Possible Move To Chicago(Land)-Advice?

[MonksMac]

I know there are many topics on this subject already, but not everyone's situations are the same, hence the new topic. Thanks!
Anyways-
My family is thinking about a move to the Chicago area or the surrounding metro-suburb areas. I'm not sure exactly what area we should be looking at. If anybody has any tips, advice, or suggestions for areas we should look at please post them.

 

[leekohler]

I know there are many topics on this subject already, but not everyone's situations are the same, hence the new topic. Thanks!
Anyways-
My family is thinking about a move to the Chicago area or the surrounding metro-suburb areas. I'm not sure exactly what area we should be looking at. If anybody has any tips, advice, or suggestions for areas we should look at please post them.

Do yourself a favor and live in the city. The burbs are NOT cool. Look on the north side, and you should be safe.

 

[Surely]

Do yourself a favor and live in the city. The burbs are NOT cool. Look on the north side, and you should be safe.

When I lived in Chicago, I lived in the Western Suburbs and although they weren't as happening as downtown, they were nice enough. There are some good restaurants, parks, shopping, gyms, movie theatres, etc. Everything you would need. A very good place for a family to live. There are some nice areas in and around the Oakbrook area.

And it was only a 20-25 minute drive downtown.

 

[mak10]

I grew up in the northern suburbs, never had a problem with them. I actually still live there, granted not the same suburb (evanston). Personally I hate it here, not so much because of the city, but because of the weather... I hope you're not coming from somewhere warm cause the winters here are brutal. After 27 years of them I've had enough, trying to find a job somewhere out west where it's not 61 degrees one day and snows the next... like this week, ugh....

 

[samiwas]

While I'm not from Chicago, nor do I live there, take this advice based on Atlanta: Live near where you work. So many people make the deliberate choice to live as far from work as possible, because somehow it gives them the sense that they are separating work and personal life that much more. It's only when they have those 90-minute commutes each way every day that it doesn't seem like such a good idea.

If your (or your parents') job is on the south side of town, don't live on the north side just to be there, unless there is some real compelling reason to do so.

 

[mynamesreallong]

Word of advice, invest in some jackets! I lived there for almost all my life, and love it. But the weather just became too unbearable for me! I lived in the southwest suburbs and my parents still do. Life was at a nice pace there and the city was30-45 min away. Either which way good luck on your future endeavors!

 

[Antares]

Move to the North or Northwest side...the best parts of the city to live in. I'm in the far Northwest side. It's a great area and has some wonderful neighborhoods.... If your family wants to live in the suburbs (quite a bit cheaper), I'd suggest "close suburbs" like Niles, Skokie, Park Ridge, Morton Grove or even Oak Brook...that way, you'll still be close enough to the city. People who live in the farther out suburbs tend to not come into the city as much and really miss out on a lot of things.

 

[leekohler]

When I lived in Chicago, I lived in the Western Suburbs and although they weren't as happening as downtown, they were nice enough. There are some good restaurants, parks, shopping, gyms, movie theatres, etc. Everything you would need. A very good place for a family to live. There are some nice areas in and around the Oakbrook area.

And it was only a 20-25 minute drive downtown.

To each his own. I find the burbs suffocating.

And BTW- you never lived in Chicago if you only lived in the burbs. You lived in the burbs.

To the OP- if you really must do a suburb and have some cash, live in Oak Park. All the old Frank Lloyd Wright houses are there. It's beautiful.

Move to the North or Northwest side...the best parts of the city to live in. I'm in the far Northwest side. It's a great area and has some wonderful neighborhoods....

Agreed. I live in Lincoln Square- fantastic neighborhood with so many good people. Where are you at? You should meet up with me, PlaceofDis and mkrishnan sometime.

 

[patrick0brien]

If you go suburb, be near a Metra station.

If you're looking at Chicago metro, well, you're good to go anywhere (EL, Taxi, Bus, walk...)

 

[MonksMac]

Thanks! There were a lot of nice places mentioned here in this thread. I'm still not sure if we are moving or not though. I checked out some of the house prices in the area- WHOA!! I live in Texas and our house price would probably be almost triple that of what it is here. Also, I wouldn't mind living in the suburban areas, as a matter of fact we used to live there (Downers Grove, IL), but moved when I was young, so I don't remember too much about the area except for the touristy stuff when we went to visit.
Thanks again guys!