Moving to Chicago.

EdFred

EdFred

Taxi to Parking
Joined
Feb 25, 2005
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Michigan
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White Chocolate
No, not me. I'll never set foot in Cook Couty as long as that worm ridden turd Daley is in power, but I have a friend moving there, and they are quickly finding that they aren't going to be able to live close to work, and be able to get a nice place (comparable to what they have now) for what they can spend. They are also seeing it costs way more to live there than they thought it did.

What are the good neighborhoods to commute from to downtown?
Based on:
Cost of acquisition (max 350k, 3BR, 2BA, bsmt, yard for 3 small dogs, off street parking)
Commute time and ease
Nicety of neighborhood

I told 'em not to move there, but no one ever listens to me.
 
I take it they are working downtown?

If so then there a lot of choices on the Metra commuter rail line. For the prices that they are looking at any of the collar counties would work but expect at least a commute of 1 to 1.5 hours each way on the train. There is a nice neighborhood on the north side of Chicago called Saugenash. They might be able to find a bungalow in their price range that meets their requirements. Right now there are deals to be had in the nearer suburbs if they want to do some shopping around. All of the suburbs look the same BTW. Hard to tell which one you are in as they all have the same houses, stores, streets and cars. It is cookie cutter living.

The real problem is car traffic. When you get out to the collar counties traffic can be a real hassle as there roads were not developed along with all the housing that went in. So being stuck in traffic is a way of life. I live 13 miles from my work and it takes me 45 to 60 minutes to drive in each day due to three traffic jams I deal with. If there is no traffic I can be home in 20 minutes. My office looks out to the east and south so I get to watch the traffic on I-90 all day long. It pretty much stinks from 7:30am until I go home. I am glad I do not have to drive on the expressways and tollways. I hardly ever bother to take them anymore unless it is I-355 to get to the south. If I have to go into the city I go by train.

The crime in Chicago is way overblown. It is pretty much confined to a couple of small areas that I am sure your friends would not want to live in. The rest of the city is pretty safe as are most of the suburbs. The police and soccer moms over react to 'gangs'. A gang around here is two teenagers wearing the same color listening to 'urban' music. Real gangs are again confined to some pretty rough neighborhoods on the south and west side of the city that most people easily avoid.
 
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EdFred said:
They are also seeing it costs way more to live there than they thought it did.
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Yep. And it's not just the dollars, it's the time stuck behind the wheel. Bad combination. BTDT.

I told 'em not to move there, but no one ever listens to me.
Click to expand...

They oughta listen to you...


Trapper John
 
EdFred said:
What are the good neighborhoods to commute from to downtown?
Click to expand...

Neighborhoods that are close to a rail line. (At least based on my experience back in the olden days - I doubt that driving / parking downtown has gotten any better.)
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Neighborhoods that are close to a rail line. (At least based on my experience back in the olden days - I doubt that driving / parking downtown has gotten any better.)
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parking has gotten way worse! All the parking meters have been privatized. The meters sometimes work, sometimes not. If they don't work you get a parking ticket. The ticket is from the government who is reacting to a complaint from a private company and you have basically no redress at all unless you want to sue the private company and then maybe, in a few years you will get something back. In the mean time your car is booted and towed, your drivers license suspended, etc. All because of privatization that is doing a way worse job than when the city actually did the work.
 
Same as everyone else said. Live near the Metra or the L, and commuting will be much easier. Morning and evening drives in Chicago stink.

metrarail.com
http://www.transitchicago.com/riding_cta/systemguide/default.aspx

Now is as good of time as any to buy. A few years back and $350k wouldn't have bought much more than a condo/townhouse in the city or nearer suburbs. It will now.




EdFred said:
No, not me. I'll never set foot in Cook Couty as long as that worm ridden turd Daley is in power, but I have a friend moving there, and they are quickly finding that they aren't going to be able to live close to work, and be able to get a nice place (comparable to what they have now) for what they can spend. They are also seeing it costs way more to live there than they thought it did.

What are the good neighborhoods to commute from to downtown?
Based on:
Cost of acquisition (max 350k, 3BR, 2BA, bsmt, yard for 3 small dogs, off street parking)
Commute time and ease
Nicety of neighborhood

I told 'em not to move there, but no one ever listens to me.
Click to expand...
 
And pray tell who owns the private parking company?
ScottM said:
parking has gotten way worse! All the parking meters have been privatized. The meters sometimes work, sometimes not. If they don't work you get a parking ticket. The ticket is from the government who is reacting to a complaint from a private company and you have basically no redress at all unless you want to sue the private company and then maybe, in a few years you will get something back. In the mean time your car is booted and towed, your drivers license suspended, etc. All because of privatization that is doing a way worse job than when the city actually did the work.
Click to expand...
 
Look along the fox river valley - Geneva or St. Charles. Great commuter train access, close to DPA so you can fly in and visit :)D), good golf.
 
Crystal Lake (NW) also works for these parameters. You commute on the Burlington Northern or the C&NW. Ask Scott M. He's out there.
 
bbchien said:
Crystal Lake (NW) also works for these parameters. You commute on the Burlington Northern or the C&NW. Ask Scott M. He's out there.
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It is the Union Pacific these days. Crystal Lake is just west of me. Nice town, not too far from Wisconsin and Lake Geneva, you are close enough to smell their Dairy Air!

Still lots of open space, there is access to rivers and lakes for boating, hunting, fishing, etc. Getting east can be a little fun as you have to get over the moat known as the Fox River. That slows up traffic in the mornings and evenings.
 
Ed, when are they coming to look? If it's a weekend I might be able to show them around my area.
 
ScottM said:
It is the Union Pacific these days. Crystal Lake is just west of me. Nice town, not too far from Wisconsin and Lake Geneva, you are close enough to smell their Dairy Air!

Still lots of open space, there is access to rivers and lakes for boating, hunting, fishing, etc. Getting east can be a little fun as you have to get over the moat known as the Fox River. That slows up traffic in the mornings and evenings.
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What's the commute time via train from Crystal Lake to the Michigan Mile area?
 
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EdFred said:
What's the commute time via train from Crystal Lake to the Michigan Mile area?
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About an hour with an express and a hour and half on a local.

To get to the mag-mile one of the best things to do is to exit the train at Clybourne and then take the CTA on the Mag-Mile express bus. It will run north to south on Michigan Ave. If you take the train to Ogilive station you have a walk, cab, or another bus to take to get to the Mag-Mile.
 
EdFred said:
I told 'em not to move there, but no one ever listens to me.
Click to expand...

Hence the reason Greg and I never moved to Chicago...too expensive to live...we like spending our money on other things besides housing...like a 195... :)
 
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bockwoman3 said:
Hence the reason Greg and I never moved to Chicago...too expensive to live...we like spending our money on other things besides housing...like a 195... :)
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Well, Sharon, *technically*, you could live in the 195.
 
ScottM said:
About an hour with an express and a hour and half on a local.

To get to the mag-mile one of the best things to do is to exit the train at Clybourne and then take the CTA on the Mag-Mile express bus. It will run north to south on Michigan Ave. If you take the train to Ogilive station you have a walk, cab, or another bus to take to get to the Mag-Mile.
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I did the Drive to Train-Train-Bus deal for years on a couple of different Metra lines. Seems like it was always 1.5 to 1.75 hrs door to door no matter what. Course there's always the dead time standing on the platform, getting coffee, waiting for the bus, buying the paper to read, etc. I'm tired just writing about it, actually. I lived in Chicago proper for about 7 years, and would say that depending on your lifestyle and expectations, a city property might be an option too (though $350M won't get you much single family home in most areas that are desireable - certainly not Saugunash).

I've helped people buy and sell all over the Chicago MSA....if your friends want to find out about some specific areas, just shoot me a note and I'll tell you what I know.

Patrick
 
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