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Old 12-19-2012, 02:20 PM
 
Location: Chicago
38,707 posts, read 102,823,164 times
Reputation: 29967

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellax94 View Post
So how is Avondale then?
Avondale has sporadic gang violence here and there, particularly southwest of the expressway. I'd be more apt to stick to the OIP area if choosing between the two. But the Northwest side is probably not the best area to look from a commute perspective.

With LCB located near the Chicago Brown Line stop opens up your apartment search to pretty much any place along the Brown Line and any line that connects to it -- which is more or less all of them except for the Northwest branch of the Blue Line, which is the least convenient of your transit options. Consider looking in Edgewater, Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, Chinatown/Bridgeport, maybe even McKinley Park if cheap but boring is OK with you.


What is your rental budget? What is your utilities budget? Will your roommate also be attending LCB? If not do they have a commute destination? IF so, where?
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Old 12-19-2012, 02:36 PM
 
16 posts, read 27,158 times
Reputation: 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by Drover View Post
Avondale has sporadic gang violence here and there, particularly southwest of the expressway. I'd be more apt to stick to the OIP area if choosing between the two. But the Northwest side is probably not the best area to look from a commute perspective.

With LCB located near the Chicago Brown Line stop opens up your apartment search to pretty much any place along the Brown Line and any line that connects to it -- which is more or less all of them except for the Northwest branch of the Blue Line, which is the least convenient of your transit options. Consider looking in Edgewater, Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, Chinatown/Bridgeport, maybe even McKinley Park if cheap but boring is OK with you.


What is your rental budget? What is your utilities budget? Will your roommate also be attending LCB? If not do they have a commute destination? IF so, where?
I don't want to spend more than $500. I want to be somewhere safe and near a train
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Old 12-19-2012, 02:38 PM
 
14,800 posts, read 17,585,708 times
Reputation: 9246
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellax94 View Post
I don't want to spend more than $500. I want to be somewhere safe and near a train
So, $1000 for you and a roomate?
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Old 12-19-2012, 02:41 PM
 
2,918 posts, read 4,184,938 times
Reputation: 1527
nm

Last edited by ChiNaan; 12-19-2012 at 02:41 PM.. Reason: Vlajos beat me to it.
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Old 12-19-2012, 02:43 PM
 
Location: Chicago
38,707 posts, read 102,823,164 times
Reputation: 29967
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellax94 View Post
I don't want to spend more than $500. I want to be somewhere safe and near a train
$500 for a 2-bedroom? Or $500 each? I hope it's each because you'll struggle to find a 2-bedroom for $500/mo in the 'hood, much less in a decent neighborhood.
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Old 12-19-2012, 02:43 PM
 
2,423 posts, read 4,299,854 times
Reputation: 1479
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellax94 View Post
So how is Avondale then?
Avondale is actually a nice neighborhood depending where exactly you are. Pretty much East of the expressway and East of Kimball, Avondale is a nice and safe neighborhood which is actually not boring at all. Again not super exciting, but you have enough to do. There are plenty of bars and restaurants especially some famous ones. Some real good and nice spots in Avondale are Kuma's, Hot Doug's, Fat Rice, Square, Orbit Room, Yushu, Chief O'Neils etc. While not the most exciting neighborhood, it has enough for you and it does provide you access closeby to all the hip neighborhoods. Lakeview is about a 10-15 minute bus ride. Wicker Park and Bucktown are about a 10 minute train ride. Logan Square (depending where you are in Avondale) you can walk to it. Same with Roscoe Village. Lincoln Park is about a 15 minute cab ride. Via CTA it can take about 20-25 minutes.

Avondale is almost like two separate neighborhoods. The portion east of the expressway and east of Kimball, is safe, pretty, convenient and very close to the El and to the buses. Once you get west of Kimball and the neighborhood kind of drops off. Not necessarily extremely dangerous, but pretty sketchy and to be honest UGLY. Half of Avondale is pretty to ok looking and the other half is so gritty and ugly. If you move to Avondale I would certainly stick to east of Kimball.

If you are looking to live frugally I would recommend Avondale, but again the eastern portion. Specifically around Belmont and Kedzie. Within a 5 block radius of that intersection youhave buses, the El, three grocery stores, really good restaurants, real good bars, Best Buy, a good gym, Target, Home Depot, etc,. I lived near Belmont and Kedzie for a year and paid $620 a month for a real nice and updated studio. I would have stayed but the apartment was too small and I could afford more. I like having people over so I needed more space. If you don't mind living in a small place you can find really good deals in Avondale.
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Old 12-19-2012, 02:45 PM
 
2,423 posts, read 4,299,854 times
Reputation: 1479
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellax94 View Post
I don't want to spend more than $500. I want to be somewhere safe and near a train
It's a rarity to find a studio or something that is $500. The only way I could see you paying $500 on your end is with a roommate where you share a two bedroom and each pay that. Chicago is not really too expensive but it's not THAT cheap either.
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Old 12-19-2012, 02:50 PM
 
16 posts, read 27,158 times
Reputation: 11
There is no way I could find a place for $500. $1000 for a 2bed but including utilities.
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Old 12-19-2012, 02:51 PM
 
16 posts, read 27,158 times
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Seriously I said I had a roommate
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Old 12-19-2012, 02:53 PM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
46,001 posts, read 35,032,197 times
Reputation: 7875
Quote:
Originally Posted by snoylekim View Post
Hey , my former college-posse fifty-somethings that live in OI with their wives, kids, and Bernese Mountain Dogs all think it's a hoot !!! ... Seriously , nice area , and we can't make the assumption that all college students prefer living in a party town-SpringBreakEveryNight-Animal House environment, can we ??
That will be why I look for a place to buy in that neighborhood when the time comes.
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