Moving to Chicago?
Without a doubt, your first move is to get a copy of this week’s
Chicago Reader or click here for the Chicago
Reader on-line classifieds. Any reasonably
priced, well located apartment in Chicago that’s listed for rent
is listed in the Reader. The Sunday Chicago Tribune and New City are
other not-as-good options.
Craig's List is another great option
for finding apartments, sublets and roommates. www.chicago.craigslist.org
Your best apartment
hunting strategy may be to tour the neighborhoods and then, once you've
picked one, walk it looking for "For Rent" signs in doorways. (Many
landlords in good buildings don’t bother with classified ads.)
In Chicago, apartment finder services
are another great, convenient way to find an apartment, especially
from afar. Landlords pay their commission
so there's no cost to you for looking. Contact Maurice Ortiz or Amber
Neely at the Apartment People at 773-248-8800 or click on www.apartmentpeople.com
for more information.
If you have any other questions, please
don’t hesitate to call the School office for help.
Here’s a guide
to some of the neighborhoods frequently listed in the paper in descending
order of price: (Zip codes follow each listing for help with Reader
online search.)
Gold Coast/Rush Street/Streeterville
As the name would indicate, expensive. Not necessarily
most desirable, however, unless you want to live in high priced shoebox
admist Prada clad condo owners and bar hopping surburban kids. (60611)
Lincoln Park/Old Town
Great places in nice buildings mean a lot of
ads promise Lincoln Park; few deliver. Because Liincoln Park is only
the sliver of neighborhood alongside the Park, "near Lincoln Park"
usually means "nowhere near Lincoln Park." Extraordinarily yupscale.
(60614)
DePaul
Gentrification and high real estate prices has
made my favorite neighborhood increasingly renter unfriendly. For
sure, buy a townhouse here once you make Executive Vice President.
(60614)
Bucktown
West of DePaul, this neighborhood probably has
the most to offer in terms of twenty something shopping, bars and
food. (MTV's "Real World" lived on North Ave in Bucktown.)
Transportation is slightly more difficult if the Milwaukee Ave bus
is only option. (60647)
Wicker Park
Keep going west and slightly south of Bucktown
and you'll find the incredible gentrification of the Wicker Park neighborhood.
Trendy shops and restaurants along Division Street have moved the
bodegas and used tires stores further west. Rent is definitely less
than above neighborhoods but is rising quickly. (60622)
Wrigleyville
Cheap eats and nice places in sporty neighborhood.
Male to female ratio 3:1 and even higher in neighborhood’s many
bars. Saturday night keg parties abound on back porches during warm
weather. Southport Street corridor, north of Addison, nicest part.
(60613/60657)
Printer’s Row/
South Michigan Ave.
Mostly loft living in downtown location. Great
close-in location but not much activity at night. Grocery stores and
other neighborhood amenities at a premium. Need a car. (60603/04/05/60661)
Lakeview/Halsted St.
(Boys Town)
Lakeview is all encompassing name for anything
North of Diversey and West of the Park. Includes tall Sheridan Road
"bubbe" buildings as well as small brownstones. Belmont Harbor home
to some of the few dog buildings in Chicago but not a good neighborhood
for man’s other best friend, the car. (60657/60618)
Hyde Park
Home to University of Chicago (voted the most
boring college campus in the U.S. - ranked lower than even military
academies and Bob Jones University). What’s more, it’s too
far; not worth it; don’t even think about it. (60637/60615)
East Rogers Park/Pilsen/Andersonville
(Grrls Town)
OK neighborhoods, more reasonable rents but further
out (30-40 minutes to School by "el.")
Evanston/Oak Park
The only suburbs worth considering based on availability
of places, rent, proximity to city, "el" stops, and overall ambiance.
