chicago
- Thread starter cyson
- Start date
All are pretty safe, I think, I would say Lincoln Park is the safest, then Lakeview, then Wicker Park. Wicker Park used to be a bad neighborhood, but now is a more artsy community. I haven't priced Wicker Park, but the other 2 are not cheap, but have gotten a lot better with the economy down. I would say part of your decision is based on where she is working and what she wants to be close to.
All are pretty much the same when looking at safety.
Prices can vary in within those areas, but right now LincP is generally going to be the most expensive and the other two about equal. The farther north/west she goes, the less she'll pay. Some alternatives could be Roscoe Village and Bucktown if the money becomes a factor.
Scour Craigslist for places to live. You'll get both individual owners and property companies listing there. There are a ton of 'Apartment Finding' companies and they can be useful, but realize that these companies have relationships with certain property managers and will steer you towards properties they'll make the most commission on.
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Not necessarily. Nobody is buying so the rental market is flooded with demand. We are moving out of our place and the leasing agent told me they got 20% more on the monthly rent. Out of the approx 10 showings they had, 5 gave applications. This was all wrapped up in 3 days.
To answer the OP's question, I have felt like Wicker Park is considerably less safer than the other two. It's very nice, trendy etc but it's less established than LP and Lakeview. My friends that live in this area have had break-ins to their houses and cars. One was mugged. I haven't had that happen to anyone I know in the other areas. It's a cool neighborhood but it's a little more sketchy in my experience here.
Any neighborhood can be dangerous if you drunk and walking home at 2am. Make sure she knows to cab it home if she's out late. I live in a neighborhood just north of Lakeview and I have never felt unsafe.
Tell her to have fun. Summer in Chicago is as good as it gets, IMO.
This was my experience in Lakeview/Lincoln Park a year or 2 ago. It could be that it has changed, but there were a lot of places for rent. Not saying they were cheap, but they were down a little from previously I thought.
Personally, I would also agree with your comment on WP. It is more artsy in nature and more recently was an iffy neighborhood. I wouldln't choose to live there over the other two. Lincoln Park is great and Lakeview is pretty safe overall, although as you get closer to Uptown, I think there may be more issues. Are you in uptown? Is it getting better? I love the location, but still some issues as you get north.
I didn't really discuss the whole statement you made here and thought about it a bit. I know buying prices are down, so I wonder if overall renting became more of an option (as you basically said) and this is now starting to drive prices down for buyers. I found a really good rental deal, but it was a special case. I just saw a ton of places available, but this was 1 -1.5 years ago and I think I assumed it had just gotten worse.
I moved here two years ago and it was definitely a better market for a renter. Our guy had this place open for three weeks before we came and took it, and a much less rent than what he's getting now.
I live in North Center. If you go SE you are in West Lakeview, S/SW is Roscoe. We are in walking distance to the restaurant/bar strip in Lincoln Square. Great neighborhood. If you have a family or are thinking about having one soon, it's a great place for kids with all the benefits of the city lifestyle.
Ah cool. Yeah, I haven't kept up with the market specifically the past year or so. Ah, so you are further west then. Uptown is straight north of Lakeview and has some troubles. Where you are is a nice place for families.
I grew up in Lakeview, but went to school on the NW side so I know a lot of those areas.
