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Glad I've found this forum, have been struggling to find somewhere to post and ask for advice !
I'm in my mid 20s, moving from the UK to start a new job in Chicago in a few weeks time. I've been searching craigslist, domu, zillow etc for a studio or 1 bedroom apartment in a high-rise, and there's just too much choice... I'll be working from home with a requirement to travel to customer sites across the country when necessary. I've been lucky enough to visit Chicago for a few days and I really like the area around Lincoln Park.
It would be nice if it were furnished, but it seems like this isn't really common (atleast from what I've found). My difficulty has been that I've no particular preference in neighbourhoods, I'd like somewhere with good public transport access (as I'll have no car), in-building gym and lively surroundings for young professionals (bars, restaurants etc, I guess!). My budget is around $1500-1750.
From my research, there are a lot of high-rise buildings in Chicago (not really a thing in the UK at all). It's been slightly overwhelming and they all seem to have plenty of negative reviews about x and y... is there a well-known and decent high-rise that would be a safe bet? Otherwise, has anyone lived in any high-rise apartments that seem to meet my specs and have been okay?
I guess to summarise:
- Budget $1500-1800
- Young professionals area / lively
- well-known/safe bet high rise apartment
- No pets (no dogs specifically I guess, although I think they're awesome I'm a super light sleeper)
- Good amenities (mostly just gym)
- Good public transport access
Thanks, hope I've provided enough info... also if anyone knows a good place to play football (or soccer) in Chicago, let me know !
I would not recommend using "furnished" as an factor in your search. At your price point you should be able to get a bed, dresser, desk and basic kitchen gear for the equivalent of less than two months rent, landlords that rent out nicer places to professionals generally don't bother with furnishings unless they are targeting the "temporary corporate housing" segment which is far pricier. In your price range you would likely find furnished places that are very "down market" and sort of targeting transients / those in troubled situations...
If you are primarily working from home Lincoln Park is an excellent choice -- it has a very lively mix of shops and such that contribute to much more daytime activity than other areas. While some folks say that the nightlife does tend to run toward folks who are more affluent and bit older than their 20s the fact is there are LOTS of options AND access from Lincoln Park to other younger / edgier areas is easy. Some of those younger areas are kind of pain to deal with when you simply want to get home after a trip from O'Hare as the various nightspots attract large amounts of traffic.
High rises in the greater Lincoln Park area tend to be on the pricey side, especially those that have nice views of the park itself, Lake Michigan or the Loop skyline. That said subletting a condo in an older building, especially on a lower floor, will get all the amenities of high rise living in a price range that won't bust your budget. If the building itself does not have a workout rook there are many well priced gyms that are a walkable distance in Lincoln Park. The construction of pretty much any highrise is such that noise from dogs won't be issue if the building does allow pet ownership -- that has much to do with the strict building codes that Chicago has historically imposed due to fires in prior eras.
Essentially all of Lincoln Park is extremely well served by transit -- the Sedgwick stop on the Brown/ Purple line is on the south end of the neighborhood, north of that is Armitage, farther north is Fullerton which also connects to the Red line, which is a 24hr route. Bus service in Lincoln Park is also an excellent option, with generally safe and easily tracked service with smart phone apps.
I tend to take all online reviews with a huge does of skepticism -- I've been a landlord and know the majority of tenants are reasonable people that try to get along. The tiny minority of people that hold grudges against the management of rentals go out of their way to make the place sound like a disaster...
I'd also recommend that if you can stay in something like an AirBnB for a few weeks you will have lots more time to literally walk around and find places that are "advertised" only on small hand written signs or through word of mouth -- asking local bartenders, wait staff, and business owners for leads is a great way to find places that are not having huge chunks of rent go toward the commissions. Many such places are very nice units in smaller buildings, often where the rest of the building is occupied by the owner. Worth considering.
Location: Pittsburgh (via Chicago, via Pittsburgh)
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I like the idea of staying in an Air Bnb for a few days to look around at some neighborhoods. Sometimes you need to walk around a neighborhood to really get the feel of it.
Location: Cleveland, OH USA / formerly Chicago for 20 years
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If you find Lincoln Park a bit too pricey for your budget, another option is Lakeview just to the north. Similar to Lincoln Park in many ways, and a bit cheaper. East Lakeview on or near Lake Shore Drive has many full-amenity highrise buildings -- most have been condoized but even those often have units available for rent.
Have you stayed at the Belden Stratford before? Seems like a decent price for a high-rise in Lincoln Park. Their pictures for the fitness room don't really show much unfortunately though. Thanks for the link!
Quote:
Originally Posted by chet everett
I would not recommend using "furnished" as an factor in your search. At your price point you should be able to get a bed, dresser, desk and basic kitchen gear for the equivalent of less than two months rent, landlords that rent out nicer places to professionals generally don't bother with furnishings unless they are targeting the "temporary corporate housing" segment which is far pricier. In your price range you would likely find furnished places that are very "down market" and sort of targeting transients / those in troubled situations...
If you are primarily working from home Lincoln Park is an excellent choice -- it has a very lively mix of shops and such that contribute to much more daytime activity than other areas. While some folks say that the nightlife does tend to run toward folks who are more affluent and bit older than their 20s the fact is there are LOTS of options AND access from Lincoln Park to other younger / edgier areas is easy. Some of those younger areas are kind of pain to deal with when you simply want to get home after a trip from O'Hare as the various nightspots attract large amounts of traffic.
High rises in the greater Lincoln Park area tend to be on the pricey side, especially those that have nice views of the park itself, Lake Michigan or the Loop skyline. That said subletting a condo in an older building, especially on a lower floor, will get all the amenities of high rise living in a price range that won't bust your budget. If the building itself does not have a workout rook there are many well priced gyms that are a walkable distance in Lincoln Park. The construction of pretty much any highrise is such that noise from dogs won't be issue if the building does allow pet ownership -- that has much to do with the strict building codes that Chicago has historically imposed due to fires in prior eras.
Essentially all of Lincoln Park is extremely well served by transit -- the Sedgwick stop on the Brown/ Purple line is on the south end of the neighborhood, north of that is Armitage, farther north is Fullerton which also connects to the Red line, which is a 24hr route. Bus service in Lincoln Park is also an excellent option, with generally safe and easily tracked service with smart phone apps.
I tend to take all online reviews with a huge does of skepticism -- I've been a landlord and know the majority of tenants are reasonable people that try to get along. The tiny minority of people that hold grudges against the management of rentals go out of their way to make the place sound like a disaster...
I'd also recommend that if you can stay in something like an AirBnB for a few weeks you will have lots more time to literally walk around and find places that are "advertised" only on small hand written signs or through word of mouth -- asking local bartenders, wait staff, and business owners for leads is a great way to find places that are not having huge chunks of rent go toward the commissions. Many such places are very nice units in smaller buildings, often where the rest of the building is occupied by the owner. Worth considering.
Awesome, thanks for all that info! My assignment is initially just for a year, so I was somewhat hesitant to go unfurnished and have to fork out for all the furniture myself. Unfortunately, as you said, it doesn't seem to be very common to find furnished apartments. I might just go for cheap IKEA furniture or something and sell it off if I leave.
I agree with the comments regarding online reviews. It seems like every high-rise apartment complex has a review about a major issue - noise/pollution/rude guests etc. It's likely there's always going to be someone complaining about something, same with any place.
My plan is exactly that, I've got a week or so in airbnb lined up around Lincoln Park or Wicker Park so I can just go and view apartments and hopefully find somewhere I can jump into. If not, I'll extend the airbnb until I find somewhere! It's slightly disconcerting going to a new country without knowing a full plan around accommodation. Either way, I'll take your advice on board and try walking around - seeing what I can find! Quite different to what you'd expect in the UK - usually everything available is online for you to view. Let me know if you have any suggestions on particular areas on Lincoln Park you'd recommend.
You’ve gotten so great advice so far. Also check out bucktown and as mentioned wicker park, both very hip and trendy. There are alot of brownstones you could rent an apartment in also. They can be cheaper and less people so less noise. No gym however but you could get a membership to one. Soccer isn’t that big here, think basketball (go bulls!) football (bears!) and baseball pick a team cubs or Sox. Eat everything..we have the best food here! Get a warm coat, down preferably...you won’t believe how cold the wind coming off the lake is! Welcome to Chicago!
One way to get a furnished room is to find a room sharing service to get roommates. In some situations rooms will be available with a bed and desk and you'd just need to add your own TV if so desired, which are cheap for small-medium sized ones. The downside is that you have a roommate, which may not be desirable.
Lincoln Park and Lakeview are quite popular. Wicker Park/Bucktown keeps you close to the Blue Line for getting to/from O'Hare Airport, but is further from the lake and has very few high-rises and the ones that exist may not be in your price range.
Modern high-rises in your price range may not exist, so be aware of that. Also, most buildings in Chicago allow dogs, and even if they don't, if you're living in a "lively" area there is no guarantee that you'll have quiet neighbors. I recommend buying a sound machine if you are a really light sleeper - one that makes wind, surf, or rain background noise to cover more obnoxious noises like parties or dogs. I've used a rain soundmaker app on my phone occasionally when neighbors have had parties that were disturbing my sleep with good results.
Glad I've found this forum, have been struggling to find somewhere to post and ask for advice !
I'm in my mid 20s, moving from the UK to start a new job in Chicago in a few weeks time. I've been searching craigslist, domu, zillow etc for a studio or 1 bedroom apartment in a high-rise, and there's just too much choice... I'll be working from home with a requirement to travel to customer sites across the country when necessary. I've been lucky enough to visit Chicago for a few days and I really like the area around Lincoln Park.
It would be nice if it were furnished, but it seems like this isn't really common (atleast from what I've found). My difficulty has been that I've no particular preference in neighbourhoods, I'd like somewhere with good public transport access (as I'll have no car), in-building gym and lively surroundings for young professionals (bars, restaurants etc, I guess!). My budget is around $1500-1750.
From my research, there are a lot of high-rise buildings in Chicago (not really a thing in the UK at all). It's been slightly overwhelming and they all seem to have plenty of negative reviews about x and y... is there a well-known and decent high-rise that would be a safe bet? Otherwise, has anyone lived in any high-rise apartments that seem to meet my specs and have been okay?
I guess to summarise:
- Budget $1500-1800
- Young professionals area / lively
- well-known/safe bet high rise apartment
- No pets (no dogs specifically I guess, although I think they're awesome I'm a super light sleeper)
- Good amenities (mostly just gym)
- Good public transport access
Thanks, hope I've provided enough info... also if anyone knows a good place to play football (or soccer) in Chicago, let me know !
Don't do furnished. If you're being asked to relocate across the globe, it should be an easy conversation with your employer to receive a relocation package. If that cannot happen, buy the necessities when you get here.. Furnished places, in my experience, are kind of a bust, are limiting, and will be over priced.
SO.
Focus on Lincoln Park and Old Town. I lived in Eugenie Terrace, which sits right over the southern tip of Lincoln Park itself. There are football fields/courts/pitch (is that correct?), baseball and softball fields, farmer markets, etc. Lot of activity and intramurals. You'll also have walking access to North Ave. beach, which has become the epicenter of summer activity in the city. More importantly, Wells street is just one black behind Eugenie, and with that comes all sorts of bars, restaurants, grocery stores, pharmacies, etc. aimed at the 25-35 year old crowd. It's my personal favorite for convenient and local nightlife, with Hubbard St. and the Gold Coast just a mile away. You'll also have all of Lincoln Parks offerings in the neighborhoods directly west/north of the building. Just a really nice location.
Eugenie offers a beautiful and updated gym on the top floor, complete with a sauna, a rooftop pool with loads of BBQs and parties in the summer, and a recreation room with some of the nicest views in all of Chicago. The building has both indoor and outdoor parking options if you decide to purchase a vehicle. The tenants while I were there were great- Met a lot of fun people my age.
Should be able to find a nice, sizable studio within your budget, maybe even a 1 bedroom.
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