A couple questions about Chicago before possibly moving there? (Irving: for rent, health insurance)

[neinei876]

Thanks for the info on the schools... I'll check the CPS website to see if they do have a boundary map like before.

Marothisu, that's probably what I'll have to start off with for now as well.

Oakparkdude, I have about $10-11k. I've been advised though that because I have a child, I should save a lot more. I think that if after a month of not finding a job in the category I am currently working in or would like to get into, I'll take any job just to make ends meet. I guess that's what you'd have to do living anywhere.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by neinei876

Thanks for the info on the schools... I'll check the CPS website to see if they do have a boundary map like before.

Marothisu, that's probably what I'll have to start off with for now as well.

Oakparkdude, I have about $10-11k. I've been advised though that because I have a child, I should save a lot more. I think that if after a month of not finding a job in the category I am currently working in or would like to get into, I'll take any job just to make ends meet. I guess that's what you'd have to do living anywhere.

You can use this to plug in an address and get the school boundaries.

Pages*- SchoolLocator

[Aleking]

The suburbs are the right answer this time...there are some good schools in the city but not for someone on this tight of a budget.

[neinei876]

Thanks Vlajos! That's perfect

Aleking, I guess if it's easy access to the city, then I'd be open to it. Better schools are better for my daughter. I really perferred the close proximity of things that the city has to offer but I can work that out if rent, schools, and transit is good.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by neinei876

Thanks Vlajos! That's perfect

Aleking, I guess if it's easy access to the city, then I'd be open to it. Better schools are better for my daughter. I really perferred the close proximity of things that the city has to offer but I can work that out if rent, schools, and transit is good.

Are you planning on having a car?

[neinei876]

Oakparkdude, no, not planning to have a car at all.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by neinei876

Oakparkdude, no, not planning to have a car at all.

Without a car your suburban choices are very very very limited.

[Aleking]

People here tend to underestimate realistic rents (lots of I knew someone who found a great deal anecdotes) and herd people into neighborhoods that really aren't a good fit. With a 1k cap, your options in neighbhorhoods with remotely decent schools will be sub 800 sqft dumps, garden units, and in the case of Lincoln Park sub 700 sqft closets. Sharing a studio with a 5 year old sounds pretty awful.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Aleking

People here tend to underestimate realistic rents (lots of I knew someone who found a great deal anecdotes) and herd people into neighborhoods that really aren't a good fit. With a 1k cap, your options in neighbhorhoods with remotely decent schools will be sub 800 sqft dumps, garden units, and in the case of Lincoln Park sub 700 sqft closets. Sharing a studio with a 5 year old sounds pretty awful.

You will not want to do a studio with a child. Lincoln Park won't work, but other parts of town WHEN they become available can be good. I wish this one place from last week in Ravenswood was still available. Your posts always tend to overestimate the rent in that part of town. Really, it's not that bad.

I wouldn't call this place a dump. it's not luxury but it's not a dump:
Chicago Apartments | 2206 W FOSTER AVE | Domu Chicago

I have seen many places in real life in the areas, and the rent is still relatively not bad. The problem is that the area is also hot so there's not a ton of listings out there always. I have seen dumps in the area, and it's called $1000/month for a 2 bedroom. $1000/month for a 1 bedroom is very doable in Ravenswood IMO

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by neinei876

Oakparkdude, no, not planning to have a car at all.

That's what I thought. Living without a car, even with a young child, is definitely possible in Chicago. To make it easier, you'll want to be walking distance to a grocery store, your school, and an el/subway station.

As an aside, you're probably not familiar with the development patterns in Chicago, but there are a handful of suburbs with good transit and good walkable neighborhoods that have the "look and feel" of city neighborhoods. Oak Park and Evanston are the obvious ones that come to mind, but depending on your threshold for "urban-ness" some other might qualify. You may find cheaper housing and better schools compared to Chicago, then again you may not. Still, its something to be aware of and look into.