Re-locating from Minneapolis (Chicago, Oak Park, Downers Grove: apartments, for rent, home)

[ksguy2011b]

Hey all,

I am looking into re-locating to the Chicago area from Minneapolis. Don't know a thing about Chicago, but go big or go home right?

I'm looking for some advice on what area to live in. My office will be in the Elmhurst area and I would like a quick commute to work everyday (will be driving every day). I would like to be in a hot area for singles or young professionals. I'm really looking for a simple 1br apartment for under $1200 a month with convenient amenities, safe neighborhood etc...

Any help greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

B

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by ksguy2011b

Hey all,

I am looking into re-locating to the Chicago area from Minneapolis. Don't know a thing about Chicago, but go big or go home right?

I'm looking for some advice on what area to live in. My office will be in the Elmhurst area and I would like a quick commute to work everyday (will be driving every day). I would like to be in a hot area for singles or young professionals. I'm really looking for a simple 1br apartment for under $1200 a month with convenient amenities, safe neighborhood etc...

Any help greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

B

Very cool. Chicago is a great city (I, too, am originally from Minnesota). Quick question for you though...what do you consider a quick commute? Also, how close to the freeway will your work be in Elmhurst? Roughly what time would you be leaving to go to work, and come back from work? These will all effect your commute time of course. I have a few suggestions, but some hinges on your answers.

[Jandur]

It's a rough commute, but you can minimize by living close to a highway. Living near 94, or ideally 290 will make things a lot easier. Along 290 in the West Loop I'm not sure if you will get a 1bed for $1200. You might have better luck along 94.

[ksguy2011b]

They haven't picked out the exact location of our new office. The office is being moved from Rosemont (very close to airport) to somewhere in Elmhurst. I'm really hoping for less than 20min comute 730am morning and around 5pm in the evening.

Appreciate the help!

[linicx]

You are driving in the rush hour 6am to 9am. The ideal 20 minutes will take longer. Th population is about 44,000 and it is 16 miles from the Loop. If you want the amenities you should probably budget closer to $1400 for rent without utilities. You probably should get settled before you look for hot singles. Your fellow employees already know the answers to a lot of those types of questions. It would probably make more sense to live near where you work and go into the city on weekend with friends Chicago is over 2M population but the Chicago mMSA is 5 times larger. .

Elmhurst, IL - Official Website - About Elmhurst

[knitgirl]

I don't think any of the "hot" areas for young singles in the city would allow you a 20 minute commute. Oak Park is directly west of the Loop and it's one of the most urban suburbs so it might fit what you're looking for time-wise and it's on the greenline for trips to Chicago. Contrary to what some people on this board would have you believe, there are young professionals in the suburbs, so you could also look at Lombard or Downers Grove. You will have very different housing options in those suburbs, the buildings will be more modern that most of what you'll find in Oak Park or Chicago. You'll really have to decide what is more important for you: being close to work or living in a cool neighborhood.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by ksguy2011b

They haven't picked out the exact location of our new office. The office is being moved from Rosemont (very close to airport) to somewhere in Elmhurst. I'm really hoping for less than 20min comute 730am morning and around 5pm in the evening.

Appreciate the help!

20 minutes commute from Elmhurst...hot area for 20 somethings and single? Not going to happen, sorry. I mean, if you really wanted to keep that 20 minute deal in light traffic, then Oak Park would be your best bet, but even so that's 20 minutes in light traffic. Between about 7am and 830am between Chicago and Elmhurst isn't light traffic. There's traffic, and it's usually not jammed, but it's not free to go 85 mph.

IMO, if you're in your 20s and want to deal with what Chicago has to offer, then I would raise your commute time to probably 35-45 minutes and live in an area like Wicker Park which has tons of young professional types in it, a lot to do, and is in the city. You may find some apartments in the area for $1200/month for sure, although it wouldn't help to raise it up to maybe $1300.

Yeah sure, you might be commuting 30-45 minutes extra per day, but in the grand scheme of things...do you want to be stuck in suburbs-ville or be stuck in urban-ville? As knitgirl mentioned, yes there's young professionals in suburb-ville, but it's a completely different lifestyle. There's a reason why they come to the city on weekends and don't stay in their burbs for nightlife. A lot of them do live in the burbs because it's close to their jobs and they don't want to do the Chicago-suburb commute everyday. All about priorities though.

[oakparkdude]

Oak Park to Elmhurst is easily under 20 minutes in the morning, assuming you live close to the expressway. In the PM, it'll be longer, probably 30-40 minutes. Maybe add 20-30 minutes to/from Wicker Park. Any chance your office will be close to the commuter rail station?

[Chi-turtle]

Originally Posted by ksguy2011b

Hey all,

I am looking into re-locating to the Chicago area from Minneapolis. Don't know a thing about Chicago, but go big or go home right?

I'm looking for some advice on what area to live in. My office will be in the Elmhurst area and I would like a quick commute to work everyday (will be driving every day). I would like to be in a hot area for singles or young professionals. I'm really looking for a simple 1br apartment for under $1200 a month with convenient amenities, safe neighborhood etc...

Any help greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

B

I moved to Chicago from Minneapolis 6 years ago so I can probably help.

If you want a quick commute to Elmhurst you won't be able to live in a hot singles neighborhood. Most of those are closer to downtown (Lakeview, Bucktown, Wicker Park, Lincoln Park, Old Town, West Loop, South Loop). Lincoln Square is a nice area that's slightly closer to the north west but not by much. You'd still be staring at a 40-60 minute drive commute from there.

Otherwise, you could live on the northwest side, or in the burbs around Elmhurst as you won't be too far from the city. You want to avoid areas in on the west or south side.

My best advice would be to find out if your office is located anywhere near a metra train stop in Elmhurst. If so, you can live close to downtown and/or drive to a metra stop in the city and take the train out to work each day. It's fast, you don't have to drive it, it's reliable. The cost isn't super cheap but it beats driving in bumper to bumper traffic. Coming from Minnesota you are in for a shock as to how bad traffic is in this city.

Your price range is right in line for a nice 1 bedroom in any of those neighborhoods, but the occupancy rate in Chicago is extremely high right now (like 94%). So start looking for a place early and be ready to write a check to the landlord RIGHT THERE when you view the place because there will be 2 or 3 people on their way to look at the place right after you and one of them will take it. Know what you want, make sure the person showing you the place knows your requirements and price range, then be ready to make a decision on the spot.

Best of luck!!!

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Chi-turtle

I moved to Chicago from Minneapolis 6 years ago so I can probably help.

If you want a quick commute to Elmhurst you won't be able to live in a hot singles neighborhood. Most of those are closer to downtown (Lakeview, Bucktown, Wicker Park, Lincoln Park, Old Town, West Loop, South Loop). Lincoln Square is a nice area that's slightly closer to the north west but not by much. You'd still be staring at a 40-60 minute drive commute from there.

Otherwise, you could live on the northwest side, or in the burbs around Elmhurst as you won't be too far from the city. You want to avoid areas in on the west or south side.

My best advice would be to find out if your office is located anywhere near a metra train stop in Elmhurst. If so, you can live close to downtown and/or drive to a metra stop in the city and take the train out to work each day. It's fast, you don't have to drive it, it's reliable. The cost isn't super cheap but it beats driving in bumper to bumper traffic. Coming from Minnesota you are in for a shock as to how bad traffic is in this city.

Your price range is right in line for a nice 1 bedroom in any of those neighborhoods, but the occupancy rate in Chicago is extremely high right now (like 94%). So start looking for a place early and be ready to write a check to the landlord RIGHT THERE when you view the place because there will be 2 or 3 people on their way to look at the place right after you and one of them will take it. Know what you want, make sure the person showing you the place knows your requirements and price range, then be ready to make a decision on the spot.

Best of luck!!!

Totally agree that within 20 minutes and a "hot neighborhood" of Elmhurst isn't possible.

EDIT:
The problem with taking the metra to Elmhurst is while it's a 30-35 minute train ride from the Loop, what do you do if your work is not close to the metra station? How do you get to work then?

If it IS close to the metra station in Elmhurst, then I think it's a good idea to look into the metra possibility. but you also have to factor in your time to get from wherever you live (i.e. WP) to the Metra station itself. Sitting on the train is wayyyy better than sitting in traffic. You can do work on the train too if you really have to anyway.