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Finding an apartment in Chicago doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Sure, the market’s competitive, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a great unit out there, waiting to become your new home. The key is strategy — knowing when to look for apartments in Chicago and using a systematic plan to find one. To guide you in your quest for the perfect next place, here are our top tips for finding an apartment in Chicago:
It’s no secret that living in cities is more expensive than living in the country or suburbs. Housing costs are greater. Taxes are higher, as are insurance rates, food prices, schools and daycare. You rarely pay for parking outside of urban environments. City entertainment options bring with them the temptation to, well, buy tickets.
Diverse and full of opportunity, Chicago is a natural draw for creatives and corporate types alike. Many young professionals heed the siren call of companies across the breadth of industry that are headquartered in the city, such as Boeing, Exelon, Dyson, Conagra Brands, insurance giant One Republic International and McDonald’s. So, too, are health care professionals, academics and artists of all types drawn to ply their trades in a town exploding with the synergistic energy of so many reaching their time and their turn.
Apartment hunting in Chicago can be a contact sport. Prospective renters have to be ready to move quickly for prime spaces — especially in the May-through-August peak season, when roughly as many leases are signed as in the other eight months of the year.
Living in Chicago can be an amazing experience, replete with all the opportunities and events afforded by life in a first-class city. But parking can be a hassle.
Living in Chicago, done well, is a rich experience. But availing yourself of its diverse culture, food, activities, nightlife and people need not require a rich person’s budget. Smart hunters can still land a residence in some of Chicago’s most desirable neighborhoods for a relative bargain.
Even though the wind is howling and you’re always one good storm away from never forgetting the term “lake effect snow,” winter in Chicago offers a host of wonders, indoors and out. There are too many to choose from, but here are 15 favorite things to do in a Chicago winter.
A map doesn’t define Chicago so much as a mosaic. There are unique textures and colors everywhere, and when you’re apartment hunting, the spot that catches your eye probably says more about who you are than it does about how many bedrooms you need.
With recreation, nightlife, sports, food, art, walkable neighborhoods and short commutes, Chicago is a beacon in the Midwest. Find out how much it costs to live in Chicago and how to jump-start your apartment search to get a pad with your top desired amenities in a neighborhood you love to call home.
