River Forest??? (Chicago, Maywood: live, license plate, Hispanic)

[Alacran]

Originally Posted by Humboldt1

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).

True.
But for the moment, there is some very nice areas.

[maryp3177]

Awesome! I really appreciate the help. I've read from the Concordia materials that campus is a 20-minute-walk from the El. I'll live anywhere in Chicago and don't mind commuting across the city to get to campus, particularly since I'll probably only have class 2 days per week. Are there any quiet, residential neighborhoods further out (maybe a 30-minute ride on the El) where we could rent for $700-$800/month? I appreciate the Section 8 advice, BUT 1) there is a long wait for vouchers (a year or more) and 2) I've rented in complexes that accept these vouchers and had some terrible experiences with neighbors (I really don't want to have small children as neighbors as they are noisy).

[Hatchetman]

The el doesn't go further out. Metra might be an idea though.

[hhe1982]

I am wondering if I am living in River Forest and own a rental property in Oak Park. Can I send my kids to Oak Park Public School?

Originally Posted by kindrakindra

RF schools are obviously awesome, with great parental involvement. A few annoying things. No full day kindergarten. I know a couple of families that stay in private for full day kinder or do a half day at St. Luke's and a half in public school. No spanish class in the lower grades including kindergarten. Those are usually the only negatives you hear.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by hhe1982

I am wondering if I am living in River Forest and own a rental property in Oak Park. Can I send my kids to Oak Park Public School?

Not legally.

[Humboldt1]

Oak Park River Forest High School services both Oak Park and River Forest.

For elementary and middle school your kids will go to River Forest schools.

Concordia is pretty far from Metra or the El, particularly in winter or during a rain storm. Elmwood Park is somewhat walkable to the University and there are some large residential buildings close to the university (Concordia and Dominican). I think you will really need a car though you could rely upon buses (not the el or metra) to get around.

[melrose78]

Originally Posted by Humboldt1

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).

For someone who always has a lot of negative things to say about the Melrose area, you sure seem to spend a lot of time there. How about you focus more on Humboldt Park than Melrose.

And as far as "the number of distressed commercial real estate", where do you see that? The new Mejier store and Nissan dealeship both going up on North Avenue is a sure sign of the town's commercial demise......

I have no idea why I, my family and a lot of my friends still live here. According to how you picture Melrose we all are sleeping with guns under our pillows, live in boarded up houses, dodging gangs on our walk home and living below the poverty line.

[OPRF Native]

I lived in OP for 30 years and in RF for 10. It depends on what you are looking for. RF is more refined with great schools and low crime. There is no industry or restaurants but nice parks. OP over taxes but it has more schools, parks, entertainment, shopping and a higher crime rate. You have to watch where you buy there. It borders one of the worst areas in Chicago. RF is insulated by Oak Park and the DesPlaines River plus Thatcher Woods. Both are fien communities but OP is more diverse and always has been. You can't go wrong with either as they are central to all transporation and 9 miles from Chicago.

[chitownperson]

It is true that RF has a lower crime rate, but you also have to take into account the significantly smaller population, and that fact that recently there was a murder, and various other incidents such as attempted abductions and property crimes... saying that, the RFPD has been doing a pretty decent job of rounding up criminals, but the buffer that is Thatcher Woods does not stop Thugs in Maywood from driving over.

[Alacran]

Originally Posted by chitownperson

It is true that RF has a lower crime rate, but you also have to take into account the significantly smaller population, and that fact that recently there was a murder, and various other incidents such as attempted abductions and property crimes... saying that, the RFPD has been doing a pretty decent job of rounding up criminals, but the buffer that is Thatcher Woods does not stop Thugs in Maywood from driving over.

Dumb FPPD stopped me for having music to loud.
smh