburbs of Boston, MA and am not used to city life.
-Reasonable apartment prices.
-Suburb with a chance to meet people (Just friends to hangout with/a girlfriend) around my age group 20-26.

I have looked at apartment complexes online, and the website obviously talks it up, but on other review websites people say that a lot of them are terrible. So I don't know where to look! Any suggestions?

ANY other information that you suggest would be REALLY helpful!!!

Thank You All!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
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