Short-term sublet resources for Chicago?
June 5, 2009 10:24 AM Subscribe
Looking for short-term sublet-hunting resources in Chicago. So far I have tried Chicago Improv Network, Craigslist, Chicago Reader Classifieds, and Oodle, with limited success.
I'm doing a five-week improv intensive in July/August and I'm coming from Canada. Aiming for something cheap. So far the best I've come up with is $800 for the last part of July and August, but it's an hour subway away. Ideally it would be near Wrigley Field, which is very near where I'll be doing the course. Thanks!
I'm doing a five-week improv intensive in July/August and I'm coming from Canada. Aiming for something cheap. So far the best I've come up with is $800 for the last part of July and August, but it's an hour subway away. Ideally it would be near Wrigley Field, which is very near where I'll be doing the course. Thanks!
have you looked at the message boards of the local universities? It's quite common for students to take 12-month leases and go home/away for the summer.
University of Chicago
DePaul (probably the closest to where you'll be; sorry, I couldn't find their message board link)
Loyola (again, sorry, no message board link -- I'm at work so I'm not looking too hard)
Columbia College
University of Illinois at Chicago
Roosevelt University
Northwestern
There are others -- these were just the ones that came to mind first.
posted by penchant at 11:46 AM on June 5, 2009
University of Chicago
DePaul (probably the closest to where you'll be; sorry, I couldn't find their message board link)
Loyola (again, sorry, no message board link -- I'm at work so I'm not looking too hard)
Columbia College
University of Illinois at Chicago
Roosevelt University
Northwestern
There are others -- these were just the ones that came to mind first.
posted by penchant at 11:46 AM on June 5, 2009
2nding U of C Marketplace, because although it's not nearby, you will be guaranteed to get a great deal. The quarter is almost over, so people who still don't have subletters are desperate. Find a few places that look good and make an offer (my friend once rented for the entire summer for $200, no kidding, it's a buyer's market).
posted by mai at 12:15 PM on June 5, 2009
posted by mai at 12:15 PM on June 5, 2009
What do you mean by "cheap"? To be honest, $800 would sound relatively reasonable to me, if it were more in a city neighborhood - preferably in the North Side - and not one of the suburbs. I've lived in 1-BR apartments in Ravenswood and Wicker Park (actually the WP apartment was something I'd subletted via Craigslist) for about $825/mo back around 2004-2005, and both places were within a few miles of Wrigley Field. I would certainly hope you could still get something relatively nearby within something of the same price range.
I'd found my Ravenswood apartment via Apartment People, a service that offers to physically take you around to apartments they have listed that meet whatever criteria you set (although they also seem to have an online service, if you won't be coming out until you actually need the apartment). Sure, they work on some sort of commission and will therefore be pushing you to sign with a place so you'd need to be relatively good at standing up for yourself if nothing's panning out, but I can emphatically say the apartment I found through them was the best place I've ever had and I would happily try them again.
Another source I don't yet see mentioned is the classified section of the Chicago Reader - while living there I knew a couple of people who'd rented really awesome places via that.
Personally if I were you I'd be trying to find something more up there in the north side rather than U of C's South Side, but no matter where you end up, Chicago is an awesome city and I hope you have a great summer there.
posted by DingoMutt at 10:29 PM on June 5, 2009
I'd found my Ravenswood apartment via Apartment People, a service that offers to physically take you around to apartments they have listed that meet whatever criteria you set (although they also seem to have an online service, if you won't be coming out until you actually need the apartment). Sure, they work on some sort of commission and will therefore be pushing you to sign with a place so you'd need to be relatively good at standing up for yourself if nothing's panning out, but I can emphatically say the apartment I found through them was the best place I've ever had and I would happily try them again.
Another source I don't yet see mentioned is the classified section of the Chicago Reader - while living there I knew a couple of people who'd rented really awesome places via that.
Personally if I were you I'd be trying to find something more up there in the north side rather than U of C's South Side, but no matter where you end up, Chicago is an awesome city and I hope you have a great summer there.
posted by DingoMutt at 10:29 PM on June 5, 2009
Response by poster: Thanks so much for the suggestions, I think I've got a line on a perfect place!
posted by Idiot Mittens at 1:32 PM on June 6, 2009
posted by Idiot Mittens at 1:32 PM on June 6, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by rachelv at 11:10 AM on June 5, 2009