Moving to Chicago... Need Help, Full of TOO Much Unsorted Info (Palatine: for sale, lease) - Illinois (IL) - City-Data Forum

kayleeirene · 11-21-2011, 07:41 AM

Hi!
I have been reading as much as I can about where to live in Chicago. Here is the info pertaining to what I am looking for, please help! There is so much information and advice is more than welcome.

I am 24 and looking to move to Chicago within the next 8 months. I am a single white female who will be moving alone... well, with exception of my Husky.

I am looking preferably for a single family home about 1000 sqft+ 2-4 bdrms, and a small yard for my dog. I am not anti-condo but would most definitely need to be near a park for my dog.

Now here's the trouble! I might as well be stereo-typically Jewish for all of the money I am willing to spend starting out. I am not afraid to refurbish or update. In fact, I prefer leaving my own mark. I am not incredibly into the bar/club scene though a few places to meet people would be excellent and cafes and restaurants are handy. I want to utilize public transit if possible and don't want the suburbs.

After this novel here are the stats:
1. Under $200,000 if have to will go u to $250,000 but hopefully not
2. Used to city life and not scared to be by myself. Lived in Indianapolis and Paris alone.
3. I LOVE the houses in Washington Heights but from everything I've been reading here apparently not a good place. LOVE Beverly but it seems a touch far.
4. I have found some places in W. Rogers Park below Pratt, N of Devon and E of California, W of Western, don't know if ok area.

* Please let me know areas that potentially fit my parameters without being too dangerous or shady

kayleeirene · 11-21-2011, 07:46 AM

Oh, forgot to mention... From the postings about the different neighborhoods, I like the seeming community involvement of Lakeview. I also liked Hyde Park, Edgewater, and Roscoe Village. However, I don't think any of these have anything in my price points

radiojunkie2006 · 11-21-2011, 08:08 AM

You didn't mention if you needed to be near downtown. If that's not a must I'd suggest Edison Park on the far NW side. Extremely safe, close to CTA and Pace routes and has a plethora of restaurants etc. I just sold a 2bd ranch home there that was in your price range. Norwood Park is another option, though there's no 'scene' like Edison. There is a 2 bd home for sale in Norwood Park on Palatine for under 200K, needs TLC. Good Luck!

kayleeirene · 11-21-2011, 08:16 AM

Thanks! I'll check those out! As far as close to downtown... I don't want to be out in suburbia but as long as I could get just about anywhere of interest in under an hour by public transit, I am good.

Also, don't know where I will be working yet since the main hiring season for teachers doesn't start until spring and I don't get back home until then anyway being able to commute easily is major. But, I want to have the main areas of interest for home searching narrowed by that time since home buying can take a bit.

radiojunkie2006 · 11-21-2011, 08:24 AM

Forgot to mention that Metra runs through both Edison and Norwood Park. My bad!

Aleking · 11-21-2011, 08:31 AM

Chicago has a lot of nice off leash dog friendly areas, with your budget I wouldn't write off a condo.

radiojunkie2006 · 11-21-2011, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aleking

Chicago has a lot of nice off leash dog friendly areas, with your budget I wouldn't write off a condo.

Indeed! My daughter lives in Irving Park close to Horner Park and has a pit bull. She walks her there a lot. There's also a dog friendly beach but I don't remember where it is.

emathias · 11-21-2011, 09:34 AM

I'd recommend you go easy on comments like your Jewish quip.

That said, you're going to have a hard time finding places where you can get to most places within an hour via public transit while also having a single family home for the price you mention and be not sketchy.

It's not impossible, but if you decide any of those three criteria you're most flexible on, the more options you'll find that meet the other two criteria.

The closest you might find to meeting all your criteria, in my opinion, is Albany Park or North Park. You might also find a couple SFH west of Ashland Ave in Andersonville/Edgewater, although it will be slim pickings in your price range.

If you loosen up some of your criteria:

There are large swaths of the NW and far SW sides that are relatively safe and have fairly inexpensive single family homes. But, while they are mostly served okay by bus, it might take an hour or more to get to many parts of the lakefront neighborhoods, or even downtown. If safety and having a single family home are your biggest factors and you'll be commuting to downtown, you might want to find an area on the NW side near a metra station which will allow you a decent commute, and then you can drive places on off hours.

If you decide a condo is acceptable, then you have far more options close to the north lakefront or along the Blue Line between the Western and, say, Jefferson Park stops where transit is more consistent.

If you decide you can deal with a little bit of sketchiness, then you might be able to consider some parts of the SW side that have relatively good transit and low prices, and still aren't outright dangerous but are sort of sketchy.

chet everett · 11-21-2011, 09:44 AM

Suggestions for NW side are pretty good, but "anywhere of interest ny public transit in under and hour" is frankly hard to do in any part of Chicago...

There is excellent Metra service that, like the spokes of a wheel, radiate out from the Hubs on the outskirts of the Loop, but even that does not make the commute time once you are in the Loop alter the laws of physics. There are no magic passages that link spots that might be miles apart. If your job is in the Gold Coast neighborhood you will have to take CTA buses (which have to contend with surface traffic) or the El (portions of which are subway) but trains routinely require at least 10 minutes or so between pickups, or walk -- all of which mean that living close to work is the only way to have a super short commute...

Don't get me wrong, if you live close to the Metra station (or El station for that matter) and work is close to the other end a commute of under an hour is possible, but if you also want to use public transit to get to an event at Ravina or UofC or Rosemont or someplace else you had better be prepared to spend a lot more time using public transit than driving...

linicx · 11-21-2011, 10:12 AM

You might want to take a look at Oak Park, It is an inner-ring community that will probably meet most of your criteria: shopping, cafes, restaurants, parks, events, and more. Transportation includes trains, bus, taxi, limo and zip car. And you might be able to get a short term lease while you search for a house or condo. There are some gorgeous units available.

OP is on the western border of the city. it is about 8 miles from the loop. If you like green lawns, mature trees, modern Victorian era homes built by Frank Lloyd Wright, as well as homes that an be rehabed, I think you will find some nice surprises. You can also call and have all your concerns addressed. It will certainly give you a better feel for the general area. Oak Park Regional Housing Center .