New to Chicago, need advice on housing situation (Naperville, Hoffman Estates: 2013, lease)

[int3rnetfamous]

So heres my situation...

I am a 22 year old single male. I recently graduated college out of state, and received a job offer in the suburbs in May. From the time I got the job offer, from the day they wanted me to start was exactly 2 weeks. By time I actually accepted the offer, it was 1.5 weeks. I really did not have a lot of time to find a place, and ended up living in the suburbs.

Now...1.5 months in, I already HATE it. I feel like there isn't anything to do around people my age and it makes it hard to meet people in the area. However, I do like the 15 minute commute to work each day with no traffic. I pay $1150 a month in rent with about $75 in utilities a month living by myself.

I get if I live in the city, the commute is something I will have to deal with. I am already thinking about moving closer to the city once my lease here ends. Do you think it is realistic to commute to the suburbs every day for work, specifically Hoffman Estates? I know people at work that take public transit, but I already own a car, and I would almost rather sit in traffic in the comfort of my own car than take public transit.

Also, a few additional questions. How much could I expect to pay for something closer to the city. I was thinking of living somewhere closed to 90/94, so areas such as Logan Square, Bucktown, Lake View, Lincoln Park, and Albany Park. I know if I ended up taking the public transit, I would have to be near the Blue Line. I would be open to living by myself somewhere closer to the city or getting a roommate. I also feel like I am missing out on opportunities to meet people and make potential roommates, Do most people just look for them on the internet and go random just like they did in college? Or is it feasible to live on your own, but still live closer to the city? I know a small handful of people from school that are back at home in the bribes, but I feel like this is Chicago and theres so much of an opportunity to make friends.

I would really appreciate any help, the suburbs are starting to suck the soul out of me and its only been roughly two months. Long term I want to get a job downtown, but the job I have now pays well and is great to gain experience for a first full time job, I just don't know how to make it all work yet.

[usamathman]

If you are willing to spend 60 - 90 minutes in traffic to and from work each day then I say go for it.

There is no replacement for living in the city.

Especially as a 22 year old.

You shouldn't have a problem at all finding a nice studio in any of those neighborhoods at your current $1150 month price range.

I have rented through BJB properties and they have units in some of the neighborhoods you mentioned.

Life is short man. You need to be around other people your age. Get the hell out of the suburbs.

[Slats Grobnick]

I'd try to find a place in Logan Square, its the closest to Hoffman Estates and is the new hot spot for young people. Lincoln Park is nice but it has become more family and middle aged oriented. Albany Park is probably equally as close as Logan Square but it also has more families than Logan Square. Traffic on the 90/94 sucks, so it might be worth it to take Milwaukee ave for some of your commute. Depending on what time you start.

You shouldn't have a hard time find a spot in Logan Square in your price range.

[fusillirob1983]

Agree with all responses. I can't find much to be appealing to a 22 year old who lives 15 minutes from Hoffman Estates and isn't from the area. I'd suggest Logan Square for highway access. Or live near Lawrence and Western in Lincoln Square and take Lawrence to the Kennedy.

[beaniemac]

Originally Posted by int3rnetfamous

So heres my situation...

I am a 22 year old single male. I recently graduated college out of state, and received a job offer in the suburbs in May. From the time I got the job offer, from the day they wanted me to start was exactly 2 weeks. By time I actually accepted the offer, it was 1.5 weeks. I really did not have a lot of time to find a place, and ended up living in the suburbs.

Now...1.5 months in, I already HATE it. I feel like there isn't anything to do around people my age and it makes it hard to meet people in the area. However, I do like the 15 minute commute to work each day with no traffic. I pay $1150 a month in rent with about $75 in utilities a month living by myself.

I get if I live in the city, the commute is something I will have to deal with. I am already thinking about moving closer to the city once my lease here ends. Do you think it is realistic to commute to the suburbs every day for work, specifically Hoffman Estates? I know people at work that take public transit, but I already own a car, and I would almost rather sit in traffic in the comfort of my own car than take public transit.

Also, a few additional questions. How much could I expect to pay for something closer to the city. I was thinking of living somewhere closed to 90/94, so areas such as Logan Square, Bucktown, Lake View, Lincoln Park, and Albany Park. I know if I ended up taking the public transit, I would have to be near the Blue Line. I would be open to living by myself somewhere closer to the city or getting a roommate. I also feel like I am missing out on opportunities to meet people and make potential roommates, Do most people just look for them on the internet and go random just like they did in college? Or is it feasible to live on your own, but still live closer to the city? I know a small handful of people from school that are back at home in the bribes, but I feel like this is Chicago and theres so much of an opportunity to make friends.

I would really appreciate any help, the suburbs are starting to suck the soul out of me and its only been roughly two months. Long term I want to get a job downtown, but the job I have now pays well and is great to gain experience for a first full time job, I just don't know how to make it all work yet.

these far out suburban job is why a lot of suburbans companies are having trouble recruiting young talent. and also why a lot of them are relocating to downtown and to the west loop. because folks in your age range simply do NOT want to live in those areas. this wouldn't be a problem if the commute was simple, but like others have said, a 60+ minute commute each way in ridiculous traffic on the kennedy is not appealing at all.

[beaniemac]

Originally Posted by fusillirob1983

Agree with all responses. I can't find much to be appealing to a 22 year old who lives 15 minutes from Hoffman Estates and isn't from the area. I'd suggest Logan Square for highway access. Or live near Lawrence and Western in Lincoln Square and take Lawrence to the Kennedy.

he could try jefferson park. that'd put him way on the northwest side of the city, but right by the kennedy as well. kind of a mid point between the suburbs and the areas he's going to want to frequent when not at work.

[fusillirob1983]

Originally Posted by beaniemac

he could try jefferson park. that'd put him way on the northwest side of the city, but right by the kennedy as well. kind of a mid point between the suburbs and the areas he's going to want to frequent when not at work.

That may work, but I'd suggest that more for like a 30 year old who's comfortable enough with their social circle to move 20-30 minutes away from the more popular areas. At 22, he likely still won't encounter many people his age in Jefferson Park and will still be traveling a ways to get where the younger crowd is. It sounds like a happy medium on paper, but as someone who spent ages 24-32 in Lakeview I'd advise against it. If he goes somewhere off the Blue Line it may be an easy commute home on a Saturday night. If he goes to Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Old Town, River North, etc. he can Uber to the Blue Line (or just Uber home, still not very expensive), but at that age, it was nice walking home (with roommates at least) or a short cab ride on my own.

If you join sports leagues through Chicago Sport and Social or Players Sports Group, a lot of leagues tend to be in neighborhoods from downtown up through the North Side, often not much further west than Logan Square. It's nice to be able to go to a game, socialize with your team at a bar afterward and then either walk home or walk to public transit to get home.

I've been in the western burbs less than a year, and although it was nice to finally buy property for a longer term plan, my wife and I would have preferred to be in an inner ring suburb in retrospect even though my wife works from home most days, and I take an express train to downtown. Most of our friends are still there, so we often drive back and forth on weekends. I will agree with you as someone who grew up in the Chicago suburbs, they are not that exciting, even with the Naperville area having more to offer than Hoffman Estates.

Also, just as a reference, I often had to travel on the Kennedy for work from Lakeview.

2008-2009: worked onsite in Itasca for 2 months
2009-2010: worked at an office in Rolling Meadows 1.5 years, with site visits in Woodstock, Gurnee, Mundelein, and other northern burbs north or west of O'Hare.
2011-2013: worked onsite in Buffalo Grove, Wheeling, Lisle and Oak Brook for ~4 months a year (sometimes the Kennedy to 294 was the fastest way to Oak Brook or Lisle).
2013-Present: work in Loop - N/A

FWIW these jobs had out of town travel as well and the 2008-2009 and 2011-2013 jobs had main offices in the Loop, so selecting where to live based on work didn't make sense. I don't regret the commutes at all though, partly due to some later hours anyway and a stop at the gym right off the highway on the way home.

To the OP, maybe it's too early into your role to do this, but if you move to the city, look into whether you can adjust your hours slightly to come in earlier/leave earlier or come in later/leave later, or find a gym near work and drive out early to go to it, or stop on the way home to kill a little time.

PM me if you'd like to know the non-highway or partially non-highway routes I'd take home to avoid the Toll Plaza just west of Cumberland. Google Maps might help you with that a little now. It would save a little time, but I felt like I was always moving and rarely felt stuck.

[lepoisson]

Originally Posted by usamathman

If you are willing to spend 60 - 90 minutes in traffic to and from work each day then I say go for it.

Isn't city -> suburbs a reverse commute? Shouldn't traffic theoretically be lower than suburbs -> city?

[fusillirob1983]

Originally Posted by lepoisson

Isn't city -> suburbs a reverse commute? Shouldn't traffic theoretically be lower than suburbs -> city?

The only commute I've seen move decently the whole way out of the city in the morning is the Dan Ryan.

When I would take the Stevenson about 8 or 9 years ago outbound for a couple months, it moved pretty good until Pulaski, then slower from Pulaski to Harlem, then fast after that.

Eisenhower, Kennedy and Edens don't really have reverse commutes.

[Slats Grobnick]

Originally Posted by lepoisson

Isn't city -> suburbs a reverse commute? Shouldn't traffic theoretically be lower than suburbs -> city?

Reverse commute is better but the 90 sucks, still, I don't see how Hoffman Estates to Logan Square would be 90 minutes. 50 - 60 minutes seems to be the norm from my experience, even during high traffic. It's only 20 miles away, you'd have to be traveling 15 miles an hour for it to take 90 minutes.