Chicago, America's best city for the price? (Lincoln, Phoenix: how much, hotels)

[Heyooooo]

Originally Posted by PA Born

It isn't, though. Chicago is VERY different from NYC. I have lived in both cities, and they are nothing alike. Really the only similarities are that they're big American cities with lots of big buildings. The local culture, architecture, streetscape, urban feel, etc. is totally different.

I think the closest possible city to NYC within the U.S. would be Philly. Boston sorta has some similarities. But Chicago, no way.

That's why I find the "but I can get a condo in Lincoln Park for half the cost of the Upper West Side; what a deal" comments to be silly. Lincoln Park isn't the Upper West Side.

Someone from St. Louis could say the same thing; "gee I bought a condo in the Central West End for much less than Lakeview in Chicago; Chicago was such a ripoff". No, actually, they're different cities, and have different price points for a reason.

I lived in NYC and I find Chicago and NYC to be similar in ways. Theyre both obviously their own cities but im not sure what you mean here as far as architecture or urban feel, etc.


If the two cities were plates of food, Chicago would be the plate with the right balance and NYC would be the one piled with food falling off the edges.

[Heyooooo]

Originally Posted by TBideon

New York is a cosmopolitan city; Chicago is fundamentally blue collar. Plus Chicago is more a city compiled of mini cities/neighborhoods. New York doesn't quite have that neighborhood dynamic.

Both are great places but the cultural similarities of east coast vs midwest are prerty noticeable if you spend enough time in these regions. Worlds apart.

The people are friendlier and more outgoing and laid back in Chicago for sure, thats really the only difference.

The city makeup isnt that different though, race/diversity wise. Both cosmopolitan, with obvious size differences.

[Heyooooo]

Originally Posted by marothisu

This is a great point and something a lot of people miss. The great lakes really are beautiful and what you say is true.

This is kind of one thing growing up in Minnesota I took for granted. So when people are saying there's no mountains, nothing beautiful in the midwest, etc...it's kind of like "do you even know what the **** you're talking about in the slightest bit?" Perhaps Elgin, Illinois is not terribly beautiful, but there are some really, really beautiful areas of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan.

This is from the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota, which is larger than the entire state of Rhode Island:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_5Zb6nnZ4zM...s-77098-sw.jpg

https://alpineshop.webconnex.com/upl..._10%281%29.jpg

http://www.bigfalls.govoffice.com/ve...6637E16%7D.JPG

http://www.greenbeangardens.com/wp-c...ry-Waters1.jpg


Mountains are awesome, but you don't *need* them to have beautiful outdoors.

This is exactly what im referring to when I talk about scenery around Chicago.

Im from Upstate NY which is more like New England scenery wise, and yes, the Northeast is more hills and more trees IMO, but there are definitely areas you can find that in the Midwest.

Its just flat out ignorance to suggest otherwise.

[Heyooooo]

Originally Posted by TBideon

That could be another forum discussion in itself - in fact, the definition of cosmopolitan is probably a little inconsistent - but I just get the impression that most of the Chicago residents haven't really traveled all over the world but rather have a blue collar way of life. Other than the Mag Mile and parts of River North, West Loop, and Gold Coast, there really isn't an Upper East or West Side, no Tribeca, no Soho. Places where you really can't get away with wearing anything non designer. Places where people, or at least a large percentage, have a more refined taste and understanding of fine foods, wine and clothing. We have that...just at a smaller proportion.

Or maybe I'm wrong. It's just an impression.

Most people I know in Chicago have traveled intl.

I honestly have NO idea where this crazy religious, boring culture and flat land Midwest or Chicago **** that people talk about comes from. Its literally amazing to me.

[Heyooooo]

Originally Posted by grapico

Well, other people don't feel the same, trust me as somebody who has lived in CA AND FL AND CHICAGO.
This is b.s. CA + FL beaches or really any east coast beaches kill lake michigan beaches.

My brother lives in Honolulu. Hawaii beaches destroy FL and CA.

Ive spent time in all of them including the Great Lakes. FL and CA are overrated, but FL less so than CA.

[14thandYou]

Thanks for your thoughts on that--clearly as a Chicago resident you have a better read on this than I do.

I can comment about DC's CoL, though. Here, it's a very simple case of supply outpacing demand by a fairly considerable margin. As DC's economic fortunes have risen, the city itself has seen something of a rebirth, with many people clamoring to live in central neighborhoods around downtown, and not nearly enough housing stock exists to meet the supply.

Don't get me wrong, I love living here and I do think it's one of the best cities in the country in which to live. But I also think the city's real estate values have been inflated over much of the past deade or so, and at some point is due for a "correction." But we shall see.

What I can tell you is, I definitely get a bit envious when I see the kind of home/neighborhood my dollar could buy me in Chicago versus here. You've all got it pretty good there on the shores of Lake Michigan.

[Link N. Parker]

Originally Posted by 14thandYou

Thanks for your thoughts on that--clearly as a Chicago resident you have a better read on this than I do.

I can comment about DC's CoL, though. Here, it's a very simple case of supply outpacing demand by a fairly considerable margin. As DC's economic fortunes have risen, the city itself has seen something of a rebirth, with many people clamoring to live in central neighborhoods around downtown, and not nearly enough housing stock exists to meet the supply.

Don't get me wrong, I love living here and I do think it's one of the best cities in the country in which to live. But I also think the city's real estate values have been inflated over much of the past deade or so, and at some point is due for a "correction." But we shall see.

What I can tell you is, I definitely get a bit envious when I see the kind of home/neighborhood my dollar could buy me in Chicago versus here. You've all got it pretty good there on the shores of Lake Michigan.

That is very true, but that is why I like Montreal, over Chicago...almost identical cities, but in Montreal, I can get a brand new condo in a neighborhood that looks identical to Wicker Park, for about $40,000 less than what I would get in Wicker park. Identical neighborhoods, identical units, loft style, etc, but cheaper, with driving access to NYC and for the same amount of tax rates, throw in canadian health insurance. Woops, maybe I shouldnt be posting this here, I dont want any competition for that unit I have my eye on there...

[marothisu]

So my girlfriend's friends are in town from Manhattan/Brooklyn. My girlfriend asked them how they liked Chicago and they really like it. The thing is, both of them said "parts of it really remind me of NYC." There were a few times in River North area where I caught them saying to one another "I feel like I'm in midtown right now" or "this reminds me a lot of Manhattan." Another time at Millennium Park one said "God this is like NYC with less people." One of them was born and grew up her entire life in NYC and hasn't lived anywhere else.

Pretty interesting. Obviously not MOST of Chicago is like NYC, but they seemed to think on their first visits here that there were parts where they actually thought they were in NYC when they were zoning out.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by 14thandYou

Thanks for your thoughts on that--clearly as a Chicago resident you have a better read on this than I do.

I can comment about DC's CoL, though. Here, it's a very simple case of supply outpacing demand by a fairly considerable margin. As DC's economic fortunes have risen, the city itself has seen something of a rebirth, with many people clamoring to live in central neighborhoods around downtown, and not nearly enough housing stock exists to meet the supply.

Don't get me wrong, I love living here and I do think it's one of the best cities in the country in which to live. But I also think the city's real estate values have been inflated over much of the past deade or so, and at some point is due for a "correction." But we shall see.

What I can tell you is, I definitely get a bit envious when I see the kind of home/neighborhood my dollar could buy me in Chicago versus here. You've all got it pretty good there on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Personally, I love DC. One of my best friends and his wife live there, although they've since bought a condo in old town Alexandria (love that place too). I think it is a great place, but at the same time it doesn't have everything I am looking for. To me, it is a great place to visit for sure, and if I had to live there, I wouldn't be upset about it, but having lived in Chicago too and having been to DC a lot, I will pick Chicago over it, but that doesn't mean DC isn't amazing.

You can definitely spend a TON of money here on a place, but yeah there are places in nice areas like Irving Park/Old Irving Park, Beverly, Jefferson Park, etc which are really, really good communities and the house prices are still really good. There's even some houses in areas like Wicker Park, Bucktown, or Logan Square that are really nice and not horribly expensive (not cheap but not bad). If you go the condo route, then it's even cheaper. Some REALLY good deals out there.

[14thandYou]

Originally Posted by marothisu

You can definitely spend a TON of money here on a place, but yeah there are places in nice areas like Irving Park/Old Irving Park, Beverly, Jefferson Park, etc which are really, really good communities and the house prices are still really good.

Those are the kinds of neighborhoods that are missing in DC--at least within the city proper. Solid, affordable middle class neighborhoods with good housing, schools amenities, etc. Here, many neighborhoods are either tremendously expensive, or in impoverished, amenity-starved areas that many find undesirable. There doesn't seem to be a lot in between. Of course, Chicago is much larger than DC, both in population and land area, so neighborhoods like Jefferson Park that fall within Chicago's city limits are in the suburbs in DC. And there are many excellent suburbs in the DC area (such as Old Town, as you mentioned), but the connectedness to the city can vary significantly.

Anyway, yes, both are great cities and excellent places to live--DC certainly isn't a place I'm clamoring to leave. But I do wish that the city, like Chicago, had more reasonably priced and affordable neighborhoods from which to choose.