Alison was in love with her garden apartment in the western suburbs. Her boyfriend lived nearby, her commute to work was short, and the rent was under $400 a month. Then she started getting restless, a new job lengthened her commute to more than an hour, and she and her boyfriend decided to take the plunge and move in together. Moving to the city seemed the logical (though intimidating) option, but with a June 1 deadline, they’re still exploring neighborhoods and trying to find an apartment to call home.
Yo: What excites you about moving to the city?
Alison: I want to move into the city for convenience. Many of my friends are there and I can pursue my interests with greater ease. I am excited just to be getting out of my current place.
Yo: And what scares you?
Alison: I’m scared that we won’t get our stuff together in time. And then, if we do, that I will hate city living.
Yo: How are you searching for an apartment?
Alison: So far, we have just been looking on craigslist.com and the online Reader ads. But we have also driven around neighborhoods that we believe would offer what we want. We are actually planning another drive soon, as the online ads in the neighborhoods we like are drying up.
Yo: Which neighborhood do you like?
Alison: Right now we are looking in the [Jefferson Park] neighborhood near Austin and Milwaukee. It’s residential meets main thoroughfares and down-to-earth flair.
Yo: Have you started looking at apartments yet?
Alison: We have not actually been to any apartments. It’s so scary!
Yo: But you’re definitely making the move?
Alison: Well, my boyfriend had to buy a car [to commute to his job in the suburbs] and that was scary as it hadn’t happened until very recently. Now that he’s bought the car, there is one thing to focus on and I am fairly optimistic.
Have a suggestion for Alison about moving to the city? Know something about the Jefferson Park neighborhood? Click on “Comments” and spread the love.