maria

Hello, We are 2 ladies moving to Chicago sometime after Jan 1st. We have done a lot of research in trying to find the best place to live. Are there any websites or other good places we should search for an apartment? Also, any suggestions of the best and worst neighborhoods would be greatly appreciated. We will be visiting the area in December and hope to do lots of exploring!!
Thanks very much!!!

Beth

If looking to live in the city and not the burbs, I would suggest either Lincoln Park (more expensive) or Lakeview (less expensive. Both are nice neighborhood type areas with many apartments, townhouses, and condos. Very safe areas to walk around by oneself after dark and plenty of shopping restaurants etc. You will probably want to be close to public transit and I would comment that the red line el/subway is one of the faster links up and down the city and probably the most convenient into downtown if that is where you will work. Get a chicago transit authority map and see where this line runs and look for housing on streets within 5 blocks or so of a stop (just my advice and opinion). Chicago is built on a grid system and anything from say 800 N. to 4000 N between the lake and 1500 W should be fine. There are some nicer areas further west and north as well but not as convenient for commuting. Try www.chicagoreaderThey have the best classified ads for apartment hunting or go thru an aprtment locator service. Chicago is great (minus our cruel weather) and you will find plenty to do!

patg

chireader.com has a feature called "Spacefinder" that lets you plug in your guidelines and narrow down the ads. A lot depends on your budget. If you can't afford the Lakeview/Lincoln Park area, try Edgewater, Rogers Park, Jefferson Park/Mayfair, or Oak Park.

Arabella

You might want to try http://www.craigslist.org. It's a great resource for housing, jobs, etc.

John

Maria:
You might consider the suburbs, ie. Elmwood Park, Rosemont, DesPlanes etc. Chicago metropolitan area has a great rail system. Many folks park their cars at the train station and take the train to work in downtown Chicago. If that's where you're going to work.
Chicago area's a great place to live.
John

Chicago

Beth - Why exactly do you consider the Red Line the most convenient to downtown? Let me guess - because you take it? What about all of the other the lines and the neighborhoods they service? Did they stop running? (BTW, the Brown Line services Lakeview/Lincoln Park, and many in that neighborhood prefer it to the Red Line because it drops them closer to their offices than the Red Line would). I happen to live in Lincoln Park, but would hardly suggest that it and Lakeview are really the only places worth recommending. You left out a plethora of neigborhoods easily accessible to the CTA rail system - Bucktown, Ravenswood, Roscoe Village, Gold Coast, River North, West Town, South Loop etc (in addition to the others that have already been mentioned). I would agree with the Reader recommendation, but beyond that, you really tend to push things that are based on your limited experience as a relatively recent transplant (and I've seen you scoff at recommendations of long term residents and/or natives because your husband works in law enforcement - which I don't understand). There is a lot more to Chicago than Lincoln Park/Lakeview.

To Maria - perhaps if you could give us a little more detail about what you're looking for, we could give you some more specifc advice. There area a multitude of great neighborhoods, each with their own flavor.

marilyn

Maria, it's hard to give specific advice without a little more input about where you will be working,and what type of things you would like in a neighborhood. Traffic and congestion just seem to escalate each year, and you really want to look for the best commute you can. Whether you need parking is another variable.

That said, I think that you do see more newcomers in the north neighborhoods, as well as near west, south and northwest. You could also consider a suburb like Evanston, with good metra and rail connections (but not if you're working somewhere near O'Hare, or too far west), and a wonderful lakefront, a little less density etc. There are apartment rental agencies you could work with, listed in the Reader.

You have to open your eyes and look around to evaluate the different neighborhoods: is there much graffiti, do the stores look nice, are there people out and about, what kind of cars are parked, etc. But really, a lot would depend on your age, marital status, and where you will be working before anybody could really recommend a specific neighborhood.

Beth

The reason I reccommend something on the red line is because of its convenience and the short amount of time it takes to reach downtwon on the red line, not as you said because I take it. Actually the purple line going to work and brown line coming home would take me closer to my place of employment as I would get of and on at Clark/Lake stop BUT these lines run above ground and are slower and have more stops. I take the red line and walk an extra 3 blocks instead and still get to work 10 min faster than I would on the purple or brown line which would drop me off right at my office. I am lucky enough to live near the Belmont stop which gives me the choice of the purple brown or red line and is very convenient. Living further west and/or north on the brown is a wonderful location BUT while I'm spending 10-12 min. riding the train these people are spending 30 min. I was just giving Maria the lay of the land as far as convenience and hot areas. I may have only mentioned Lakeview and Lincoln Park by name but the coordinates I gave encompassed the near north and gold coast neighborhoods as well. And yes there has been some recent development in the downtown area as well as the near south loop which are VERY convenient too. These areas are nice but much of the downtown area is a ghost town on weekends and this may be a drawback for living there. Edgewater is nice as well as some parts of Bucktown, but you are talking about longer commutes as my previous post indicated. I would not suggest Rogers Park though. I think MAria needs definitely needs to give us more info. I am making the assumption she will be working downtown which may be incorrect and of course would change my reccomendations for convenience sake.

Maria

Thanks everyone for all the advice...I didn't expect to get so many helpful replies so quickly! My friend and I would prefer to live in the city rather than the suburbs. We are in our 20s and would like a neighborhood with character and with lots going on...but not too much so that it's crazy. Safety is key since I like to walk around a lot and we both like to go out at night. I will not have a car right away, if at all, and my friend is still deciding whether or not to bring hers. We are not sure where we will be working as of yet (still job searching)....preferably in the city as well. As you can see....we are embarking on this journey quite spontaneously. By the way, we are relocating from Boston.
Thanks again for all your help!

Nativeof

Chicago: Thank you for saying what I have been dying to regarding Beth's posts of late.
Beth: 1.)You are not a native & your observations are limited to the Lincoln Park area 2.) I do not care that you are a lawyer & your husband is in the secret service - save your pomposity for your yuppie neighbors.

HOLY COW

This must be pick on Beth day! What is Native talking about and where did he get that Beth is a lawyer and her husband is in the secret service, did I miss something by not reading between the lines?

As for neighborhoods in Chicago, I am partial to the Wrigley Field area myself as you can see from my ID. I'm also a bit older than you're age group (mid-40s but who is counting?) but I do know most young people either singles or young couples sans children are moving into the north side of Chicago which would include both Lincoln Park and Lakeview. I have a feeling though that Lincoln Park will be very expensive and is a bit yuppified. The neighborhood close to Depaul University is nice and filled with many 18-25 yo. You should also find some less expensive apartment shares there too. These may not be the $350,000 condos of Lincoln Park or Lakeview but will do fine for the younger set. In that regard I agree with Beth and Marilyn. To Native and xxxx who supposedly live in Chicago, what have you contributed other than criticism, let's hear your advice for Maria.

gina

Not to get into the Beth vs. non-Beth debate, but I have to say for two women in their 20's, Lincoln Park and Lakeview seem like good suggestions to me as "starter" neighborhoods. They are conveniently located and it's easy to get around without a car... and Maria should find that in her first year or so here she'll have time to scope out other neighborhoods - certainly there are other options that bear consideration.

Speaking for myself, I spent my first 5 years in Chicago in the Gold Coast and although I loved the neighborhood and its convenience to downtown, I always regretted not spending my early 20's in the slightly younger Lincoln Park or Lakeview neighborhoods. Now I'm in the West Loop in a condo; I love that, too, but I'd say it's not the best place to start in Chicago, especially without a car.

Definitely use the Reader and when you are in town walk around and get a feel for the neighborhoods. Beth's coordinates should help you focus your walks and my guess is a long weekend will give you a good sense of where you will be happiest!

xxx

Actually, I find it impossible to give Maria advice because I do not know:
1. How old they are
2. How much money they make
3. Will they be going to school here?
4. Where they work
5. What they like to do after work
6. Whether they like more space or less space
7. Whether they will travel frequently from O'Hare or Midway.
8. Whether they are a couple or not.
9. Whether they plan to own cars or not.

Nativeof

Holy Cow: Beth has been a frequent poster for Chicago questions - that is how I know she is a lawyer & her husband is in the secret service, as she has told us all repeatedly. However, after September 11th, his status dropped to "law enforcement" when she has referred to him.

Nativeof

xxx: She's from Nashville - haven't you heard that one too many times???? I too am tired of her bickering about our weather - especially since we have had exceptionally mild winters for the past 10 - 15 years. God forbid she ever get a taste of the really rough stuff.
Her claim to fame is she knows every single restaurant in the city - oh, sorry - from downtown to approximately Belmont on the north side.

Nativeof

xxx: Why are they removing yours and not mine????? God knows mine have been worse.

marilyn

Native, I think you're being a little hard on Beth. I find her posts to be very detailed, and helpful. Yes, she's not good at cold weather, but her post was far more helpful to Maria than are all these Beth-attacks! She laid out the coordinates and tried to advise about public transportation. Maria doesn't have a job yet, though, so I think it's hard to advise where she should live. But now that I know she is single and in her 20s...I STILL can't help her. What kind of building does she like? Pets? Budget? Space? Near the lake?

robert

Beths advice is pretty right on.Get a cta map and follow the red/brown lines until you see a ton of 20 year olds.Not to judge but marilyn seems to want a little too much info?Nuff said, I think the Reader is the best starting point.

Dan

The gold coast, lincoln park, and lakeview have been fairly esatblished.
There are many up and coming neiborhoods such as Bucktown and Wicker Park that are fast becoming popular because they are a bit cheaper than the forementioned neighborhoods, but you have to be careful. Both neighborhoods have bars restaurants and luxury condos,
but another block may have a methodone clinic and a crackhouse. Knowing what I do about Chicago, if I had enough money I'd live in Lincoln Park (the Back bay of Chicago). If I couldn't afford it, I'd live in Lakeview. I would prefer not to go farther than 4000 North, preferably closer to 3800 North. Others will argue about my boundary, just my opinion.

Jeanette

Chicago is BIG. It is absolutely not out of line to ask Maria what her job or school plans are. I've lived here, schooled here, worked downtown and near U.of I.and IIT for lots and lots of years. Things are always changing and it is essential to have a doable budget. In my life experience, most of the kids I know who are in their 20's can not afford much in the areas you have mentioned without either parental help or great jobs. This is not a good time for finding them. There are three 22, 23 and 24 year olds in my own family that are back with the parents as of the end of summer. Before you decide where you WANT to live, you better check out more than the rents.

If you don't mind bussing it and get a good paying downtown job- believe it or not there are South and Southwest, near and far areas, that are the neighborhoods of many many of the policemen, firemen, and teachers who live and work in the city of Chicago. I don't live there now- but Ashburn, west Ashburn to the edge of the city limits, Garfield Ridge and lots of other areas on the Northwest, Southwest sides do have lots going on- and also affordable housing with SPACE. Take it from someone who took the Archer bus for the first time about 50 years ago and still does to this day if I'm going North from my Mom's house.

I have probably about 30 family members (cousins'kids, my kids, friends' kids) who have done the Wrigleyville area and near North too for times when young. You need to have a very high tollerance for density and lots of other spacial realities. They all have moved back because of $$$ issues- and because you do need a car here, unless you plan on never venturing into Illinois, Wisc., Indiana, and / or Michigan, not to speak of the suburbs. You sound like you would love the North side and the areas Beth suggested, but please do not assume that these are affordable without your telling what you plan to spend on housing. As far as worst neighborhoods, I wouldn't even go there.
All you need to do is check out the crime rate maps on any good search engine. There are some areas that seem great, have dance clubs for instance, but have bad crime rates.

My kids tend to prefer the Western Suburbs. Check out the Oakbrook area in December. Brookfield, Oak Park also have interesting appeal for younger singles.