Best Neighborhood with Space for Young Couple (Chicago, Naperville: apartments, lease) - Illinois (IL) - City-Data Forum

caribbeanintheChi · 03-17-2013, 11:16 PM

Hi Everyone,

I've been reading lots of posts on here and decided to ask my question. What is the best neighborhood for a mid-20s newly married couple with space and washer/dryer in apartments? We currently live downtown but want more space (at least 800 sq ft) to comfortably live together. We do want an area with some diversity as we don't want to feel like the only people who look like us in a neighborhood. We've looked at Oak Park based on many suggestions here, but what are some other good neighborhoods? We both work downtown, and want to limit our commute to 30 minutes or less by Metra or CTA, so that rules out Naperville in terms of distance. We also are trying to stay under $1600 if possible, which seemed to rule out a lot of apartments in Lincoln Park as well since the washer/dryer was non-negotiable. Do you have any suggestions? Also, is it better to move at the end of our lease (end of July) or now before the market heats up? Thanks and look forward to your comments.

Thanks

hindukid · 03-17-2013, 11:49 PM

Ukrainian Village will have what you need. You will have to look a bit for washer dryer but you should be able to get it for under 1600.

chet everett · 03-18-2013, 06:43 AM

There are a heckuva lot more options beside Naperville if your only criteria is 30 minute commute. Along the BNSF Berwyn and Brookfield and both affordable and pleasant with fast Metra train service and access to CTA. Those towns also walkable cores with dining and drinking establishments. Some of the newer buildings do have in-unit laundry.

Towns NW like DesPlaines ought to be considers too, as well as Niles, Morton Grove and Skokie. All very good values though not the booming nightlife of Chicago.

Quieter spots on the fringes of Chicago have some newer units too -- Edison Park, Jefferson Park are worth looking at.

marothisu · 03-18-2013, 05:14 PM

Look in the Lincoln Square or North Center areas. They are fairly diverse and also close to Albany Park, which is one of the most diverse areas of the entire country. Lincoln Square is around 30 minute commute on the Brown Line to the Loop and North Center is maybe 25 minutes. There is also a Metra line that runs through Ravenswood/Lincoln Square and has a stop.

With your budget, you could get a two bedroom place up there, but I'm not sure about the W/D in unit. Definitely look though. If you don't mind living at the end of the Brown Line, then there's something like this which looks really nice. You could get a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom for your budget with W/D

http://4730kimball.com/

The commute is more like 35 minutes to say Washington & Wells, although it could be more in the morning with commuters. A lot of ethnic restaurants up there on Lawrence and then Kedzie. Not ideal, but thought I'd show it.

Now What · 03-18-2013, 08:23 PM

If you want something with a washer/dryer and some good yard space, I would try Englewood. You may be able to land a fireplace if you are not in a hurry.

If a commute isn't the end of the world, I could suggest Gary, a town right across the Indiana border. Try for a view on the lake or the downtown area. You will not look the same as all of your neighbors there I don't think.

Happy hunting! : )

ToriaT · 03-18-2013, 08:27 PM

Roscoe Village, Lincoln Square, southport corridor, Old Irving park, Ukrainian village. Logan square. Noble square. There are many places to look.

caribbeanintheChi · 03-18-2013, 08:30 PM

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. We will go exploring in these neighborhoods this weekend. I especially didn't think of Des Plaines and Niles, so I was pleasantly surprised at the listings. Do any of you have any opinions on Elmhurst/Oakbrook Terrace? I saw some listings there as well that was interesting. Also, when is the best time to look for a July move?

caribbeanintheChi · 03-18-2013, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Now What

If you want something with a washer/dryer and some good yard space, I would try Englewood. You may be able to land a fireplace if you are not in a hurry.

If a commute isn't the end of the world, I could suggest Gary, a town right across the Indiana border. Try for a view on the lake or the downtown area. You will not look the same as all of your neighbors there I don't think.

Happy hunting! : )

Just out of curiosity, isn't Englewood the neighborhood that's always on the news with shootings in the Chicago area? I may be wrong, but we definitely want someplace where we can walk around in the day and in the night.

Thanks for the suggestion about Gary, but the commute may be a little too far

marothisu · 03-18-2013, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Now What

If you want something with a washer/dryer and some good yard space, I would try Englewood. You may be able to land a fireplace if you are not in a hurry.

If a commute isn't the end of the world, I could suggest Gary, a town right across the Indiana border. Try for a view on the lake or the downtown area. You will not look the same as all of your neighbors there I don't think.

Happy hunting! : )

This post cannot be serious. Englewood is a terrible neighborhood currently and Gary is MEH and too far away.

chet everett · 03-19-2013, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caribbeanintheChi

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. We will go exploring in these neighborhoods this weekend. I especially didn't think of Des Plaines and Niles, so I was pleasantly surprised at the listings. Do any of you have any opinions on Elmhurst/Oakbrook Terrace? I saw some listings there as well that was interesting. Also, when is the best time to look for a July move?

Elmhurst has had a pretty recent boom in apartment / condo construction so there are quite a few modern buildings that do have in-unit laundry. If they are also close to Elmhurst's well developed downtown core the Metra UP-W line has express service that will get you to the Loop in undue 30 minutes.

Oakbrook Terrace is just west if Elmhurst and it too has had some recent apartments / condo though it does not have direct access to Metra and sort of lacks any kind of cohesive core, that said it is super conveneient to suburb employment centers in Oak Brook and has good access to jobs in Downers Grove , Lombard and other towns along 88...

July can be a little tricky, as many movers like to avoid the heat and holidays. Many people prefer to move in May / June closer to the end of school year. If you do move in July you may encounter some landlords that are a little short on inventory and probably a few that are willing to hold prices until the real back to school panic hits in late August...