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Old 02-01-2011, 06:40 PM
 
Location: Chicago
59 posts, read 108,911 times
Reputation: 29

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My boyfriend and I currently live in Milwaukee and he has a job interview on Thursday in Chicago... and I'm nervous it's going to be too expensive for us to live there. I tried looking through Craigslist today and I am now officially terrified that we are going to end up in a hole in the wall apartment! Any suggestions on good locations would be extremely helpful!! Here's some info about us...

We are both 26, he will be working (assuming he gets the job!) near Winnetka and I will most likely be able to transfer within my job and work downtown. This means I'll need to be close to some sort of public transporation as our company's monthly parking is $300...! We like to go out to the bars, ideally be near a park and I'm hoping I won't have to drive 40 minutes to go to Target/Wal-Mart Other than that I'm open to any suggestions!

As for budget, we're paying $800 a month right now for a 2 bedroom 750 square foot apartment. I know Chicago will be more expensive but we're still trying to stick around $1000... $1100 being our max.

A few general questions about Chicago apartments... do they typically include heat? Is parking ever included? Is it common to find laundry facilities within the building?

Thanks in advance for any help!!!
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Old 02-01-2011, 06:43 PM
 
Location: Berwyn, IL
2,418 posts, read 6,231,041 times
Reputation: 1133
Heat is included in radiator used apartments, which are many.

$800 for a two bedroom would be tough, but do-able. $1100 would absolutely get you there and into a decent neighborhood.


For reference, a co-worker rents a smallish two bedroom in Edgewater for $800. It's close to public transportation and not too far from Winnetka, being on the far north side and all.
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Old 02-01-2011, 06:44 PM
 
Location: Chicago
4,085 posts, read 4,308,876 times
Reputation: 688
Quote:
Originally Posted by hiidee53 View Post
we're still trying to stick around $1000... $1100 being our max.
That should not be a problem at all.
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Old 02-01-2011, 06:57 PM
 
1,325 posts, read 4,182,726 times
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OP. We have a 3-4 Targets on the northside that are within 10 minutes of most folks. Rent kind of depends on the neighborhood. One of my favorite is Lakeview. You can get a one bedroom in your price range and perhaps a smallish 2 bedroom (you said yours is 750 sq ft and the average 1 bedroom in Chicago is about the same sq footage). Parking is another story. Rarely is it included in the rent and many older walkup/courtyard style buildings don't have parking (but you can usually find a 4 plus 1 building nearby that offers monthly parking to non-residents(4 ugly floors atop an underground parking garage...they were built in the 70's and we call them 4 plus 1's).
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Old 02-01-2011, 06:58 PM
 
Location: Chicago
59 posts, read 108,911 times
Reputation: 29
Any suggestions on an area or an apartment complex? We were thinking of living somewhere closer to downtown rather than Winnetka as it will be easier for my boyfriend to drive to work.

And this probably doesn't make a difference but ideally we're looking for a 2 bedroom. Thanks!
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Old 02-01-2011, 07:02 PM
 
Location: Berwyn, IL
2,418 posts, read 6,231,041 times
Reputation: 1133
Quote:
Originally Posted by soulful View Post
OP. We have a 3-4 Targets on the northside that are within 10 minutes of most folks. Rent kind of depends on the neighborhood. One of my favorite is Lakeview. You can get a one bedroom in your price range and perhaps a smallish 2 bedroom (you said yours is 750 sq ft and the average 1 bedroom in Chicago is about the same sq footage). Parking is another story. Rarely is it included in the rent and many older walkup/courtyard style buildings don't have parking (but you can usually find a 4 plus 1 building nearby that offers monthly parking to non-residents(4 ugly floors atop an underground parking garage...they were built in the 70's and we call them 4 plus 1's).
All good info, aside from the fact that I don't think the average Chicago 1 BR is that much. I've lived in two 1 BR's so far, and they have both been 450-500 sq feet.

The really nice 1 BR's tend to be 650 + sq feet. Considering many apartment buildings in Chicago are prewar, they are definitely smaller.
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Old 02-01-2011, 07:14 PM
 
Location: Chicago - Logan Square
3,396 posts, read 7,182,202 times
Reputation: 3731
Quote:
Originally Posted by hiidee53 View Post
We like to go out to the bars, ideally be near a park and I'm hoping I won't have to drive 40 minutes to go to Target/Wal-Mart Other than that I'm open to any suggestions!
There are a couple commercial strips along Elston and Clybourn that have anything you'd find in almost any strip mall in the country - Target, Home Depot, Menards, Costco, Office Max, supermarkets, etc. Basically along Elston and Clybourn between Armitage and Diversey. You can easily find a place within a 5 minute drive of those places. The NE corner of Bucktown, SE Logan Square, Noble Square, or the Western edge of Lincoln Park would be worth checking out. You would be a short drive from the stores, have quick access to the expressway to get to Winnetka, and be within a reasonable distance of many bars. There is also the Metra commuter rail that runs out to Winnetka at Elston/Ashland/Armitage (if your boyfriend can get from the Metra stop in Winnetka to his office). There are some parks in the area, but it depends on how large a park you are looking for, and what you're looking for in a park (baseball field, dog park, pool, etc.).
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Old 02-01-2011, 07:15 PM
 
Location: Chicago
4,085 posts, read 4,308,876 times
Reputation: 688
Quote:
Originally Posted by hiidee53 View Post
Any suggestions on an area or an apartment complex? We were thinking of living somewhere closer to downtown rather than Winnetka as it will be easier for my boyfriend to drive to work.

And this probably doesn't make a difference but ideally we're looking for a 2 bedroom. Thanks!
You should try to look into the eastern portion of Irving Park and the eastern portion of Avondale.
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Old 02-01-2011, 07:41 PM
 
Location: Not where you ever lived
11,535 posts, read 30,141,710 times
Reputation: 6424
I have a hunch that once you get moved to Chicago you will find mst of the things you want are conveniently located. Trader Joe's, Whole Foods. Costco, Aldi, Jewel, Kroger's, national retail stores and restaurants, 5-star dining, plus neighborhoods with nearly every conceivable food you might want to experience, as well as bus, train, EL, cab, limo, Zipcar and two airports to meet your transportation needs. By the time you finish visiting all of the touristy things, Second City, Chinatown, and the city's upscale entertainment you should feel right at home.
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Old 02-02-2011, 08:41 AM
 
Location: River North, Chicago, Illinois
4,620 posts, read 8,127,023 times
Reputation: 6321
Depending on what part of downtown your company's offices are, and where his company's offices are, it could make more sense to live closer to Winnetka.

I'm not sure about pricing, but from a commute standpoint, living in Evanston could be convenient for both of you, and while it's not as happening as Lakeview or Lincoln Park, it has some young people and things to do.
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