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Author Topic: Finding a city  (Read 17469 times)

Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Finding a city
« Reply #15 on: September 26, 2012, 08:25:30 am »
Phil

You know Chicago is the only place to be.  Up here in Edgewater we've got everything you're looking for.

The downside (though you likely find this most everywhere) is ever increasing taxes, esp property tax.

Some neighbors did keep chickens (maybe others do, too) but they moved.

Tons of young familys, tons of kids.  Decent public schools if you can deal with the teachers striking now and then (read: in three years when the contract comes up again).  Or the French School, if that's important to you.  A neighbor is a from France and I believe they send their kids to the French School (or L'ecole de Francais or whatever they call it).

I think our cost of living is pretty high, but you probably find that in most major cities.

And you know we have opera.

And the Bears.

JOE
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Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Finding a city
« Reply #16 on: September 26, 2012, 08:32:19 am »
Except for the 7-8 hour flight time to Paris, it sounds like the Pacific NW is where you want to be. Weather, beer, culture, wilderness, etc., are all there. I like the Ann Arbor suggestion as well. Take a look, you'd probably really like it. I'm also very partial to Chicago and the surrounding areas. Look at some of the suburbs as well. Many are more city-like than common opinions tell you. I lived most of my life in the city, but am not disappointed at all to have moved out to the burbs. Just find one near a train station and you can be downtown in no time. Just my 2¢. Oh, and one more thing. We can self-distribute our beer here.
Good luck!

Mark, we had looked @ Oak Park as a potential good spot. What do you think of it?

The woman who is currently sitting 10 feet from me grew up there and now lives in River Forest.

She loves it.

But it is a suburb.  I do not do suburbs.  I try to limit my trips outside the City limits, but I am very parochial.
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Offline phillamb168

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Re: Finding a city
« Reply #17 on: September 26, 2012, 08:42:34 am »
Yeah, inside Chicago would be nice, but prices are harsh. We'd like at least 1/4 acre of land, which on the north side does not come cheap (I will not move to the south side).
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Offline nateo

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Re: Finding a city
« Reply #18 on: September 26, 2012, 08:46:37 am »
Have you ever been to Denver?
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Offline phillamb168

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Re: Finding a city
« Reply #19 on: September 26, 2012, 08:49:08 am »
Have you ever been to Denver?

Nope. But I've been to Colorado Springs. LOVED it there (I was undecided between the AFA and Loyola) for the week that we stayed back in '99.
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Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Finding a city
« Reply #20 on: September 26, 2012, 08:51:03 am »
Yeah, inside Chicago would be nice, but prices are harsh. We'd like at least 1/4 acre of land, which on the north side does not come cheap (I will not move to the south side).

There's a lot of vacant land in Lawndale... West Side, baby!!  You could probably buy a whole city block for cheap.

And, living there would put you in Tier 1 for the selective enrollment lottery for the best public schools.

Of course, there are many many downsides.
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Offline phillamb168

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Re: Finding a city
« Reply #21 on: September 26, 2012, 08:52:51 am »
Median income for Lawndale is $18,342... Which tells me we probably wouldn't have too terrible much in common with our neighbors.
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Offline 1vertical

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Re: Finding a city
« Reply #22 on: September 26, 2012, 08:55:09 am »
Phil,  www.epodunk.com has a LOT of demographics. 
Check out Ft. Collins or Boulder or the other west side of the hills Grand Junction.
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Offline nateo

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Re: Finding a city
« Reply #23 on: September 26, 2012, 09:01:58 am »
I think Denver would be a good fit. Weather is almost always great (300+ sunny days a year) and DIA is a nice airport. The beer and food culture there is great too, but nothing is ridiculously expensive. Demographically, Denver is as diverse as LA, though the total pop is a lot smaller. Large minorities of south-east asians, Koreans, and east Africans. So there's a gamut of great food from little hole-in-the-walls to upscale dining.

I grew up in Grand Junction, and I like it there but it's not close to anything. Fort Collins is nice too, but it's about an hour from Denver. Boulder is one of the most homogenous places I've ever lived, plus really expensive. But, if you have the money and you like rich guys pretending to be liberal, Boulder is a good place to be. 
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Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Finding a city
« Reply #24 on: September 26, 2012, 09:14:52 am »
I feel like Ann Arbor would be too close to Detroit for my tastes. But I can add it to the list.

That is like saying that the North Side in Chicago is too close to the South Side - but those are in reality closer.

Edit - see you may have been talking about the hockey team. I could be talking baseball.

Was in the PNW for the NHC and loved it. Was in Ft. Collins at the end of August and loved it. Grand Junction has changed a lot in the last 15 years from what I could see passing through.

Indianapolis - I agree with what Kyle said.

Too many places to check out. Good luck.
« Last Edit: September 26, 2012, 09:20:52 am by hopfenundmalz »
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Offline kramerog

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Re: Finding a city
« Reply #25 on: September 26, 2012, 09:24:02 am »

Mark, we had looked @ Oak Park as a potential good spot. What do you think of it?

You got the things you want in Oak Park including chickens and now bees.  You don't have the hassle of worrying about whether your kid can get into a good school as you have in many US cities.  The downside is the steep property taxes.  The price of single family homes sagged some in Oak Park after the housing bubble burst but not a lot (~10% for properly maintained homes).  You may be able to get a good deal on a foreclosed home but there are fortunately not too many that it starts to become a problem.

Please leave your Cubs hat in France and absolutely do not hang a W flag off your house if you move here. ;)

Offline thebigbaker

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Re: Finding a city
« Reply #26 on: September 26, 2012, 09:30:21 am »
+1 For Denver area.  We live in SE Centennial and there is a lot of land out here and only a 30-45 minute drive to downtown Denver (or you could take the light rail).  We are also higher elevation then Denver (about 5,900+ ft), so we have an entire panoramic view of the front range mountains as we look out over Denver.  Not sure about chickens, but many people in the area have horses and goats.  Houses in this area are not that old, many of the neighborhoods in the area are no more than 10 - 12 years old.  Median household income in Centennial is $85,512 w/ avg income $104,642.  Not exactly sure what the travel time to Europe would be. 
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Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Finding a city
« Reply #27 on: September 26, 2012, 10:02:48 am »
Median income for Lawndale is $18,342... Which tells me we probably wouldn't have too terrible much in common with our neighbors.

There's so much vacant property that you might not have neighbors.

But seriously, I was only kidding.  Lawndale is not for you and me.
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Offline euge

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Re: Finding a city
« Reply #28 on: September 26, 2012, 10:35:22 am »
Since you are in the Tech industry Phil have you considered Austin?

Compensation is amongst the top in the nation AFAIK. An outdoor city with an active, educated and vibrant populace; a legendary music scene; great food and lots of beer. Yes lots of beer. And BBQ recently stated as "best in the nation". Add to that lakes and rivers, hills with biking and hiking etc...

Real-estate is certainly higher than other areas in Texas but one certainly can find that home on a few acres in the surrounding area with an easy commute to the office. Even better if you telecommute and only have to drive in once every two weeks. ;) The only downside to Austin is the traffic can be bad. Another reason to telecommute!

The 3-4 months of Summer in Central Texas is balanced by the rest of the year being nice. I might have worn a jacket once or twice last Winter. ;) And there's pretty much a year-round growing window.

No income tax and the property taxes aren't too bad. Access to excellent Healthcare.

I certainly wouldn't buy into a looming French real-estate/European economic collapse. Might be more advantageous to wait and see if you have to move due to a layoff or the like. Good luck!
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Offline nateo

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Re: Finding a city
« Reply #29 on: September 26, 2012, 11:05:36 am »
I have an aunt that lives in Round Rock. It's been a while since I've been there, but I remember Austin being pretty nice. It reminded me of Madison, which also seemed like a pretty nice small city.
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