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Old 04-11-2010, 08:16 PM
 
Location: Land of debt and Corruption
7,545 posts, read 8,186,606 times
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River Forest is beautiful. Huge mature tree-lined streets, beautiful historic homes. It is more 'suburban' than Oak Park, but much nicer IMO. Oak Park has some sketchy area and some of the schools aren't the greatest. River Forest is all nice. I'd pick RF > OP any day of the week without a doubt.
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Old 04-12-2010, 07:30 AM
 
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River Forest is basically a large continuation and extension of the most upscale, large and leafy lawn district of Oak Park (Basically Oak Parks northwest corner).

They are very interlinked however. They're not really in any kind of competition. Because River Forest is largely residential, and so people mostly shop and dine in Oak Park.
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Old 04-12-2010, 07:57 PM
 
Location: Humboldt Park, Chicago
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They have the same high school. There are parts of Oak Park like where I live, just south of chicago and oak park (frank lloyd wright district) where the homes are large and expensive, some in the millions.

River Forest overall is nicer as the eastern parts of Oak Park get sketchy within a few blocks of Austin. Oak Park is much more diverse, which is kinda ironic as River Forest borders Maywood but due to a forest preserve and the des plaines river and a vigilent police force, they are mostly able to keep out the ghetto element.

I really like both River Forest and Oak Park but am starting to lean more towards Oak Park due to easier train access with both metra and the el. I would definitely live in both so long as I can walk to the train.
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Old 10-29-2010, 01:52 PM
 
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Hi, glad I found this thread. I have applied to graduate school for Spring 2011 and one of my applications was to Concordia in River Forest. I'd be moving from Albuquerque, New Mexico. I've been to Chicago once in life. I grew up about 70 miles north of New York City, so city life doesn't scare me at all. My biggest concern about moving to a Chicago suburb (and no decision will be made for sure until I get admission offers) is cost of living. Right now, my husband and I rent a small, quiet, one-bedroom apartment in a small (8 unit) complex on a residential street for $600/month. I am worried about finding something similar in either River Forest or Oak Park. I don't want to live in a high-rise or giant complex and would prefer to rent a house/townhome/duplex, but I think that would be out of our price range. I don't want to rent from some mega-slumlord property management company, either. Any suggestions on where we might live and how to find a place would be appreciated! Here in Albuquerque it's usually really helpful to drive around the neighborhoods you want to live and look for "for rent" signs; does that work in River Forest and Oak Park, too?
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Old 10-29-2010, 01:55 PM
 
Location: Lake Arlington Heights, IL
5,479 posts, read 11,989,034 times
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Does Concordia offer any housing for married students?
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Old 10-29-2010, 04:17 PM
 
Location: Humboldt Park, Chicago
2,686 posts, read 7,752,792 times
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Default Your rent will double

You will not be able to find much for $600 in River Forest area. You may be able to find something in Elmwood Park just north of north ave for slightly cheaper but you will need $1000 or more to have decent place.
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Old 10-29-2010, 04:20 PM
 
Location: Chicago
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Or Melrose Park
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Old 10-29-2010, 08:11 PM
 
Location: Humboldt Park, Chicago
2,686 posts, read 7,752,792 times
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Melrose Park is getting to be only slightly better than Maywood. I would not recommend someone going there.

For reference, some of my Humboldt Park renters are looking to move to Melrose Park. Are these the sort of people that you would want as neighbors?

Check out the crowd that frequents Ballys and let me know if this is an area you would want to move into.

We are seeing a number of distressed commercial RE in that area and in 10-15 years that area will mirror Chicago around Kostner and Roosevelt (empty industrial with a few operating plants).

Elmwood Park is better but still has challenges with a recent influx of former west side Chicago sect 8.

Actually, not to be bogus but if you are a student and are used to paying 600 per month you may qualify for sect 8. This would allow you to rent for 600 or less, provided your income falls below a certain level. You are not going to find market rent in a good place in a good area in the River Forest area.

Even my basement apartment in Humboldt Park rents for 625 per month (just raised it 25 as they are using extra water now that they have washer in unit for clothes).
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Old 10-29-2010, 08:23 PM
 
Location: Chicago- Hyde Park
4,080 posts, read 10,183,711 times
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Default Look on Craigslist

Also try Forest Park which has a larger apartment belt than River Forest

http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/apa/2032906342.html....I (broken link) found this one on there. I don't know how it looks though...
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Old 10-29-2010, 08:37 PM
 
Location: Humboldt Park, Chicago
2,686 posts, read 7,752,792 times
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Forest Park might be good option so long as they do not have kids in school. The public schools are not nearly as good by comparison to Oak Park and River Forest.

Just driving down right now Harlem at Randolph and they pulled over a 300 chrysler pimped out with load of thugs. Stay a block at least from Harlem as there seems to be a steady stream of these ghetto folks no matter how hard Oak Park and River Forest patrol the area.

Forest Park also has a great strip of restaurants along Madison. In my opinion you live in River Forest/Oak Park if you are able and eat/drink in Forest Park.
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