My next city .. help!

[marothisu]

That is..insane. Nice car too. For wheel tax, city sticker, and plates, you'll pay like a max of $400/year in Chicago, but on average more like $275 I believe for all of it. Maybe throw in a little bit in case you get a parking ticket or something. The high rises will charge you another $175-$300/month for private parking in a parking garage. There's also street parking that's a ***** to find in some areas, but is like a max of maybe $25 or $50/year and is free in other places. Alley access parking for smaller buildings in the back might be $100/month.

So if you got rid of your car, it sounds like you'd be saving at least $7000/year here if you didn't take out a loan on that car. That's a few nice international vacations per year if you ask me.. Even if you brought your car here and parked it in a high rise, you'd probably be saving at least $1400/year by not having to pay that tax you pay in VA

[EJ0912]

Originally Posted by marothisu

That is..insane. Nice car too. For wheel tax, city sticker, and plates, you'll pay like a max of $400/year in Chicago, but on average more like $275 I believe for all of it. Maybe throw in a little bit in case you get a parking ticket or something. The high rises will charge you another $175-$300/month for private parking in a parking garage. There's also street parking that's a ***** to find in some areas, but is like a max of maybe $25 or $50/year and is free in other places. Alley access parking for smaller buildings in the back might be $100/month.

So if you got rid of your car, it sounds like you'd be saving at least $7000/year here if you didn't take out a loan on that car. That's a few nice international vacations per year if you ask me.. Even if you brought your car here and parked it in a high rise, you'd probably be saving at least $1400/year by not having to pay that tax you pay in VA

I am most definitely selling the car if I move to Chicago, no questions asked. I will be searching for a place based on not having a car lol.. so your brown line-red line information has been noted. After the savings from ditching the car.. I believe my rental budget can actually expand. Maybe I can up it to 1400 and get a nice highrise by the lake with a nice view .. or something close to. I know many people who don't really care about little bells and whistles of their home - I do. I feel like at the end of a hectic work day, I want to come home and love where I live.

[marothisu]

The one high rise I showed you was $1450, so for the Lakeview area, I'd increase it to a max of $1500 for that area (of course you'll find private condos for rent for more, but they're bordering on luxury-ish usually). If you want to live further away in Edgewater, then you could find it for less than that.

You'll still be saving money versus DC even tho your rent wouldn't be too different for a $1500/month apartment - you'd be saving like $575/month by not having the car (well maybe like $475/month if you take cabs a handful of times/month or zip car a few times). The unlimited monthly pass for the CTA is $100/month.

[EJ0912]

Another concern .. I am 30 years old and know no one in Chicago. When I was younger, it was much easier to make friends in new places. Now that I am no longer in school, I suppose the work place is where I will meet new friends, but suppose I work with a bunch of people that aren't my type, or are much older/younger.. lol. I am an over thinker, I know. Was just thinking about that though.. and how depressing to be in a city I know nothing about and know no one!

Btw.. is Zillow the best option when shopping around for options?

[Freefall18]

Originally Posted by EJ0912

Thank you for incredibly helpful and detailed reply. In these areas you mentioned, what type of commute am I looking at to work/back home via car and/or public trans?

Ideally the more I look, the more I think I'd like to be near the water. Not sure how expensive those areas might be or the proximity to work/public trans. I hate to limit myself to be close to work, but being new to a city that I've only been to once - I'm thinking it may be a good starting point lol.

The areas I'd look at would be Lakeview East and the eastern part of Lincoln Park (which is where most of the housing is anyway). I have an oversized studio in an older building in Lincoln Park near the lake/park for $1k/mo. The public transportation to where you work is good, and it's not very far. $1200/mo for a 1 bedroom is definitely doable, but much of the housing stock is older. For a more modern high-rise, you might have to kick up your budget just a bit. You definitely don't need a car in these areas.

Btw.. is Zillow the best option when shopping around for options?

No, try Padmapper.com and Domu.com.

Edit: I saw you mentioned Edgewater. Edgewater is nice and diverse but you'll be somewhat further from the Loop, and the commute may get old. I would avoid Uptown until you know the area better, which is the area between Lakeview and Edgewater. Some areas of Uptown are nice, but others can get sketchy.

[EJ0912]

Originally Posted by Freefall18

The areas I'd look at would be Lakeview East and the eastern part of Lincoln Park (which is where most of the housing is anyway). I have an oversized studio in an older building in Lincoln Park near the lake/park for $1k/mo. The public transportation to where you work is good, and it's not very far. $1200/mo for a 1 bedroom is definitely doable, but much of the housing stock is older. For a more modern high-rise, you might have to kick up your budget just a bit. You definitely don't need a car in these areas.


No, try Padmapper.com and Domu.com.

Edit: I saw you mentioned Edgewater. Edgewater is nice and diverse but you'll be somewhat further from the Loop, and the commute may get old. I would avoid Uptown until you know the area better, which is the area between Lakeview and Edgewater. Some areas of Uptown are nice, but others can get sketchy.

Thank you for this - I had not heard anything about Lincoln Park, but I will definitely take a look. I'm going to up my budget since I know I would be losing the car, that should get me into a place I'm happy with.. I hope.

Will try Padmapper.com and Domu.com as well .. how come you don't recommend Zillow?