Chicagoians

RNbock2

So, we will be (hopefully) moving back to the Chicago-land area around this time next year. DH is going to start looking for a job now, he finishes his chief year at the beginning of July. He wants to potentially work at Lutheran General hospital. What area's near there do you recommend? We will probably rent at first, until we save enough for a down payment. Needs to have a good school district.

rp-chicago-mom

Are you looking to be in the city proper or the burbs? I don't know where Lutheran General is.

Cheerilee

Baker_Bride said:

Are you looking to be in the city proper or the burbs? I don't know where Lutheran General is.

When I say "city proper" no one knows what I'm talking about! Thank you for making me feel like I didn't make it up.

RNbock2

Dh wants to live in the city, and I want to live in the burbs. We lived in Lincoln Square for a couple of years, and loved it. But, I just can't imagine living there with kids, ya know? Plus, the city schools aren't great.

RNbock2

Sharona1700 said:

Evanston is not too far away, less than 30 min. It feels a little like the city but with better schools

We lived in Rogers park for awhile, and really like Evanston. I hear it is very pricey. Is it reasonable that you know of?

Maizey06

Evanston is nice but pricey.  I think property taxes are pretty high there  but that will not matter if you are renting.  Park Ridge is really nice.  I know people like Arlington Heights and Glenview but not sure about the pricey part of it.

I love Lincoln Square.  It is really family oriented there but of course you will not be able to get the space you can get in the suburbs.

rp-chicago-mom

RNbock2 said:

Dh wants to live in the city, and I want to live in the burbs. We lived in Lincoln Square for a couple of years, and loved it. But, I just can't imagine living there with kids, ya know? Plus, the city schools aren't great.

That's funny. I can't imagine living in the burbs with kids but it's a different strokes thing, I guess. Ravenswood Manor is pretty amazing and near Lincoln Square but I am terrified of CPS. Rahm has effed it up so badly and I don't see how it will ever be fixed. I just had a woman cut my hair who had been a kindergarten teacher and just left because she was that fed up. My niece got into a school that was supposed to be getting better but they couldn't tell her who her kindergarten teacher because there were three and they didn't know which of them was going to get fired yet. 

We lived in RP and when I think of moving back, that's where I want to be. But, I have seen houses and condos in Evanston for pretty reasonable prices. Especially if you're open to being a little further west, like near Ridge. Orrington is a really good school. I taught at an awesome preschool up there and it was cheaper than anywhere comparable in the city so you save there even if you pay more in prop taxes. I think if I had to live in the burbs, Evanston is the only one I would consider because it is still on the CTA and near the lake. It's walkable and has amazing parks. For in the city, I think the only thing that MIGHT be ok is a part of the city with a good neighborhood school. And even then, they're taking away a large portion of the arts programs from even the neighborhood schools. It is a hot mess and I voted for the guy. Stay away from uptown. It's "gentrifying" but they just keep having shooting. I think three in the last week alone. 

Edited and it still sucks. 

rp-chicago-mom

Oh and my sister really wants to move to Wilmette and she says the prop taxes are lower than Evanston. it's just up the Purple line from Evanston so still on the CTA. If you go west of Green Bay, she says there are reasonable houses. 

Sorry for all the run-ons! I just can't help myself. 

rp-chicago-mom

One more, I did like Park Ridge this one time we took an abandoned bunny to this animal rehabilitationist (please don't ask. I have a lot of run-ins with animals). I wouldn't want to live there because I am a city person but it had nice restaurants and nice places to walk and all the things a family might want. 

Don't kill me for bombarding your post! I am obsessing over where to raise Howell now that CPS is dissolving into mush. 

Maizey06

BAKER - your post about Uptown cracked me up. DH feel stuck in Uptown with our condo we have had for 8 years. The neighborhood is in an awesome location with horrible crime.

I think the CPS situation sucks and we do not know what to do.

rp-chicago-mom

Maizey06 said:

BAKER - your post about Uptown cracked me up. DH feel stuck in Uptown with our condo we have had for 8 years. The neighborhood is in an awesome location with horrible crime. I think the CPS situation sucks and we do not know what to do.

I'd live in Buena Park happily or up by Argyle (hello, Sun Wah!). It's really just Wilson and Broadway that just won't get better. And I love Fat Cat. I could live off Lawrence. You just have to be careful, I think. Rogers Park is the same. I just know it so much better and know where the dodgy areas are. 

MoFree

I've been away from Chicago for 3 1/2 years but we loved living in Wicker Park. Although there are many families raising children there, we probably would have moved with a school aged child. Or we would have considered private school.

We have friends in Evanston but they live in the high rent area. We would have looked there and in Wilmette as our first choices. Both towns are on the Purple Line and have wonderful town beaches. If diversity is important to you, there is no better place than Evanston. There is a great downtown area with interesting stores and good restaurants, loads of community activities and overall a great place to live.