<p>S will be a student at Chicago College of Performing Arts-Roosevelt U in Chicago, and he is trying to get information about where students live off-campus. There is not much information on the website and the students on the chats say to live on campus, which he is considering, but it is expensive, and he would like to try to save money in this category if possible.</p>
<p>So, Chicago people, I hope you can help him!! He is hoping to find a studio. He will use public transportation to get to and from school and for all of his shopping (except occasional zip car use).</p>
<p>Which neighborhoods should he consider if he wants to be near other students, grocery and other necessary stores, easy public transportation to CCPA, the Music Center, and all the musical venues in downtown Chicago? He is concerned that what seems easy in the Spring, Summer and Fall will not be so easy in Winter.</p>
<p>He will be going out to look at the end of July, and he needs to be set up for good so he can move permanently around August 15.</p>
<p>THANK YOU so much for any ideas and suggestions.</p>
<p>I don’t know rents in Chicago and am biased toward the northside, which is better off and has a huge mix of housing. My first suggestion is to get a map with the stations listed and a Chicago Magazine - and renters’ guides online - to check rents. If I had a choice, I’d live anywhere from Near North northwards, like DePaul (which is a neighborhood name as well as a school), etc. If you’re near to a station, getting around in the winter isn’t hard because his destination is right at Grant Park and that’s near all the lines.</p>
<p>DePaul, Lakeview, and Lincoln Park are all good close-in neighborhoods with great transit access to the Loop. For some reason most smaller buildings have their leases all rolling in October so that’s when most units open. Many don’t advertise but just post their units coming vacant near the building entrance. Of course large buildings have units all the time but they tend to cost more too.</p>
<p>The Chicago Reader (free weekly) carries lots of ads for apts.</p>
<p>D is a grad student in downtown Chicago. A year ago she used an apartment finding service, called Apartment People, with great success. I was with her (and new roomie & dad) when we met with the person assigned. He was very professional, listened to the girls’ needs and budget, arranged appointments and drove us to the various buildings. He did a great job of explaining neighborhoods, pros and cons, transportation logistics, etc. There was no fee involved. </p>
<p>We were all unfamiliar with Chicago neighborhoods and had flown in for these appointments. The girls also had another appointment with a different rental service, but although the agents were very nice, they didn’t seem to truly listen to the budget constraints and wasted our time showing some great places that were not do-able. The Apartment People didn’t use this tactic.</p>
<p>Particularly for someone from out of town on a short timeframe, it was a great solution.
I’d give them a call.</p>
<p>A lot will depend on what type of area, she wants to live. In some areas, i.e. the area around UIC, will have a lot of college students, but others, like Jefferson Park, are more residential.</p>
<p>Roosevelt is in the South Loop which is developing into a very cool neighborhood–rents might be lower for more cool space and walking distance to Roosevelt. Very good public transportation in the neighborhood.</p>
<p>I will second the recommendation of the Apartment People - just used them to find an apartment for D in Lakeview. Very professional, and every apartment we saw with them was a winner. Lakeview is a great neighborhood - near the lake (duh), nice shops and restaurants, beautiful neighborhoods.</p>
<p>Can’t speak for the South Side but the general rule on the North Side—IMO, the livelier side of town—is that rents decrease as you get farther from the Loop, and to some extent as you get farther from the Lake. If he’s planning to depend primarily on public transportation, I’d explore neighborhoods in close proximity to major El lines, especially north and northwest from the Loop. Going north along the lakefront, Near North will be very pricey except in seedy spots; Lincoln Park/DePaul still quite pricey but generally charming; Lakeview more affordable but watch out for overpriced ripoffs; Uptown cheaper but some parts pretty seedy; Edgewater a comfortable middle-class neighborhood, generally reasonably priced but be sure you have access to groceries & other amenities; Rogers Park cheaper still but a pretty good hike to the Loop. Going northwest toward O’Hare, Wicker Park seems to be now pretty thoroughly gentrified (i.e., pricey); Bucktown the same; Logan Square more mixed by again consider proximity to groceries & amenities; Irving Park solidly middle-class, again consider access to groceries & amenities; Jefferson Park more or less the same but by now you’re well into the “bungalow belt” with fewer rentals. Lots of grad students also now live on the Near West Side, in neighborhoods that in my day were pretty run-down but today may be fashionably “edgy.” I guess if it were my kid I’d look in Lakeview, pockets of Uptown, Edgewater, and Rogers Park on the north Lakefront; and Logan Square and Irving Park on the Northwest Side—i.e., along the Blue Line (northwest) and Red Line (north lakefront) trains.</p>
<p>Agree with much stated above. I have two daughters that live in Chicago - one in Lakeview and one in Logan Square. Youngest daughter has a friend that goes to Columbia that lives in Lakeview also in a very small 1-bedroom (about $800/month). Key factor will be to find a place close to the El - red line in Lakeview, blue line further west (Logan Square or Wicker Park). Rents vary widely. Oldest daughter pays $500/month to share a vintage 3-bedroom one block from Wrigley Field (no parking) but is moving a few blocks west and will pay $650 to share a 3-bedroom and get an extra bath and garage out of it. Middle daughter pays $900 to share a brand-new, high-end 2-bedroom condo in Logan Square with garage parking. Both are very convenient to public transportation. </p>
<p>Also agree that the South Loop is developing nicely and probably much more convenient for CCPA. There is a glut of new places for sale on the market and you may be able to find a deal on rent. Museum Park is amazing but pricey. There are also some very vintage (think small and not light-filled) that are cheaper up on Oak Street in older buildings. Good luck. Chicago is an amazing city. Don’t worry about winter - it’s nasty but the other three months of the year are awesome :)</p>
<p>An enormous thank-you to all who responded to our plea for help in finding an apartment in Chicago. S used The Apartment People, (thank you, curioser!) and he found his apartment the first day. His contract was signed in two days–amazing since we are out-of-state co-signers. I accompanied him and brought (fortunately) enough of the required documentation so that we avoided the fax/notarization formalities DH usually has to perform as the person with the major employment in our family. </p>
<p>He will live in Lincoln Park, a block from the bus stop for his ride by express bus to CCPA. Megan at the Apartment People identified about 15 possibilities after talking to S, but when the first apartment turned out to be an extremely musician-friendly building with thick insulated walls which permit practicing in one’s apartment, she was able to eliminate the buildings she knew had thin walls. S saw seven apartments and condos, and was able to make his choice by early morning the second day. His rent includes all utilities except electricity which is still bought for the building and paid for with the same check as his rent. He was given a monthly amount based on the usage history for his unit, and he will be reimbursed when he uses less. His rent is not the cheapest, but it is still at least $300 less per month for the same rent/utility configuration and for a bigger unit than the amount he paid last year in Westwood, (Los Angeles) CA.</p>
<p>We then spent two days shopping to fit the apartment out with the basics to make it a home to return to in the middle of August. S ordered his bed to be delivered the day after he returns to Chicago for good, and he will order a few pieces of furniture from IKEA. This is his first apartment which will be set up to allow him to have friends over–the last two have been basically bedrooms. He is very excited.</p>
<p>His next issue is whether shipping costs justify shipping his 2-year-old desktop computer.
So any ideas for shipping electronic equipment will be very welcome!</p>
<p>Thanks again for all your suggestions! Chicago is an absolutely fantastic city, and S is looking forward to his new life there!</p>
<p>There is an Ikea in Schaumburg and one in Bolingbrook. They aren’t hard to get to, if you have a car.<br>
CTA is constantly threatening to shut down a number of bus/train lines. Those express buses are always on the chopping block.</p>