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My wife and I are buying a house in Chicago in a few months. Is there anything we should be doing now to prepare for this impending "storm"?

feistypharit 4y ago
Make sure you understand your tax liabilities. Chicago taxes are insane.
tacomonstrous 4y ago
Chicago house values have been quite stable in certain neighborhoods. The South Loop condo that I sold 5 years ago has barely appreciated in value, while the condo I sold 4 years ago in the Boston area has gone up 70% since.
- doctoboggan 4y ago
  My wife will be working in Portage Park, do you have any suggestions for good neighborhoods in the area we should consider?
  - Kon-Peki 4y ago
    Spend time outdoors while house shopping. You are close enough to O'Hare to have a lot of jets flying above you, yet they are already lined up for a specific runway - noise can change a lot from one block to the next. People put a lot of value in walkability and nearby amenities. As far as large American cities go, Chicago is extremely child friendly and child-focused. The attendance area for the neighborhood schools are small. Chicago Public Schools has an excellent mapping tool - don't trust the real estate listings. They lie. City employees in Chicago are required to live inside the city. The northwest side has a heavy concentration. On one block every third house will be a policeman or fireman. On another block it will be streets and san workers. Then teachers. Etc. It does affect the character of the block :)
    - doctoboggan 4y ago
      Thanks for the great advice, very helpful.
bell-cot 4y ago
Admitting that I don't know Chicago's market nor neighborhoods from boo - Do NOT stretch yourself financially. Avoid any financing with a rate which can adjust upward. Assume that a financial storm will be Bad News for the neighborhoods and the City - so be careful about both the area around your new house, and any maintenance-requiring infrastructure that that area is dependent upon. (Especially when "yet another storm with once-in-500-year rainfall" hits.)

feistypharit 4y ago

Make sure you understand your tax liabilities. Chicago taxes are insane.

tacomonstrous 4y ago

Chicago house values have been quite stable in certain neighborhoods. The South Loop condo that I sold 5 years ago has barely appreciated in value, while the condo I sold 4 years ago in the Boston area has gone up 70% since.

doctoboggan 4y ago
My wife will be working in Portage Park, do you have any suggestions for good neighborhoods in the area we should consider?
- Kon-Peki 4y ago
  Spend time outdoors while house shopping. You are close enough to O'Hare to have a lot of jets flying above you, yet they are already lined up for a specific runway - noise can change a lot from one block to the next. People put a lot of value in walkability and nearby amenities. As far as large American cities go, Chicago is extremely child friendly and child-focused. The attendance area for the neighborhood schools are small. Chicago Public Schools has an excellent mapping tool - don't trust the real estate listings. They lie. City employees in Chicago are required to live inside the city. The northwest side has a heavy concentration. On one block every third house will be a policeman or fireman. On another block it will be streets and san workers. Then teachers. Etc. It does affect the character of the block :)
  - doctoboggan 4y ago
    Thanks for the great advice, very helpful.

bell-cot 4y ago

Admitting that I don't know Chicago's market nor neighborhoods from boo - Do NOT stretch yourself financially. Avoid any financing with a rate which can adjust upward. Assume that a financial storm will be Bad News for the neighborhoods and the City - so be careful about both the area around your new house, and any maintenance-requiring infrastructure that that area is dependent upon. (Especially when "yet another storm with once-in-500-year rainfall" hits.)