If you live or have lived in Chicago, please help

nikkai

nikkai

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Hi all

I will be moving to Chicago in August for Pharmacy school and wanted to purchase a home relatively close to UIC or at least close to an L station.

But I've only been there once and that was for the interview.

I've been getting some recommendations, such as areas north of Hyde Park (ghetto ville) and Wicker Park and such.

But my hope is to purchase a newer, yet cheaper home at the end of the L-lines, basically because I want a garage. =P

I'm hoping to spend between 250k - 300k.

Help a fellow CAG out. =D

Thanks and please PM as I dunno if I'll remember to check this thread. =P
 
Why dont you get an apartment first and get a feel for the neighborhoods. Then decide on what house you want.

Baby steps my friend....Baby steps....

P.S. I used to live in Wicker Park and Wrigleyville years ago. I cant comment on how they are nowadays....
 
I live in the northside, so I can't really say anything about the neigborhoods around there. However! I went to UIC last year, and if you're a full time student you'll most likely have a U-Pass, that would entitle you to unlimited access to the CTA busses and trains. So if anything you can get a house almost any where in Chicago and commute to UIC.
 
UIC is well served by the L (blue line). For the least hassle(transfering), you'd want to live close to a station on this line, which runs NW from downtown to O'hare and also W from downtown out to Oak Park and Berwyn. The UIC stops are on the W branch about a mile from downtown.

Quality-wise, the western branches is definitely the more ghetto of the two, with questionable neighborhoods going all the way out to Oak Park/Forest Park. Some aren't too bad but even these would be predominately hispanic so it depends on your comfort level, I guess. Oak Park is one of the best of Chicago's adjacent 'burbs and Forest Park is good as well and decent homes are cheaper than what you'd find most places in the city.

The NW branch is better but is going to be expensive most places along the line. The first few stops from downtown are highly yuppiefied (Wicker Park/Bucktown) all the way out to Logan Square and from there on out the areas are quickly being built up with property values going through the roof.

To be honest I don't think you'll find an actual " newer house" along this line for under $500-750 thousand minimum unless it's out in Oak Park/Forest Park/Berwyn, and then only if you're lucky. $250-300 might get you a bungalow style or older house around here but maybe not since these get quickly bought by developers just to be torn down for another luxury home. In most Chicago neighborhoods, it's pretty much impossible for the middle-class to buy an actual house - I certainly couldn't afford one. For what you wanted to spend, you might be better off going with a condo with parking, although even them don't expect much since prices on newer condos START at $250 thousand for your basic 2BR/1BA and go from there depending on location and add-ons.

If you wanted to check the CTA system map to get a better picture, it's at http://www.transitchicago.com/maps/systemmaps.html. Hope this helped some and good luck at school.
 
[quote name='Johnny Postman']UIC is well served by the L (blue line). For the least hassle(transfering), you'd want to live close to a station on this line, which runs NW from downtown to O'hare and also W from downtown out to Oak Park and Berwyn. The UIC stops are on the W branch about a mile from downtown.

Quality-wise, the western branches is definitely the more ghetto of the two, with questionable neighborhoods going all the way out to Oak Park/Forest Park. Some aren't too bad but even these would be predominately hispanic so it depends on your comfort level, I guess. Oak Park is one of the best of Chicago's adjacent 'burbs and Forest Park is good as well and decent homes are cheaper than what you'd find most places in the city.

The NW branch is better but is going to be expensive most places along the line. The first few stops from downtown are highly yuppiefied (Wicker Park/Bucktown) all the way out to Logan Square and from there on out the areas are quickly being built up with property values going through the roof.

To be honest I don't think you'll find an actual " newer house" along this line for under $500-750 thousand minimum unless it's out in Oak Park/Forest Park/Berwyn, and then only if you're lucky. $250-300 might get you a bungalow style or older house around here but maybe not since these get quickly bought by developers just to be torn down for another luxury home. In most Chicago neighborhoods, it's pretty much impossible for the middle-class to buy an actual house - I certainly couldn't afford one. For what you wanted to spend, you might be better off going with a condo with parking, although even them don't expect much since prices on newer condos START at $250 thousand for your basic 2BR/1BA and go from there depending on location and add-ons.

If you wanted to check the CTA system map to get a better picture, it's at http://www.transitchicago.com/maps/systemmaps.html. Hope this helped some and good luck at school.[/QUOTE]

That's funny you say that the Logan Square area is yuppified. It's the Chicago version of Greenwich Village in New York but when I used to live there about 13 years ago it used to be a fairly predominantly poor hispanic and polish neighborhood w/ gangs. I'm glad the gangs have been pushed out and the neighborhood's been improved. Wish I coulda seen it.
 
I certainly would not mind living out further. I"m also not looking for "newer" places. Just safer I guess since my gf/future fiance will be moving out with me one year later.

I would like covered parking/underground just because I'll be bringing a newer car and don't feel like digging it out every time I need to use it (I won't use it everyday).

I want to invest mainly because I've paid 6 years of rent and have basically nothing to show for it. (Helped the credit a bit though)

Thanks all for the info! And any elaboration would be great! And thanks for all the encouragement regariding rx school! I'm stoked!
 
[quote name='nikkai']More infoooooooo *drool*[/QUOTE]

All I can help you with is the nightlife. PM me if you want details.
 
[quote name='jaykrue']All I can help you with is the nightlife. PM me if you want details.[/QUOTE]

Rush Street Baaaaby...One time I was picking up two girls at the same time there until I was chased away by the police for having a fake id. True story.

Gotta love those meat markets.....
 
[quote name='Xevious']Rush Street Baaaaby...One time I was picking up two girls at the same time there until I was chased away by the police for having a fake id. True story.

Gotta love those meat markets.....[/QUOTE]

Rush Street is but one of the meat markets. ;) There's also State & Division. I love the crowd there. I used to frequent a club called Dragonfly there (which has since moved) and then head over to Tsunami restaurant for sushi on Dearborn. A one block walk full of hot willing girls of any ethnicity willing to partay (and no, you don't have to pay for them - these girls are usually financially independent). Or there's the nightclub district along Lake. Mmmmm, I love the yummy clothes the girls wear. Sure they're shallow but if you're looking for a relationship at a nightclub, you're asking and deserve to be shot down.
 
[quote name='jaykrue']Rush Street is but one of the meat markets. ;) There's also State & Division. I love the crowd there. I used to frequent a club called Dragonfly there (which has since moved) and then head over to Tsunami restaurant for sushi on Dearborn. A one block walk full of hot willing girls of any ethnicity willing to partay (and no, you don't have to pay for them - these girls are usually financially independent). Or there's the nightclub district along Lake. Mmmmm, I love the yummy clothes the girls wear. Sure they're shallow but if you're looking for a relationship at a nightclub, you're asking and deserve to be shot down.[/QUOTE]

I wasn't lookin for no stinkin' relationship back then. And to tell you the truth, I was more into bars at Wicker Park. My friend was a waitress at Rush Street and she invited me over there (thats how I got in with my fake id - She looked the other way). I was just happy to be underage and drinking.......
 
[quote name='Xevious']I wasn't lookin for no stinkin' relationship back then. And to tell you the truth, I was more into bars at Wicker Park. My friend was a waitress at Rush Street and she invited me over there (thats how I got in with my fake id - She looked the other way). I was just happy to be underage and drinking.......[/QUOTE]

The Wicker Park bars are for the classier ladies of the night (not referring to hookers, get your mind outta the gutter!). I only go there when I'm in the mood for some of the classier stuff. I must say, good call on Wicker Park.
 
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