Chicago update

[mamagotcha]

So I guess I haven't posted about our Chicago trip much.

We drove up and stayed in a super-cheap Super 8 near the airport. Somehow I missed the memo to bring a crapload of change for all the freakin' toll roads all over the place, and I'm hoping I managed to pay up on all of the ones I missed (you're supposed to pay online). Grr.

A realtor kindly offered to show us around, so that was great in that I really got a chance to pay attention to the neighborhoods and get a feel for what they were like.

Soon, several things were clear. The vast majority of available housing in our cost range were flats in 2-, 3- and 4-story homes. All the ones we saw had steep stairs... none would work for Wiley, who is having more and more trouble coping with stairs. Even the first-floor units had 8 or 10 stairs up, and the thought of the underground "garden" units (which also had stairs down) made me claustrophobic. We saw some gorgeous spaces in the Andersonville area, but I don't think they would work for us. Between the kids, dog and Clay's drums, I think we're looking at single-family housing.

The houses in the closer areas were, predictably, right out. The closest we saw was a home in (I think) Albany Park, which was smallish. We looked at some gorgeous brand new condos... there was one, amazingly in our price range, with huge vaulted ceilings and granite counters, tall windows, and even an elevator... but absolutely zero yard area for dog.

I fell hard for a house out in Park Ridge, which was well in our budget and HUGE. It would mean an hour commute each way for Bill... but it had a giant gorgeous kitchen, three bedrooms upstairs, AND a huge finished basement with another bathroom... plenty of room for drums, visitors, games area, storage. Enclosed yard, garage parking, nice neighborhood... and really close to a big community center with indoor and outdoor pools. I doubt it will still be available in another month, when we'd be ready to sign a lease... but I'm asking the realtor to keep an eye on it for us.

We spent some time in Evanston and the area around it. The houses that we'd fit into that also fit our budget were... not numerous. There was one smallish one I looked at, that backed onto a park, which might have worked, but I'm certain it will be rented quickly. I'll see if any are available in the area when I go back up, but I'm not holding my breath... it's a pretty exclusive area and we're just not in that bracket right now.

We drove by DePaul, and it looked bustling. The city area traffic jams started each day around 3pm, and of course each day we were in the middle of it. I took the boys to Foster Beach and to Navy Pier (where the children's museum was), with lots of meandering side trips to explore. We drove around the south side, Obamaland, and while some of it showed signs of poverty and hard times, there wasn't the sense of abandonment and decay I associate with the east side of Kansas City. That was encouraging.

The shoreline was pretty. The city seemed clean and the people mostly pleasant. Traffic was truly hideous. We met up with some homeschoolers; they were very welcoming and had some good ideas for us to check out. I think Clay's really jazzed about Chicago... I'm trying to get excited, but the prospect of moving again is really rattling me hard.

Maybe I should hire someone to help me... is there anyone out there who helps people get ready to move? Just kinda comes and cheerleads and supports while I sort and sell and lighten our load?

Okay, that's our Chicago update.

Comments

[mh75.livejournal.com]

If i didn't have to work, i'd come free.

Sounds like it will be important to keep an eye on public transport - long commutes can be made easier if you can read on the bus, and with all that traffic it would make your life easier to have access to it as well.

Good luck!!!

[via-lens.livejournal.com]

Check into professional organizers, who will do all sorts of things like what you say you'd like to have (the cheerleading, supporting, helping you make decisions about what to keep and how to store it).

Good luck!

[lunacow]

There is even a National Association of Professional Organizers, and on their site you can search for organizers in your area. Definitely seems like you're in a situation where paying some money would be well worth it to make the process easier, and you'd probably recoup some of the cost by more effectively selling off/not paying to move extra stuff.

Thirding the good luck!

[2006in2006.livejournal.com]

I don't see why we couldn't pay for the profesional organizer out of the relocation funds. The only reason to be wary of this is if we go over budget (since any overage would come out of pocket), but I can see couple hundred spent on professional assistance translating to a couple hundred less dollars in freight charges.