Renters?

[beastiegirrl101]

Do you rent or own?

I moved out when I was 22 to Lincoln Park and my rent was $300.00 not including anything. Super cheap but my roommate's aunt was the landlord so she was hooking it up. 6 months later moved to Ukrainian Village and for the next 4 years my rent went from $700-$800.00, utilities not included. Lived for a year rent free...I was house sitting....then last October I moved to Wicker Park where I currently pay $1100.00-everything included, even parking AND it's killing me. I'm not really able to save and I have a roommate who is not considerate.

I signed a lease yesterday for my OWN place, cheaper rent but not that much but it's mine and I'm thrilled.

Chicago isn't as bad as other major cities as far as rent goes and there are some great places for cheap, you just have to know where to look. I'm curious to know where you live and how much you pay for rent, are your utilities included? Do you have cable? Land line, or do you use your cell?

Moving stinks.

[hpdrifter]

Around here you can expect to pay around $1000 for a one bedroom. You can find cheaper but, like you said, you have to know where to look and be willing to share a place. Chances are this doesn't include any of the extras (parking, water/sewer/garbage, other utilities). And may or may not include a washer/dryer in the unit.

I own my house now and my mortgage is more than twice that. Sometimes I wish I were still renting.

[Bob]

$700 for one room in a 4 bedroom. it was cool at first because the roommates all had different schedules and were almost never here at the same time and were cool to just kind of do their own thing and let me do mine, but they've all rotated out and the new ones are kind of, well, i don't like using this word in general, but, cunts

i'm pretty tired of having roommates but you can't find a decent one bedroom in boston or the surrounding area for less than maybe $1200 or so and i can't really afford that

[Dorothy Wood]

I live in a 3 bedroom with two roommates. It's a big place, 1600 sq.ft., large bedrooms, eat in kitchen, big bathroom (unfortunately only one), lots of windows, exposed brick, back porch, yard. $1360/month

[mickill]

Our first place was a little 650 sq.ft. apartment downtown we rented for about $900/mo. That was over 10 years ago. Our mortgage on our house now is about $1200/mo.

If you can do it, owning's where it's at.

[jabumbo]

prices around here are pretty low compared to most cities. the most i ever paid per month for an apartment was $433 + gas/electric, and that was a grossly overpriced places near campus. i guess they could do whatever they wanted though, because it was the only apartment i stayed in that didnt look like it was going to collapse at any given moment.

[Nuzzolese]

beastiegirrl101 those prices are awesome! Well, except for the Wicker Park place. I had no idea prices in Chicago, in those neighborhoods, could be so cheap! But then, like you said, someone you knew was hooking you up with a deal?

I've glanced at the price ranges for a few places in Chicago. I've often thought about moving up there, and especially now that my bf's thinking about grad schools there; and since I'm already a state university employee maybe I could get transferred to the U of I there. But I always assumed it was just going to be so expensive!

I rent 500 a month which includes water and heat. It's small but safe and has nice high ceilings and hard floors. The parking lot does have sink holes sometimes, and the building's main hall - usually sprinkled with kitty litter and dead spiders- has a varying range of smells; sometimes it's ashtray, sometimes it's tuna, sometimes it's burned cooking oil. Once a month it's bleach.

[beastiegirrl101]

I found my last 2 places on Craigslist...but prior to that I was just driving around. My girlfriend in NY just moved to a new place and her HALF of the rent is $2200.00...um, what?

The place I am moving to is a 1 bed / 1 bath 3rd floor front unit so there is tons of natural light, exposed brick, hardwood floors, marble bath....newer appliances...it's really nice, a little further south than I'd like to be but it was either this or move home, I chose sanity.

My advice would be is to drive around, let me know if you need help!

[Nuzzolese]

I can't get over $300 for a place in Lincoln Park. That is blowing my mind. What do you mean by the landlady hooking you up? Was 300 just your half of the rent? Wait, was it a studio basement with one of those beds that folds down from the wall? Was the apartment located in the zoo?

I did try driving around once but I got so depressed over the places I couldn't afford, and so terrified of the places I could, that I just gave up.

[HEIRESS]

I live in the most expensive province in Canada.

Our prices in my city are getting more and more similar to vancouver prices, and it sucks major ass.

I pay 750/mnth for a 750 sq foot basement suite that's in the downtown district (which isn't saying much in a city of pop. ~90,000), in-suite laundry and all inclusive including full cable/internet. I use my cell phone.
Ive been her for 2 yrs though so if I left im pretty sure my land-lord would jack the price up to atleast 900 or 950. easily.

I can't even afford to buy a 1 bedroom apartment around her as of now, No way I can afford 12-1300/month mortgage plus pay my land taxes/my own utilities/strata fee
I refuse to buy a home/apartment and be forced into having a roommate(s) just to make ends meet either.

I have an urge to move to Montreal where my fiance is because I could own the cutest apartment ever in a divine old brownstone right near downtown for around 200,000.
it's such a dirt cheap metropolis, I love it.
The job market there would rape me though because I can't speak french well.

[beastiegirrl101]

I can't get over $300 for a place in Lincoln Park. That is blowing my mind. What do you mean by the landlady hooking you up? Was 300 just your half of the rent? Wait, was it a studio basement with one of those beds that folds down from the wall? Was the apartment located in the zoo?

I did try driving around once but I got so depressed over the places I couldn't afford, and so terrified of the places I could, that I just gave up.

Ok let me clarify.

It was $600.00 ....so $300.00 was my half. It was a 3 bedroom / 1 bath but there were only 2 of us, the bedrooms were TINY, garden unit, nothing updated, no laundry or utilities. BUT it was on the corner of Webster / Lincoln right across the street from Oz Park (I think you are familiar with Chicago) so it was smack dab in the middle of everything and in my early 20s is was awesome.

Heiress....we got broken into all the time in the garden unit, bugs and flooding were always an issue as well. Do you have these issues? Do you have a lot of natural light?

[Ghouls_Night]

I also lived in Chicago between 2000- 2008sih. I lived in River City just south of Congress while attending Columbia. The rent was $1,850.00 per month for a 2 bedroom 2 bath the parking space was an additional $300.00 per month.

Then when I became familiar with the city I moved to Lakeview, Belmont and Clark. Rented a floor out for $1,000.00 per month. 1100 sqr feet 2 bedrooms 1 bath and FREE parking.

I now live in Florida where you can get a 2 bedroom 2 bath house 1500 sqr feet for around $1,000.00 bucks or so!

God I miss Chicago!!!!:(

[HEIRESS]

I live in the dark. it's ok because I'm never home during the day, not even on weekends really.

spiders every spring.

no flooding because I live in an arid region!

But its been +40 here all week and I've been enjoying my cool suite like the dickens.

my previous abode was a share house at only 250/month but I got robbed twice where the thief just busted the glass on the windows and had his way with my belongings.

[DipDipDive]

I currently pay $550/month for an adorable studio in a vintage 20's brownstone in a super quiet, historic neighborhood in St. Paul. It's probably about 500 square feet but it seems spacious, has hardwood floors, vintage built-ins, honeycomb tile floor in the bathroom, and is very charming in general. I pay for electric and cable internet, all other utilities are included. I park on-street but it's never a problem as almost all of the other properties on the block are single family homes with garages.

My only complaint is that I live in the main floor middle unit, which means I'm surrounded by other apartments on all sides and my neighbors can be a bit noisy from time to time. I also don't get a whole lot of direct sunlight in my apartment. Other than that, I freakin' love this place and will definitely stay here for at least another year. My apartment is inexpensive but since I live alone and handle all of the expenses myself, I'm paying more for living costs than I ever have before. HOWEVER, not having roommates = priceless.

I've lived in two apartments before this, both in Minneapolis. The first was a 3 bedroom that I shared with two other people that cost $990 total + electric/cable/internet (dirt cheap, but it had its downfalls, including fucking green carpeting), the second was a 2 bedroom where I lived with one other person that cost $950 total + electric/cable/internet (more expensive, but with more amenities like a dishwasher and gated parking).

Rental expenses in Minneapolis/St Paul are very reasonable compared to most metro areas, or so it seems. The only utility I've ever had to pay
is electric and other plush shit like cable/internets. I would never rent a place where heat was not included because there's no way I'd be able to afford it. It is damn near impossible to find a place here with free on-site laundry. It's more common in duplexes, but living in a duplex often means paying for heat.

[nodanaonlyzuul]

The boy and I live in a one-bedroom, decent sized apartment for $1200. They only cover the water. We have two sliding door closets and a walk-in closet in the bedroom alone... so for just two of us and our two cats it's pretty great.

I just wish it wouldn't get as hot (we are on the third floor, the heat rises up and sticks in our apartment!) and that there was more sunlight. We only have the large sliding glass door in the living room and a large window in the bedroom. I would prefer multiples in each room including a window in the bathroom. But, the way it's located in the complex, if a window went in the bathroom, everyone in the hall walking by could see me doing a #2 :(

[The Notorious LOL]

I rent from a girl who owns her place because I am saving up to potentially buy next spring.

I pay $300 flat. She tends to do all the bullshit such as cleaning, and has said several times that she likes cleaning...so whatever I wont argue with that. Its a short distance outside of the city, but I find I take better advantage of it this way. She is probably home 2 nights out of the week, and I am home about that as well. On the rare occasion there isn't much going on, we'll usually go drink at the dive bars nearby.

If I change my mind about buying next spring, I will probably just find a similar housing arrangement within the city. Its been a good way to meet new people.

[ericlee]

Old place- 1,100. Heat and water included. 450 square feet, brand new building and close to the train. We paid for internet. Had to walk past bums sleeping in their piss on the sidewalk, fights every weekend at the wee hours in the morning. I was also the only white guy there, the rest were either Mexican or ecuadorian, mostly illegals.

New place- 1,300. Heat and water included. Has a laundry room, 850 square feet, dining room, kitchen, 1 bed and 1 bath. Very peaceful area and a variety of nationalities.