Chicago, IL

[masgniw]

Anyone have advice for apartment searching from distance? Either in general or specific to Chicago?

Ideally, I'd like my own studio or 1br but it looks like I may need to get a couple roommates. I'm planning to visit once before moving in August but I would have a very short window to meet roommates and look at places.

 

Depends heavily on what school you're going to. U of C? NU downtown or NU Evanston? Loyola?

[everlast_]

The area around Loyola should be okay. I believe it is north Rogers Park that is kinda shady. The closer to the Howard stop, the worse its gets. There should be a lot of students there anyway due to LU.

Thanks Savannah in the world for your reply! I guess I have another question. I am a runner. so where would you suggest a good route to run? （since north part of rogers park sounds not fun, so I am assuming running south toward edgewater is better? actually how's the neighborhood of edgewater?  

can I run follow sheridan Ave??   Thanks a lot! 

[Savannah-in-the-world]

Thanks Savannah in the world for your reply! I guess I have another question. I am a runner. so where would you suggest a good route to run? （since north part of rogers park sounds not fun, so I am assuming running south toward edgewater is better? actually how's the neighborhood of edgewater?  

can I run follow sheridan Ave??   Thanks a lot! 

 

Edgewater is generally okay. Just exercise common sense and you should be fine.

 

That being said, I am not much of a runner. I know that the Lakefront trail is popular, but I don't think it goes that far north.

 

Are you on Reddit? Try https://www.reddit.com/r/RunnersInChicago or http://www.reddit.com/r/chicago. (r/chicago loves to downvote posts like mad, but we are nice people in real life).

[gnarls_barkley]

Depends heavily on what school you're going to. U of C? NU downtown or NU Evanston? Loyola?

 

UIC, but I'm open to living outside that area. ex. along the blue line anywhere or Lakeview area

Edited May 26, 2015 by gnarls_barkley

[masgniw]

UIC, but I'm open to living outside that area. ex. along the blue line anywhere or Lakeview area

I was at UIC for 3 years and I found the commute from south Lincoln Park/north Old Town is super manageable. I went from Sedgwick brown line to the loop and took the pink line to the medical district daily. The train is far more reliable than buses and is basically unaffected by the weather extremes. There are some good deals to be had in that area around Sedgwick if you're willing to hunt them down. I paid 950 for a 1br.

You also get a lot of great stuff in that area like proximity to lake, good eats, and plenty of stuff to see and do. I don't buy into the mentality of a lot of UIC students that you need to live nearby or in WP/UV/BT.

[everlast_]

Edgewater is generally okay. Just exercise common sense and you should be fine.

 

That being said, I am not much of a runner. I know that the Lakefront trail is popular, but I don't think it goes that far north.

 

Are you on Reddit? Try https://www.reddit.com/r/RunnersInChicago or http://www.reddit.com/r/chicago. (r/chicago loves to downvote posts like mad, but we are nice people in real life).

hahaha Thanks for the genuine reply! I ll check it out 

have a great night! 

 

[Sarochan]

I was at UIC for 3 years and I found the commute from south Lincoln Park/north Old Town is super manageable. I went from Sedgwick brown line to the loop and took the pink line to the medical district daily. The train is far more reliable than buses and is basically unaffected by the weather extremes. There are some good deals to be had in that area around Sedgwick if you're willing to hunt them down. I paid 950 for a 1br.

You also get a lot of great stuff in that area like proximity to lake, good eats, and plenty of stuff to see and do. I don't buy into the mentality of a lot of UIC students that you need to live nearby or in WP/UV/BT.

Very useful info, thanks!

[Megs80]

Hi everyone,

 

I have a very nice studio apartment I'm trying to sublet to a responsible and clean person (no smoking indoors) for August, since I'm moving out of state. I feel a little uncomfortable posting the deets for everyone to see on here, so PM me if you're interested. If you're just moving to Chicago, it would be a great way to settle in and check out other apartments/opportunities with no commitment. Or, if you decided you liked my place, you could sign your own lease in Sept. Just let me know!

Edited June 14, 2015 by Megs80

[socgrad]

A studio in Rogers Park/Edgewater is running closer to $800 a month now for units that include heat and water. However, you shouldn't need to spend money on cabs to return home from class or the library after dark if you opt to living within the bounds of Loyola's 8-RIDE service. It doesn't operate in the summer time, but it's stays light fairly late then anyway. The service is for all students, including grad students, and runs fairly late. The winters here can be very brutal, so that's worth considering when looking at how far you want to live from campus too if you'll mostly take public transportation or walk. The wind off the lake creates some dangerous situations in the winter, but on the upside, it's a little cooler up here in the summer for it.

I've seen 2-bedroom apartments for about $1200-1400 right now, but the electricity costs in the summer tend to be higher if you have only window unit air conditioning and want to keep the entire place cool. If you run a window unit in a studio on a low setting nearly every day, you can expect the bill to about double.

The area immediately surrounding the campus is mostly fine, but I'd avoid the Kenmore/Winthrop corridor (especially the pocket right around the Thorndale redline stop). Uptown isn't the worst, but it's well outside the bounds of 8-RIDE and Loyola's campus police. Personally, I completely avoid that neighborhood after dark, particularly in the summer. I've found access to beaches, grocers, restaurants/cafes, and drugstores better around the university than in Uptown.

There are tons of runners in Chicago, and you'll see many students jogging around the campus as well as other residents. It is as safe as doing anything else, but keep in mind that muggings do tend to happen in the early mornings, so it's a good idea to keep your hearing unobstructed.

A few tips:

-Keep your smartphone/tablet away while you're out. These are big targets for muggers as they're valuable and signal that you're distracted. This seems obvious, but I see a lot of Loyola students who've let their guard down. 

-Be careful if you're carrying your wallet or other valuables in a backpack. It's easy for someone to grab an item and exit a train or bus without you even noticing.

-Unless you're taking out the garbage, avoid the alleys completely.

-Get familiar with the area and where places are quickly. You're less a target if you look like you know where you're going.

-Live closer to the main thoroughfares such as Sheridan, Broadway, and Devon if you can. Think Jane Jacobs' "eyes on the street."

-Make friends! It's best if people local to you are aware of your comings and goings.

-Get renters insurance and not just in case of burglaries. A lot of buildings here are very old, and when you have so many people living in such close quarters, all bets are off.

[bugabooo]

Hey everyone! 

Looks like I'll be moving to Chicago to attend Roosevelt University in the fall. I'm from a small rural town, and I already know that I may experience some culture shock. I'm hoping to get this thread to be a little more active, because I need all the help I can get as far as advice, tips, resources, personal experience... anything that could help me out!

I'm looking for a one bedroom apartment-- if it allows small dogs that would be a huge bonus. I'm fine with commuting but hope to keep my commute at an hour or less. I've been trying to learn about the neighborhoods around Chicago, but since it's pretty overwhelming I figured I'd just bump this thread. I'm hoping that my SO will be able to move with me, which depends on whether he can transfer his job to Chicago and if he can find a nearby school to continue his undergrad in Secondary Ed. 

We're visiting Chicago next week so I can tour campus and meet faculty, but we'll have time to explore the area a bit as well. 

Anything at all would be helpful and highly appreciated. Thank you!!

[pax6pax6]

Hey!

I am hoping to revive this thread as well!

I've been accepted for graduate studies at UChicago, and am hoping to find some information about living in and around the university. I'm coming from Canada, so I feel a little intimidated by the moving process and any information would help.

I have looked into the graduate housing at UChicago, and was wondering if anyone here has experience with it. It seems like a good option to me, (close to school, fair rent - at least compared to 1BDRMs in Toronto), but they don't have any photos of the rooms or anything, and it would be useful to get insight from someone who has actually lived there.

Where around UChicago tends to be the most safe? What areas should be avoided?

So, if anyone has advice for an international student about finding a place to stay around UChicago, or general advice about Hyde Park and the University, that would be great!

Edited February 23, 2016 by pax6pax6

[guillaumet]

2 hours ago, pax6pax6 said:

Hey!

I am hoping to revive this thread as well!

I've been accepted for graduate studies at UChicago, and am hoping to find some information about living in and around the university. I'm coming from Canada, so I feel a little intimidated by the moving process and any information would help.

I have looked into the graduate housing at UChicago, and was wondering if anyone here has experience with it. It seems like a good option to me, (close to school, fair rent - at least compared to 1BDRMs in Toronto), but they don't have any photos of the rooms or anything, and it would be useful to get insight from someone who has actually lived there.

Where around UChicago tends to be the most safe? What areas should be avoided?

So, if anyone has advice for an international student about finding a place to stay around UChicago, or general advice about Hyde Park and the University, that would be great!

Hi there –

I lived in UChicago graduate housing for two years and can't speak highly enough about it. Maintenance is always responsive and on-time, and the buildings are mostly charming pre-war apartments with hardwood floors, big windows, and nice "bones." I had a 1,000 sq. ft. walk-up that I would live in for the rest of my life if I could. Plus, it's nice having other grad students living around you (in terms of low noise level, similar work/study hours, etc.).

Personal feelings of safety are, of course, subjective, but conventional wisdom among many UChicago affiliates is that anywhere within the bounds of E. Hyde Park Blvd. (to the north), S. Cottage Grove (to the west), and the Midway (to the south) is completely fine. That said, a lot of people find much cheaper apartments outside of this bubble and would probably suggest you do the same. My wife worked 15 blocks south of the Midway and commuted by herself (walking or by bike) every day. It's comes down to a personal choice about what you are comfortable with.

As you mentioned, UChicago doesn't make photos available of the apartments, so you have to do some sleuthing by googling the address apartment building and seeing if you can't get information from outside (for example, before it was owned by the University, etc.). We lucked out with ours by requesting "pet-friendly," which meant we got hardwood floors.

Outside of UChicago grad housing, many students live in properties leased by Mac Properties (http://www.macapartments.com/), although people sometimes complain about their prices. That said, going through them would be a more "traditional" way of finding in apartment – in that you would be able to see photos of the place before you commit, etc.

Hope this helps!

[savay]

On 2/21/2016 at 4:53 PM, bugabooo said:

Hey everyone! 

Looks like I'll be moving to Chicago to attend Roosevelt University in the fall. I'm from a small rural town, and I already know that I may experience some culture shock. I'm hoping to get this thread to be a little more active, because I need all the help I can get as far as advice, tips, resources, personal experience... anything that could help me out!

I'm looking for a one bedroom apartment-- if it allows small dogs that would be a huge bonus. I'm fine with commuting but hope to keep my commute at an hour or less. I've been trying to learn about the neighborhoods around Chicago, but since it's pretty overwhelming I figured I'd just bump this thread. I'm hoping that my SO will be able to move with me, which depends on whether he can transfer his job to Chicago and if he can find a nearby school to continue his undergrad in Secondary Ed. 

We're visiting Chicago next week so I can tour campus and meet faculty, but we'll have time to explore the area a bit as well. 

Anything at all would be helpful and highly appreciated. Thank you!!

Hey @bugabooo congrats on the Roosevelt acceptance! I'm not sure what kind of budget you're looking at, but you should definitely be able to find a one bedroom less than an hour away. I would recommend looking at the Bridgeport/Pilsen area to start -- it's close to the Red/Orange/Green lines on the CTA which all stop at Roosevelt and in the loop, and are generally very affordable. It's a gentrifying area and like most of Chicago a very segregated area. I lived in Bridgeport my first three years in Chicago and really liked it, it's very residential, neighbors will actually say hello to you on the street, and you can find decent apartments with yards. 

You may also be able to find something in the South Loop/Printers Row area as well, which would allow you to be in walking distance to campus. The neighborhood tends to be more pricey, especially as you approach the loop. You also might be able to find something in University Village or the Near West Side -- this part of town caters to UIC, so I imagine there may be some student friendly priced housing.

You could also search on the North Side as well. Lincoln Park, Lakeview, and even Uptown and Edgewater would get you to campus in under an hour -- if you get an apartment close to the Red line. The North Side tends to be a bit pricier and whiter. I've been living in Uptown for 4 years and am very happy here, but it's generally considered a rougher neighborhood. For the first two years I commuted to the south side every day by train (even further south than Roosevelt) and didn't mind the commute. Lincoln Park and Lakeview are a little too...fancy for me, but the neighborhoods do have a lot of amenities.

Finding pet friendly housing in Chicago is very doable. You may be asked to pay a fee though. I would recommend looking at craigslist, padmapper, and domu for housing searches. There are also some apartment finding services, chicagoapartmentfinders and apartmentpeople. Basic info on chicago neighborhoods: http://www.choosechicago.com/neighborhoods-and-communities/map/ 

I'm happy to help with any questions you may have. Chicago is a great city and I'm really going to miss it.

[pax6pax6]

11 hours ago, guillaumet said:

Hi there –

I lived in UChicago graduate housing for two years and can't speak highly enough about it. Maintenance is always responsive and on-time, and the buildings are mostly charming pre-war apartments with hardwood floors, big windows, and nice "bones." I had a 1,000 sq. ft. walk-up that I would live in for the rest of my life if I could. Plus, it's nice having other grad students living around you (in terms of low noise level, similar work/study hours, etc.).

Personal feelings of safety are, of course, subjective, but conventional wisdom among many UChicago affiliates is that anywhere within the bounds of E. Hyde Park Blvd. (to the north), S. Cottage Grove (to the west), and the Midway (to the south) is completely fine. That said, a lot of people find much cheaper apartments outside of this bubble and would probably suggest you do the same. My wife worked 15 blocks south of the Midway and commuted by herself (walking or by bike) every day. It's comes down to a personal choice about what you are comfortable with.

As you mentioned, UChicago doesn't make photos available of the apartments, so you have to do some sleuthing by googling the address apartment building and seeing if you can't get information from outside (for example, before it was owned by the University, etc.). We lucked out with ours by requesting "pet-friendly," which meant we got hardwood floors.

Outside of UChicago grad housing, many students live in properties leased by Mac Properties (http://www.macapartments.com/), although people sometimes complain about their prices. That said, going through them would be a more "traditional" way of finding in apartment – in that you would be able to see photos of the place before you commit, etc.

Hope this helps!

Hi!

That's super helpful! Finally I've found someone who has actually lived there!

I sent a message to your inbox to ask a few more specific questions if you don't mind taking a look and helping me out.

Thanks!

[beerkatmanor]

Hi all!

I'm looking to attend University of Chicago and would really appreciate any perspectives on university graduate housing. Safety and proximity to the shuttles are my main concerns, price won't be prohibitive. I'm wondering which of these are the "nicest" (i.e. recently renovated) too. Most of the university apts offer street or city permit parking, how difficult is it to actually find a spot close to the building?

I'm limited to pet-friendly options and 1 bedrooms, so I've narrowed it down to:

•  1401 E. Hyde Park Blvd ("Carlson") , 
• 5110 S. Kenwood Ave (Shelbyrne),
•  5301-23 S. Kimbark Ave, and 
• 6052-57 S. Drexel Ave. (906-14 E. 61st St). 

Any stories--positive or horror--about these properties or grad housing in general?

Most of the university apts offer street or city permit parking, how difficult is it to actually find a spot close to the building?

 

Thanks  Reading through the posts here has been really helpful!! Hope everyone is excited about their moves

[Port Lake]

On 2/28/2016 at 9:09 PM, beerkatmanor said:

Any stories--positive or horror--about these properties or grad housing in general?

I'm curious too! Is grad housing heavily oversubscribed, or is there a good chance of getting it (in first year, at least)?

[streetsbehind]

On 2/28/2016 at 3:09 PM, beerkatmanor said:

Hi all!

I'm looking to attend University of Chicago and would really appreciate any perspectives on university graduate housing. Safety and proximity to the shuttles are my main concerns, price won't be prohibitive. I'm wondering which of these are the "nicest" (i.e. recently renovated) too. Most of the university apts offer street or city permit parking, how difficult is it to actually find a spot close to the building?

I'm limited to pet-friendly options and 1 bedrooms, so I've narrowed it down to:

•  1401 E. Hyde Park Blvd ("Carlson") , 
• 5110 S. Kenwood Ave (Shelbyrne),
•  5301-23 S. Kimbark Ave, and 
• 6052-57 S. Drexel Ave. (906-14 E. 61st St). 

Any stories--positive or horror--about these properties or grad housing in general?

Most of the university apts offer street or city permit parking, how difficult is it to actually find a spot close to the building?

 

Thanks  Reading through the posts here has been really helpful!! Hope everyone is excited about their moves

I can't tell you about these buildings specifically, but I can tell you that the area just south of the Midway (like 60th-63rd, so the last on your list) is considered outside the UChicago/Hyde Park bubble, despite it being closer to campus than some of the northern apartments and being included in the UCPD's radius. What that means is that few undergrads take advantage of the area -- rent tends to be much cheaper for nicer/newer buildings and street parking is much easier to come by. The 53rd-51st street zone is much more popular because it has a (mostly unfounded) reputation for being safer and is closer to all the off-campus stuff to do in Hyde Park (restaurants, shops, a "movie theater" etc).

If you live at 61st street you'll feel like you can just run to campus at any time. If you live on 53rd or 51st, you'll have to sort of plan your day around being on campus or off, and do you want to walk or take the shuttle...stuff like that. There are night shuttles all around Hyde Park though, with none of the buildings you listed being better or worse served by the shuttles than any other.

fwiw I'm a UChicago alum, current staff member, and starting in a phd program here in the fall. I wish I could address the specific buildings you mention, but I've lived allllll over HP in the last decade so I figured I could at least throw out what knowledge I do have and hope it helps someone!

[Port Lake]

On 3/3/2016 at 8:27 PM, streetsbehind said:

I can't tell you about these buildings specifically, but I can tell you that the area just south of the Midway (like 60th-63rd, so the last on your list) is considered outside the UChicago/Hyde Park bubble, despite it being closer to campus than some of the northern apartments and being included in the UCPD's radius. What that means is that few undergrads take advantage of the area -- rent tends to be much cheaper for nicer/newer buildings and street parking is much easier to come by. The 53rd-51st street zone is much more popular because it has a (mostly unfounded) reputation for being safer and is closer to all the off-campus stuff to do in Hyde Park (restaurants, shops, a "movie theater" etc).

If you live at 61st street you'll feel like you can just run to campus at any time. If you live on 53rd or 51st, you'll have to sort of plan your day around being on campus or off, and do you want to walk or take the shuttle...stuff like that. There are night shuttles all around Hyde Park though, with none of the buildings you listed being better or worse served by the shuttles than any other.

fwiw I'm a UChicago alum, current staff member, and starting in a phd program here in the fall. I wish I could address the specific buildings you mention, but I've lived allllll over HP in the last decade so I figured I could at least throw out what knowledge I do have and hope it helps someone!

Thank you! I've heard the things like "don't go south of the Midway", but there do seem to be plenty of UChicago buildings and grad housing there. Even the university's apartments there seem a bit more spacious (and cheaper!) than those toward Hyde Park Boulevard. 

The housing allocation system seems a bit strange. There's a box on the application for "special requests" but I'm not really sure what would be a reasonable special request. Anyone have any further insight into the university's grad housing?

Edited March 5, 2016 by Port Lake
clarified question

[Ms000]

Chicago sounds a like a great place. I got accepted at Columbia College Chicago. Anyone here had any views about it? I am still awaiting decisions from others. I am an international student who has never been to the US. Can anyone tell me about life in Chicago please? And also Columbia College and if it's a wise decision to make?

[sylviecerise]

On 3/4/2016 at 10:27 AM, Port Lake said:

Thank you! I've heard the things like "don't go south of the Midway", but there do seem to be plenty of UChicago buildings and grad housing there. Even the university's apartments there seem a bit more spacious (and cheaper!) than those toward Hyde Park Boulevard. 

The housing allocation system seems a bit strange. There's a box on the application for "special requests" but I'm not really sure what would be a reasonable special request. Anyone have any further insight into the university's grad housing?

Hello! I am also a UChicago alum and can clarify a little bit--the conventional wisdom has changed recently to be more "don't go south of 61st." However, there are some nice, cheap options south of 61st and it's fairly safe as long as you keep your city smarts about you. I have a friend who lived in a graduate apartment in the 6051-57 S. Drexel Avenue building and it was super nice and much closer to campus than the other buildings that were listed. I think she paid $800/month for a one bedroom that had separate dining, living, and sun rooms. That said, the area around 51st & Kenwood is really beautiful and is a five minute walk away from the grocery store, close to the campus bus (10 minute commute by bus, 20 minute walk to campus), and is close to the bus and metra if you need to get out of Hyde Park.

[KaffeeCafe]

I'm still going through this thread so sorry if I am repeating anything, but does anyone have any property management companies / complexes etc to avoid ?  Also, how close to move in should I be worried the good places are getting taken ? I will be moving in July, so I'm trying to decide between a short sublet until starting a year lease or looking to get a long-term from the get go.

[vandemataram]

9 hours ago, KaffeeCafe said:

I'm still going through this thread so sorry if I am repeating anything, but does anyone have any property management companies / complexes etc to avoid ?  Also, how close to move in should I be worried the good places are getting taken ? I will be moving in July, so I'm trying to decide between a short sublet until starting a year lease or looking to get a long-term from the get go.

Another UChicago alum/incoming PhD student hopping on this thread...

At least for the Hyde Park area, MAC has a pretty bad reputation. Not sure about the rest of the city, but around HP they're somewhat notorious for not responding to complaints and maintenance requests.

[Gvh]

4 hours ago, vandemataram said:

Another UChicago alum/incoming PhD student hopping on this thread...

At least for the Hyde Park area, MAC has a pretty bad reputation. Not sure about the rest of the city, but around HP they're somewhat notorious for not responding to complaints and maintenance requests.

I heard for the HP area basically all the residential buildings are managed either by UChicago housing or by MAC. If this is true, then it would make sense to go with UChicago housing...? 

[vandemataram]

9 hours ago, Gvh said:

I heard for the HP area basically all the residential buildings are managed either by UChicago housing or by MAC. If this is true, then it would make sense to go with UChicago housing...? 

I lived off-campus for three years under various non-MAC landlords, so there are definitely options beyond those two. But it also sounds like UChicago grad housing is a great option!

[Gvh]

Can anyone attest to the "competitiveness" of the UChicago grad housing? I sat in on the UChicago-run webinar the other day and the people were warning that the grad housing is "super super competitive" and that we should strongly consider other options. This was a little surprising given the deadline to accept the offer of admissions just passed... Is this really the case for people who applied relatively early (e.g. beginning of April)?