Ok so i visited chicago over the weekend and it was the weirdest city i've ever been to as far as finding an apt goes. I've been to just about every big city in this country and you have your ghetto and your nice areas and your rich areas, but chicago seems to all be blended together.
I figured I'd come on here and hopefully some people in chicago could give me some insight on where I should be looking for an apt. My g/f will be going to UIC so somewhere in that area, inside the city, or closely out in the burbs would be nice. I really don't care where i live but i don't want my g/f to have to live in the ghetto so somewhere safe and more upscale is what I'm lookin for.
Also, what websites should I be checking out when i'm looking for an apt. apartments.com isn't really helping me out too much.
Thanks in advance for all your help.
"welcome to the most expensive hobby ever..."
Well, I know that Niles or Skokie would be a good area. They're just north of Chicago, and they're pretty decent areas for the most part, and they are minutes away from I94. In terms of *safety* the Lakeview neighborhood (around Cubs stadium) should be pretty safe - b/c it's a primarily "alternative lifestyle" area - as in the guys would be checkin' you out. Others will pop in and can give more advice
F/S: 2005 KAWASAKI ZX-6R 636, 1105 MILES, $7500 OBO ^^^
Well anywhere near the southwest side is a bad area. To the west where I live is alright. I live in Lombard/Glen Ellyn area, there really isnt any crime around here.
Near the city will be very expensive to live though. i would say the west or northwest so like, Schamburg, Addison, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, Lombard, Villa Park, West Chicago, Glendale Heights, any of those places are alright. And I'm sure there are more good places to, I'm just giving you my opinion on where I live by.
I have only lived in this state six months though. I have to be honest though, I dont like it here really. Like the town is nice, no crime and all, thats great. But it is terrible trying to drive anywhere around most of the day. Traffic is backed up basically all the time, it really gets tiring after a while.
I dont know I just moved here and am already planning my move to Florida in a few months, so hopefully you like it here and you dont mind traffic hell.
- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new
Hola, I live in St. Charles...we shoud meet up sometime
disregard that last post, sorry
Thanks for all the advice. I don't mind traffic, i went to college out in southern california so I'm used to being parked on a freeway. Also living out in california I got used to high costs (1500 a month of a crap 2 bedroom apartment)
When we went to check out UIC we noticed the area around there wasn't too bad but it was weird. There would be a block of nice looking apartments surrounded by slums, I'll def check out the western burbs on apartments.com.
Keep the advice comin!
"welcome to the most expensive hobby ever..."
Just found a website. What about the Ravenswood/ Lincoln Square area? It seems it's close to the wrigglyville area and what not. Some of the apartments look beautiful and at around 900 a month for a 1 bedroom doesn't seem to terrible price wise. Is that considered cheap in chicago or expensive?
"welcome to the most expensive hobby ever..."
I was gonna recomend the Shcaumburg area, preaty much everyting you could ask for is there... very nice area, come summer tiem its the surburb central of culture hahah especially when it comes to cars, lots of stuff to do out there
Check the Lemont/Lockport area You can rent a 2-3 bedroom house for $900mo. Plus youre close to Joliet and rt41.
Go with Schaumburg man everything is there!
taking your girlfriend out $20, Shopping at Meijers $ ?? dollers,
watching Milf's Ass and getting punch in the jaw ... Priceless...
i live pretty close to the UIC to be honest the apartments around there aren't bad at all.
Skokie Niles Evanstan (for outside the city) and Lincoln Park in the city Skokie Niles and Evanstan are all close to trian stations and Evanstan is where Northwestern is located. LP ROCKS my buddy lives down there he is about 3 blocks MAX from Depaul U. Being so close to depaul its demographic are early to mid 20's kinda of high class in some parts. He is about a block away from the L (public transportation-train) and about 10 blocks at most from Wrigley Field (Cubs park lol) its ok Paul must not follow sports lol. He shares a three bedroom apt with two other people and his part is $600/mth plus utilites. On the nearest corner to his place there is a starbucks, a 7-11and a Bagel shop. He is also about a $10.00 cab ride (5.00 a piece) from Lincoln ave a GREAT place to go out LOTS of bars and nightlife and where LOTS of college and twenty-somethings go out. Defentily something to check out. IMO Good Luck in the search
Dave
A new breed of J will be unleashed in 06
Creating the E-RACER one mod at a time
Member of J-Factor
Member of Wisc's J's
1/4 mile 16.084 @ 84.90 (Stock Z) 01 SPDY Z24
lol just giving u a hard time Paul thats all
Dave
A new breed of J will be unleashed in 06
Creating the E-RACER one mod at a time
Member of J-Factor
Member of Wisc's J's
1/4 mile 16.084 @ 84.90 (Stock Z) 01 SPDY Z24
^ Yea, we'll see about a hard time in a coupla weeks when you and John stop by
Too bad I won't be able to get my paintball gun working in time, that'd be a fun-for-me hard time
j/k
F/S: 2005 KAWASAKI ZX-6R 636, 1105 MILES, $7500 OBO ^^^
Actually, if you are going to be going to UIC, there are usually a lot of apartments to be rented just west of the campus. The area there is weird, there were projects not too far, but for the most part, the people that lived there wouldn't enter that area much, so there was no real problem.
That neighborhood is coming around. A lot of the projects came down a few years ago, and now everyone wants to move back closer to the city, so costs are going up a bit. The parking there is hard to find however, which isn't too much of a problem, because you will be a couple of block walk from campus.
Also, when school is in, you will get a U-Pass. All colleges in the city give you one if you pick it up, its included in the cost of tuition. With that you will be able to ride all the CTA trains and busses for free during the semester. Which means you won't be having to drive that much anyway.
The Lincoln Park/ Wrigleyville area is decent too. Im not as familiar with the northside, though I have been around a few places up there, mostly going to concerts, a lot of the little local venues are up there.
U.I.C
Alright!!!! I got my undergrad at UIC!! Great school. Yeah check out the north side of Chicago if not move out west. I know Dekalb is far but I have town house for rent. If you need info let me know. Good luck and go Flames!!!!
"Remember do what you like because you have to drive it."--Me
Thank you everyone for your info. I really like the wrigleyville, lincoln park area. The apartments aren't too much, less than i was expecting. 24zeta, how far away is Dekalb as far as miles?
Also, does anyone know any good marketing/advertising companies in the chicago area? While she's goin to school i need to find me a J.O.B. I've sent my resume into KDS consoluting inc. Hoping to hear back from them. Also what's a good website to find jobs in the chicagoland area? I really don't like monster or careerbuilder.
"welcome to the most expensive hobby ever..."
Hahaha, we measure distance in minutes/time here man
Pretty much everything is 15 minutes away, no matter where ya are
Seriously tho, I'm not sure what intersection the college is at, so I just used MapQuest to map out De Kalb to Rita & Addison in Chicago - that's about a block or two away from Wrigleyfield BTW - and it said 1 hour 15 minutes
As for jobs, newspapers might be alright - Sun Times, maybe Daily Herald (DH is mostly suburban tho, not city), etc. There are plenty of agencies as well, but the only one I've been to is out in Rolling Meadows (about an hour from Wrigleyfield FYI)
F/S: 2005 KAWASAKI ZX-6R 636, 1105 MILES, $7500 OBO
Yeah Dekalb is about 1hour and 15minutes away from Chi-town. My townhouse for rent is 3 minutes from I-88 which takes you to Downtown Chicago.
"Remember do what you like because you have to drive it."--Me
hahaha it's so true about the time thing. When i lived out in california you never said how many miles you were away from something it was always how many minutes in light traffic and how many minutes in heavy traffic.
Dekalb would definately be too far away. My girlfriend plans on taking the rail system to get to school and back, thanks for the offer though!
Oh yes, and i also just got a call today from that company wanting to set me up for an interview. I went 0 for 12 when applying to advertising/marketing places here in my home town and the first place i apply to in chicago i get a call back. I'm already liking chicago.
"welcome to the most expensive hobby ever..."
^ At least one of us can like Chicago
I can't wait to move the hell outta here. I'm leavin' this shytehole of a state in my dust as soon as I'm able
Tho ur from Cali, so this will actually be easier living for you, lol
F/S: 2005 KAWASAKI ZX-6R 636, 1105 MILES, $7500 OBO
I can't wait to move down to TX!! 
