advises and help

Hi,

my name is Alessandro (28 years old) and I%26#39;m going to come to Chicago next January for starting work there!

I have to rent a flat, so I%26#39;d like to get some information about this matter!

1. I%26#39;d like to rent it in the city center.

2. Which is the average cost for a 1/2 br flat?

3. Is it possible to find flat with furniture?

4. Which is the best place in the center?

thanks for your help

Alessandro

advises and help

Good for you! Chicago is a great city. I went through that you are going right now a few years back when I moved to Chicago from Detroit. The best way to find a place to live is to check local classifieds ads in the local papers and also walk the streets of neighborhoods where you would want to live and look for the ads on the buildings%26#39; walls. Sometimes, you may need to go in and ask a doorman if there are any rental adds for the building, and if you can walk in to look. So, I would start from renting a furnished place, studio or 1 bdr, via Internet, for a month. Presidential Towers rents furnished (and unfurnished as well) studios for under $2,000. They are clean, efficient, safe, and in walking distance to the Loop. I don%26#39;t like the area, thought. It%26#39;s just west of Loop, and it锟斤拷锟絪 too quite at nights. I love the Gold Coast: close to downtown, to the lake, to Michigan Ave, bars%26#39; clubs, people everywhere, and lots of very quite residential streets. There is a place there that rents weekly and monthly, I think on Elm St, between State and Rush, that looked OK, but I don%26#39;t remember exactly. Anyhow, check the net for (ex: www.apartmentrentalschicago.net) hotels or long term residences in the Gold Coast. Do not rent Gold Coast Suites; they are right on the top of a club, and very load. Then, after you settle a bit, you can walk around and find a place you like. I would suggest Gold Coast area or Lincoln Park. It was possible to rent a very small studio on Dearborn St in Gold Coast for $550. However, a general price is around $1,500. I would suggest rent a condo from someone, then an apartment in a big complex: better value, better service.

advises and help

The furnished apartments I mentioned in Gold Coast are not on Elm; it%26#39;s on Delaware. travel.travelocity.com/hotel/HotelLanding.do鈥?/a>

I don%26#39;t know how they look inside. All I know area is great, and building seems nice from outside.

There are many other that I don%26#39;t know, I am sure. Or, in my previous post I ment to suggest to rent a condo instead of a place in apartment building.

Thank you very much for your help!!This weekend I%26#39;m going to meet two girls who live in Chicago, so I think they will give me some more information.CiaoAlessandro

Some other options to find housing in Chicago:Chicago Reader - www.chireader.com - many landlords post openings in this paper (spacefinder) and it%26#39;s updated every tuesday night.Apartment People - www. apartmentpeople.comHomestead Group - www. chicago-apts.com