Ravenswood/Lincoln Square for first time buyers (Chicago: rent, condos)

[hawkeye918]

Hello!

My boyfriend and I are looking to purchase our first home in Chicago and are specifically looking in the Ravenswood/Lincoln Square area. We'd like a two bedroom and our budget is $225-250k. We're both mid twenties and are looking for a safe/quiet area that still offers city ammentities. Nothing crazy but we're looking for access to bars, restaurants, etc. We rent in the southport area of Lakeview now and love It but can't afford to buy there.

We both work downtown, I'm near millennium park and he's by ogilvey station. So were also looking for streets that'll make getting to work easy.

We'd appreciate any opinions of where to look in this area or any streets we should avoid.

Thanks!

[ToriaT]

No way are you going to find a house in this area for your price. Maybe a condo. You would be hard pressed to find a house in any desirable neighborhood in Chicago at that price point. Maybe a suburb. Why don't you download the Redfin app on your phone and look for yourself. You will get a feel for what prices are in various neighborhoods it will save you a lot of trouble and you won't get your hopes up for something unattainable.

[hawkeye918]

Sorry for the confusion we are looking for a condo!

[adele115]

Originally Posted by hawkeye918

Hello!

My boyfriend and I are looking to purchase our first home in Chicago and are specifically looking in the Ravenswood/Lincoln Square area. We'd like a two bedroom and our budget is $225-250k. We're both mid twenties and are looking for a safe/quiet area that still offers city ammentities. Nothing crazy but we're looking for access to bars, restaurants, etc. We rent in the southport area of Lakeview now and love It but can't afford to buy there.

We both work downtown, I'm near millennium park and he's by ogilvey station. So were also looking for streets that'll make getting to work easy.

We'd appreciate any opinions of where to look in this area or any streets we should avoid.

Thanks!

These are two of the best northside neighborhoods IMO. You may want to locate within walking distance to the Metra in Ravenswood which will get you down to Ogilvie pretty quickly. The brown line takes 45-50 minutes to get downtown from Lincoln Square (Western).

[MannheimMadman]

Originally Posted by hawkeye918

Sorry for the confusion we are looking for a condo!

Totally able to be done. I just looked at the MLS and saw 28 2BR condo units between $0 and $250K.

There really isn't much to avoid in Ravenswood or Lincoln Square. The only area of Lincoln Square that's truly shabby is between Lawrence and Foster N/S and the river to Rockwell E/W.

Other than that, it's really great.

[beaniemac]

Originally Posted by ToriaT

No way are you going to find a house in this area for your price. Maybe a condo. You would be hard pressed to find a house in any desirable neighborhood in Chicago at that price point. Maybe a suburb. Why don't you download the Redfin app on your phone and look for yourself. You will get a feel for what prices are in various neighborhoods it will save you a lot of trouble and you won't get your hopes up for something unattainable.

also, there aren't a lot of 2 BR homes in chicago. most are 3 or more.

[knitgirl]

Originally Posted by beaniemac

also, there aren't a lot of 2 BR homes in chicago. most are 3 or more.

They are looking for a condo.

[ToriaT]

many bungalows are two bedrooms.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by ToriaT

many bungalows are two bedrooms.

Many were built as two bedrooms with unfinished or partially finished basements, but usable upstairs. Since their construction, many have had finished basements and/or the conversion of the upstairs to 1 or 2 additional bedrooms. So, functionally, even most available bungalows are usually 3+ bedrooms even if that's not technically how they were constructed.

[glass_of_merlot]

Isn't the problem with condos in Chicago their huge association fees?