We're moving to Chicago! How do we figure out where do we move?
March 30, 2016 10:19 PM Subscribe
My fiancee just got accepted to medical school at UIC (University of Illinois at Chicago), so we're moving there in the next few months. Chicago's a big city, and we need to figure out how to start the apartment search. So...how do we do this? Are there standard questions about our priorities that we can answer in order to narrow down which neighborhood would suit us best?
Questions we can answer:
- We want an easy commute to UIC. The closest, most convenient stop to the main building at UIC is the Polk stop on the Pink line, followed by the Illinois Medical District stop on the blue line.
- We're decently well off and are willing to spend a little more for a place we really love. It doesn't need to be a luxury apartment with an indoor swimming pool, but we do want to enjoy being at home.
- Low crime is important.
- We don't have kids and so the school district can be awful and that's just fine with us. (My understanding is that school quality often correlates with rent and usually correlates with crime, but there are occasionally small areas where crime is low, but schools are bad, and so the rent is comparatively low).
- We value privacy and quiet a lot. I'm not sure how to avoid paper-thin walls and really close quarters with neighbors, especially in a crowded city, but it's something I'd be willing to pay more for if it's possible.
- We're a *little* unsure as to the exact size place we want. In discussing it, it sounds like we want a bedroom (12'x14' [170 sq feet] seems nice) + walk in closet, a second bedroom that we'd use as an office space (12' x 10' [120 sq feet] seems nice), a largish living room [200-400 sq ft], a kitchen, storage space and one bathroom. We're not really sure what that corresponds to in terms of total square footage, nor are we really sure how to determine that.
- We currently own 2 cars.
Stuff that would be helpful:
- A list of additional questions for us to answer to help narrow things down.
- Suggestions on next steps
- Suggestions for the following: I'm really tempted to put out a job posting for a Chicago local to do research for us. But I'm not entirely sure what to hire them to do exactly. What legwork can we reasonably outsource? What do we need to do on our own?
Questions we can answer:
- We want an easy commute to UIC. The closest, most convenient stop to the main building at UIC is the Polk stop on the Pink line, followed by the Illinois Medical District stop on the blue line.
- We're decently well off and are willing to spend a little more for a place we really love. It doesn't need to be a luxury apartment with an indoor swimming pool, but we do want to enjoy being at home.
- Low crime is important.
- We don't have kids and so the school district can be awful and that's just fine with us. (My understanding is that school quality often correlates with rent and usually correlates with crime, but there are occasionally small areas where crime is low, but schools are bad, and so the rent is comparatively low).
- We value privacy and quiet a lot. I'm not sure how to avoid paper-thin walls and really close quarters with neighbors, especially in a crowded city, but it's something I'd be willing to pay more for if it's possible.
- We're a *little* unsure as to the exact size place we want. In discussing it, it sounds like we want a bedroom (12'x14' [170 sq feet] seems nice) + walk in closet, a second bedroom that we'd use as an office space (12' x 10' [120 sq feet] seems nice), a largish living room [200-400 sq ft], a kitchen, storage space and one bathroom. We're not really sure what that corresponds to in terms of total square footage, nor are we really sure how to determine that.
- We currently own 2 cars.
Stuff that would be helpful:
- A list of additional questions for us to answer to help narrow things down.
- Suggestions on next steps
- Suggestions for the following: I'm really tempted to put out a job posting for a Chicago local to do research for us. But I'm not entirely sure what to hire them to do exactly. What legwork can we reasonably outsource? What do we need to do on our own?
What's your budget? Any place that would have spots for two cars will be $$$$. You'll want to downsize to one, or maybe even none depending on what kind of budget you're talking about. I'll suggest Pilsen as a possible neighborhood.
posted by MsMolly at 11:25 PM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by MsMolly at 11:25 PM on March 30, 2016 [2 favorites]
In discussing it, it sounds like we want a bedroom (12'x14' [170 sq feet] seems nice) + walk in closet, a second bedroom that we'd use as an office space (12' x 10' [120 sq feet] seems nice), a largish living room [200-400 sq ft], a kitchen, storage space and one bathroom. We're not really sure what that corresponds to in terms of total square footage, nor are we really sure how to determine that.
This sounds to me like you want something in the 1000 square foot range, give or take 200 square feet. Once you start looking at apartments and have a sense of how much space this is, you can adjust your target up or down as necessary.
Also, I'll second the idea that one of your first steps should probably be to sell at least one of your cars.
posted by Johnny Assay at 4:50 AM on March 31, 2016
This sounds to me like you want something in the 1000 square foot range, give or take 200 square feet. Once you start looking at apartments and have a sense of how much space this is, you can adjust your target up or down as necessary.
Also, I'll second the idea that one of your first steps should probably be to sell at least one of your cars.
posted by Johnny Assay at 4:50 AM on March 31, 2016
Look at Oak Park and even Forest Park along the Blue Line. It's about a fifteen minute commute by el, add in your walk time. Lot's of people live here for access to U of I, Rush and Stroger.
posted by readery at 5:44 AM on March 31, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by readery at 5:44 AM on March 31, 2016 [4 favorites]
I'd also consider looking at the Pilsen neighborhood. I guess it might not fit your low crime definition exactly, but I never had any problems when I lived there. And it's super cheap! A few years ago, the best way to find apartments in Pilsen was to walk around the neighborhood calling the numbers on the FOR RENT signs, since a lot of the landlords weren't super craigslist savvy. Maybe things have changed, but my guess is that's still a good way to find a place.
posted by dis_integration at 5:52 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by dis_integration at 5:52 AM on March 31, 2016
Response by poster: Happy to get rid of the second car, and Pilsen is OK in terms of our crime threshold. It's one of the neighborhoods we saw when we were in town to interview.
posted by sdis at 6:08 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by sdis at 6:08 AM on March 31, 2016
Do you have a sense of budget?
In the meantime, here's a mildly amusing way to look at which Chicago neighborhood you should live in, and you might find the rest of that site interesting.
posted by aramaic at 6:34 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
In the meantime, here's a mildly amusing way to look at which Chicago neighborhood you should live in, and you might find the rest of that site interesting.
posted by aramaic at 6:34 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
I know nothing about Chicago neighborhoods, but if you want privacy and more soundproof walls look at older buildings because their walls are thicker and their ceilings higher.
posted by mareli at 6:46 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by mareli at 6:46 AM on March 31, 2016
University Village (aka Little Italy) is really close and safe. Nice walkable neighborhood and close to trains and downtown. My college student daughter lives there and loves it for convenience, safety and young people vibe. I live in Oak Park, and agree Oak Park and Forest Park are nice and close but not as conveniently close as University village. Rents are about the same. Pilsen is nice, but not as close or safe IMO. And different vibe, some gentrification conflict.
posted by j810c at 7:25 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by j810c at 7:25 AM on March 31, 2016
I'd recommend checking out the South Loop. Lots of new rental properties as well as condos. Very chill, adult vibe but still has stuff to do. I love Pilsen, my niece lives in Pilsen, but I would not recommend Pilsen, based on your main criteria.
University Village is also a good choice, though I find it a little sterile (even mores than the South Loop, which is where I live BTW).
Printer's Row would be excellent as well, and close to the Blue Line CTA.
posted by jeff-o-matic at 7:46 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
University Village is also a good choice, though I find it a little sterile (even mores than the South Loop, which is where I live BTW).
Printer's Row would be excellent as well, and close to the Blue Line CTA.
posted by jeff-o-matic at 7:46 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
Chicago's rental market is normal. Totally normal. You don't need extra deposits or the ability to pay immediately with a credit check in hand when you're looking or super references or anything other than the ability to fill in an application and ultimately pay a deposit. So any apartment finding service or broker or walking around looking at signs should get you what you want.
Don't pay rental on two parking spaces, I would not bother bringing even one car to the city but if you do, don't expect free street parking to be easy in the South Loop or Oak Park (I can't speak to parking in Pilsen anymore or Little Italy). In my experience, the more north you get, the better off you are renting parking for your car (either included in your building or separate).
ALWAYS ask about the heat. If you're required to pay your own heating bill, be sure you get the copy of projected heating costs and try to find out what temperature the prior tenant kept the unit at in the cold months.
I would never ever rent a non-radiator-heated apartment in Chicago (unless the building was less than 20 years old) and regret every day of my life that my condo converted from radiators to forced-air. But that's probably a personal quirk? IME, forced air hearing in the older buildings is awful, doubly so if they converted from radiators in the 80's (generally, all buildings in the city over a dozen units or so switches from heating to cooling on some day in the spring and back again on some day in the fall. Usually this means you'll be too hot for a week or so in the fall.)
For peace and quiet, you'll want either smaller (3-6 flat) with good high ceilings and no shared walls or the really modern high rises built for good soundproofing. You'll also want an apartment on the street next to the street with the bus route, but you don't want to be too far from the bus route. Double & triple check that the ground floor business in the corner apartment building is not a tavern for peace and quiet. Check what's outside the bedroom window. Is it your alley? Think garbage trucks--if only a few small buildings share the alley, you'll probably have only one noisy trash pickup day in a week. If it's a bunch of large buildings, you'll have several.
Get over fearing or hating buses. The buses in Chicago get you everywhere and they are easy to use and with the exception of a few over-burdened routes, reliable, not too shabby and just fine. Rent your place based on proximity to both the train and the buses, as well as a good cab corner or business with a cab stand. Unless you're an Uber-user, then you can ignore whether or not you're near a good cab corner.
Get in-unit laundry if you can. In-building absolutely. Carrying laundry to the laundry mat in zero degree weather really stinks. Make sure there's a Walgreens or similar convenience store within half-a-block for when you run out of milk or toilet paper early on Saturday morning and don't want to have to schlep to your nearest grocery store. In fact, before you make your final rental decision, spend a good chunk of time walking the 2 mile radius of the new place. Note which bars, restaurants, grocery, CTA bus/trains, coffee and other shops are in that radius. If it's not a solid, appealing set of options, I'd keep looking. You will leave the 2-mile radius of your place (for special things like the museums, or to meet friends or because you really love that one restaurant) but it's best to pick a home base that has good stuff handy. Even good transit gets old some times and driving around the city in your recreational time is a quick way to kill all your joy in life.
posted by crush-onastick at 8:11 AM on March 31, 2016 [10 favorites]
Don't pay rental on two parking spaces, I would not bother bringing even one car to the city but if you do, don't expect free street parking to be easy in the South Loop or Oak Park (I can't speak to parking in Pilsen anymore or Little Italy). In my experience, the more north you get, the better off you are renting parking for your car (either included in your building or separate).
ALWAYS ask about the heat. If you're required to pay your own heating bill, be sure you get the copy of projected heating costs and try to find out what temperature the prior tenant kept the unit at in the cold months.
I would never ever rent a non-radiator-heated apartment in Chicago (unless the building was less than 20 years old) and regret every day of my life that my condo converted from radiators to forced-air. But that's probably a personal quirk? IME, forced air hearing in the older buildings is awful, doubly so if they converted from radiators in the 80's (generally, all buildings in the city over a dozen units or so switches from heating to cooling on some day in the spring and back again on some day in the fall. Usually this means you'll be too hot for a week or so in the fall.)
For peace and quiet, you'll want either smaller (3-6 flat) with good high ceilings and no shared walls or the really modern high rises built for good soundproofing. You'll also want an apartment on the street next to the street with the bus route, but you don't want to be too far from the bus route. Double & triple check that the ground floor business in the corner apartment building is not a tavern for peace and quiet. Check what's outside the bedroom window. Is it your alley? Think garbage trucks--if only a few small buildings share the alley, you'll probably have only one noisy trash pickup day in a week. If it's a bunch of large buildings, you'll have several.
Get over fearing or hating buses. The buses in Chicago get you everywhere and they are easy to use and with the exception of a few over-burdened routes, reliable, not too shabby and just fine. Rent your place based on proximity to both the train and the buses, as well as a good cab corner or business with a cab stand. Unless you're an Uber-user, then you can ignore whether or not you're near a good cab corner.
Get in-unit laundry if you can. In-building absolutely. Carrying laundry to the laundry mat in zero degree weather really stinks. Make sure there's a Walgreens or similar convenience store within half-a-block for when you run out of milk or toilet paper early on Saturday morning and don't want to have to schlep to your nearest grocery store. In fact, before you make your final rental decision, spend a good chunk of time walking the 2 mile radius of the new place. Note which bars, restaurants, grocery, CTA bus/trains, coffee and other shops are in that radius. If it's not a solid, appealing set of options, I'd keep looking. You will leave the 2-mile radius of your place (for special things like the museums, or to meet friends or because you really love that one restaurant) but it's best to pick a home base that has good stuff handy. Even good transit gets old some times and driving around the city in your recreational time is a quick way to kill all your joy in life.
posted by crush-onastick at 8:11 AM on March 31, 2016 [10 favorites]
Check out studentdoctor.net for the scuttlebutt from actual UIC students and residents on where people live.
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 8:24 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 8:24 AM on March 31, 2016
Another vote for Pilsen. Street parking in Pilsen is incredibly easy, free, and does not require permits to park along w 18th Street, for example. Lots of art and great Mexican food there too, I recommend Los Comales.
posted by ball00000ns at 8:31 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by ball00000ns at 8:31 AM on March 31, 2016
I like to imagine apartments as falling on three axes: amenities/size, location, and price. If you want a huge apartment with all the bells and whistles (we're talking in-unit washer/dryer, not indoor swimming pool), you're gonna have to shell out and/or live somewhere less than ideal.
Since you seem up in the air about all three of these variables, I would suggest sitting down with Craigslist and just getting yourself acquainted with the market. It sounds like you've got a few neighborhood candidates, so how much do you have to pay to get a really great place in Pilsen vs. Oak Park vs. South Loop? I think you'll discover pretty quickly what you consider to be a good deal vs. a bad deal.
Chicago apartments don't really advertise square footage, but here are some other tangible amenities you should form an opinion about, which should help narrow your options:
central heat/AC vs. radiator
outdoor space (individual or communal porch/deck/yard) vs. lackthereof
parking situation (garage, private space, ease of street parking)
in-unit washer/dryer vs. communal laundry room
dishwasher
kitchen location (a lot of older buildings hide the kitchen away in the back of the unit, which is a bummer if you cook a lot)
pets allowed (if applicable)
I would never ever rent a non-radiator-heated apartment in Chicago
Wow, I actually avoid radiator-heated apartments like the plague. You have no control over the temperature, and the radiators themselves are often noisy. And then what do you do for AC? See, clearly this is an issue people have very serious opinions about!
posted by gueneverey at 8:32 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
Since you seem up in the air about all three of these variables, I would suggest sitting down with Craigslist and just getting yourself acquainted with the market. It sounds like you've got a few neighborhood candidates, so how much do you have to pay to get a really great place in Pilsen vs. Oak Park vs. South Loop? I think you'll discover pretty quickly what you consider to be a good deal vs. a bad deal.
Chicago apartments don't really advertise square footage, but here are some other tangible amenities you should form an opinion about, which should help narrow your options:
central heat/AC vs. radiator
outdoor space (individual or communal porch/deck/yard) vs. lackthereof
parking situation (garage, private space, ease of street parking)
in-unit washer/dryer vs. communal laundry room
dishwasher
kitchen location (a lot of older buildings hide the kitchen away in the back of the unit, which is a bummer if you cook a lot)
pets allowed (if applicable)
I would never ever rent a non-radiator-heated apartment in Chicago
Wow, I actually avoid radiator-heated apartments like the plague. You have no control over the temperature, and the radiators themselves are often noisy. And then what do you do for AC? See, clearly this is an issue people have very serious opinions about!
posted by gueneverey at 8:32 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
My girlfriend is a first year med student at UIC, and we moved out here last August, so I can relate. We came out to look at places last summer, and relied on realtors to give us a sense of the different neighborhoods (and the neighborhoods are really different--it's one of the things Chicagoans always tell you is particular to their city: you can notice a change in neighborhood from one block to the next). Once we scouted out a few places, we decided we liked Lakeview, even though it's not at all close to the UIC campus. I was a little worried the commute might be too much, but she doesn't seem to mind it (except when the pink line shuts down because of a fire).
We have a car, but don't rely on it often, and park it on the street. If you find a place that offers parking, especially if one of you will be using the car to commute (and you can afford it), that would likely be preferable.
We didn't like most of the apartments that the realtors showed us, unfortunately, and ended up finding our place on Radpad or Zillow, but it was nice to have someone give us an idea of what the city was like. Our current apartment sounds much like what you're looking for, so I can assure you there are lots of places like it. We have our bedroom, and she uses the second bedroom as an office. We moved from DC, and we pay less currently for more space.
Welcome to Chicago! Congratulations to your fiancee! If you have any more specific questions, I'd be happy to share my experience.
posted by wpgr at 9:26 AM on March 31, 2016
We have a car, but don't rely on it often, and park it on the street. If you find a place that offers parking, especially if one of you will be using the car to commute (and you can afford it), that would likely be preferable.
We didn't like most of the apartments that the realtors showed us, unfortunately, and ended up finding our place on Radpad or Zillow, but it was nice to have someone give us an idea of what the city was like. Our current apartment sounds much like what you're looking for, so I can assure you there are lots of places like it. We have our bedroom, and she uses the second bedroom as an office. We moved from DC, and we pay less currently for more space.
Welcome to Chicago! Congratulations to your fiancee! If you have any more specific questions, I'd be happy to share my experience.
posted by wpgr at 9:26 AM on March 31, 2016
Are you also commuting to UIC, or will you need to take a commute elsewhere into account?
posted by andrewesque at 9:46 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by andrewesque at 9:46 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: @andrewesque: I'm working from home.
@crushonastick: Can you expand a bit on why you wouldn't recommend Pilsen?
posted by sdis at 11:10 AM on March 31, 2016
@crushonastick: Can you expand a bit on why you wouldn't recommend Pilsen?
posted by sdis at 11:10 AM on March 31, 2016
jeff-o-matic would not recommend Pilsen. I last rented in Pilsen in the early 90s and my experience there is likely no longer relevant,
posted by crush-onastick at 11:33 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by crush-onastick at 11:33 AM on March 31, 2016
- A list of additional questions for us to answer to help narrow things down.
Here's one: are you an interracial couple?
We aren't, but knew other couples who were. And apparently this matters a lot. Hyde Park was OK, and someplace up north, I think Rogers Park? And that was it.
I don't know why Pilsen wasn't on their list, and it's possible that the restrictions were child-related. We left Chicago in 2003. Maybe things have changed? But it's the kind of thing you always think should have changed, and then it doesn't.
posted by feral_goldfish at 11:56 AM on March 31, 2016
Here's one: are you an interracial couple?
We aren't, but knew other couples who were. And apparently this matters a lot. Hyde Park was OK, and someplace up north, I think Rogers Park? And that was it.
I don't know why Pilsen wasn't on their list, and it's possible that the restrictions were child-related. We left Chicago in 2003. Maybe things have changed? But it's the kind of thing you always think should have changed, and then it doesn't.
posted by feral_goldfish at 11:56 AM on March 31, 2016
Response by poster: Whoops. Yeah, @jeff-o-matic: Can you expand a bit on why you wouldn't recommend Pilsen?
@feral_goldfish: We're hispanic+white - does that count in terms of it mattering?
posted by sdis at 12:02 PM on March 31, 2016
@feral_goldfish: We're hispanic+white - does that count in terms of it mattering?
posted by sdis at 12:02 PM on March 31, 2016
Datapoint: my extended family in the city (Lakeview, Humboldt Park, West Town) has a number of Hispanic + Caucasian families and there are several multi-ethnic multi-racial families on my block in Lakeview. The neighbors may not be as candid as my family but I've not heard of any real issues, nor from my bi-racial or mult-ethnic family friends up in Lincoln Square.
posted by crush-onastick at 12:14 PM on March 31, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by crush-onastick at 12:14 PM on March 31, 2016 [2 favorites]
Pilsen and the South Loop are about as different as you can get, so maybe your sense of which would appeal would be telling.
Pilsen is a working-class Mexican neighborhood that has been gentrifying with artists and non-rich professionals for a while, but still has lots of tacos, rats, noise, and a small amount of crime. There are good bars and restaurants of the "authentic" as well as yuppie variety. It has transit options (notably the Pink line) but not at the end where the nicer apartments are.
The South Loop is mostly sterile condo buildings with almost exclusively professional types of all races (which is actually rare in Chicago). Most apartments are clean and quiet, and parking is usually in heated, covered garages that come with your rental or can be rented for a bit extra. The price of rental apartment is probably at least $200-$500/month more than Pilsen. It's super convenient to transit (though not the best for the Pink or Blue lines) and groceries/conveniences, but has a limited number of restaurants and no "authentic" anything because there is no residential history to the neighborhood to speak of.
Which of those sounds more like you/your fiance?
posted by bluedeans at 12:17 PM on March 31, 2016
Pilsen is a working-class Mexican neighborhood that has been gentrifying with artists and non-rich professionals for a while, but still has lots of tacos, rats, noise, and a small amount of crime. There are good bars and restaurants of the "authentic" as well as yuppie variety. It has transit options (notably the Pink line) but not at the end where the nicer apartments are.
The South Loop is mostly sterile condo buildings with almost exclusively professional types of all races (which is actually rare in Chicago). Most apartments are clean and quiet, and parking is usually in heated, covered garages that come with your rental or can be rented for a bit extra. The price of rental apartment is probably at least $200-$500/month more than Pilsen. It's super convenient to transit (though not the best for the Pink or Blue lines) and groceries/conveniences, but has a limited number of restaurants and no "authentic" anything because there is no residential history to the neighborhood to speak of.
Which of those sounds more like you/your fiance?
posted by bluedeans at 12:17 PM on March 31, 2016
I live in University Village and like it. You want to look for University Village proper, not what realtors like to call University Village. It stretches to about Roosevelt on the north, 15th street on the south, Morgan on the west and Emerald on the east.
It's very quiet for being so close to downtown. There's not a lot of noise and the grounds are well kept. There are many places that are on parkways, so you don't have cars driving in front of your house all day. I've lived in both a townhouse and a condo in University Village and both had fairly solid walls. I can sometimes hear neighbors, but not often.
If you need parking for two cars, I'd recommend a townhouse, since most of them have two car garages. You can park on the street though as there's permit parking and it's easy to find a spot.
I own, but from what I have seen, rents are about as follows:
1/1 - $1500
2/2 - $1800
Townhouse - $3,000
I would avoid Pilsen, especially west Pilsen. It's not a very quiet area and the crime on the west side is enough to keep me from ever walking around there. The east side of Pilsen is nicer with lots of art studios and some trendy restaurants and concert venues.
posted by parakeetdog at 12:55 PM on March 31, 2016
It's very quiet for being so close to downtown. There's not a lot of noise and the grounds are well kept. There are many places that are on parkways, so you don't have cars driving in front of your house all day. I've lived in both a townhouse and a condo in University Village and both had fairly solid walls. I can sometimes hear neighbors, but not often.
If you need parking for two cars, I'd recommend a townhouse, since most of them have two car garages. You can park on the street though as there's permit parking and it's easy to find a spot.
I own, but from what I have seen, rents are about as follows:
1/1 - $1500
2/2 - $1800
Townhouse - $3,000
I would avoid Pilsen, especially west Pilsen. It's not a very quiet area and the crime on the west side is enough to keep me from ever walking around there. The east side of Pilsen is nicer with lots of art studios and some trendy restaurants and concert venues.
posted by parakeetdog at 12:55 PM on March 31, 2016
We're hispanic+white - does that count in terms of it mattering?
I really don't have any intuition here. To me, what crush-onastick says sounds totally what I would expect; but race in Chicago was always stranger and more robust than I expected.
The rule as I remember applied to couples who were black/white. And surely it must have been an issue only if you had kids? I'll check with mrs_goldfish. (If you know other couples in your situation, you might do a quick check-in, and then if they find your question bizarre, you can blame some stranger on the internet.)
posted by feral_goldfish at 1:00 PM on March 31, 2016
I really don't have any intuition here. To me, what crush-onastick says sounds totally what I would expect; but race in Chicago was always stranger and more robust than I expected.
The rule as I remember applied to couples who were black/white. And surely it must have been an issue only if you had kids? I'll check with mrs_goldfish. (If you know other couples in your situation, you might do a quick check-in, and then if they find your question bizarre, you can blame some stranger on the internet.)
posted by feral_goldfish at 1:00 PM on March 31, 2016
Just discussed with mrs_goldfish:
-this particular racial situation probably doesn't much affect people in your class position.
-your time frame is limited (medical school), and therefore you'll find many more integrated neighborhoods. Neighborhoods in Chicago tend to be temporarily integrated during periods of transition, e.g. Lakeview used to be like this. Rogers Park and Hyde Park (possibly expanded by now to Kenwood and parts of South Shore) are unusual in that they are longterm integrated.
Apologies for alarmism!
posted by feral_goldfish at 1:43 PM on March 31, 2016
-this particular racial situation probably doesn't much affect people in your class position.
-your time frame is limited (medical school), and therefore you'll find many more integrated neighborhoods. Neighborhoods in Chicago tend to be temporarily integrated during periods of transition, e.g. Lakeview used to be like this. Rogers Park and Hyde Park (possibly expanded by now to Kenwood and parts of South Shore) are unusual in that they are longterm integrated.
Apologies for alarmism!
posted by feral_goldfish at 1:43 PM on March 31, 2016
Response by poster: Does East Pilsen not really meet our needs, commute-wise?
posted by sdis at 2:26 PM on March 31, 2016
posted by sdis at 2:26 PM on March 31, 2016
East Pilsen would be an easy commute to UIC proper, slightly less so to UIC med school, depending on how close you are to Halsted.
posted by me3dia at 2:53 PM on March 31, 2016
posted by me3dia at 2:53 PM on March 31, 2016
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You can schedule an appointment and someone will go over all of your needs and then drive you around in one day to see a lot of different places. I had great luck with Apartment People. I've heard less than stellar things about their competitor Chicago Apartment Finders. They'll also do remote searches for you if you need to find something before getting there.
posted by Arbac at 10:50 PM on March 30, 2016 [1 favorite]