Moving from a small town or suburb to the big city of Chicago can be an intimidating proposition. Here are a few tips to help make your move as painless as possible.
Research before you move. It’s important to understand the culture you’re joining. Do research online and find out about school systems, neighborhoods, parking, weather, public transportation, and laws that are native to that area. If you can, visit a city before moving and connect with someone who’s lived there before. Explore our neighborhood reports for information on specific neighborhoods in Chicago
Figure Out If You’re Going To Rent or Buy. There are a lot of steps to go through before you start packing the moving truck. Talk to an experienced Realtor (us!) and mortgage broker to figure out if you should buy or rent in Chicago. Find housing before you leave, or at least know where you’ll stay while you look for a home. Never sign a lease on an apartment that you haven’t seen. Be careful of rental scams in Chicago. If you can’t get to Chicago, find a friend or an employer to check out condos or apartments for you.
Get Basics Set Up: Have a job waiting for you, or if that’s not possible, know what you’ll do for money in the first few weeks of living there. Try to line up things like driver’s licenses, car insurance, renter’s insurance, and parking passes ahead of time as well. Click here for our list of helpful resources.
Schools: If you have kids, check out the Chicago school district and read our list of the top public schools in Illinois
Get involved. Meeting people in a big city can be daunting. Don’t expect the neighbors to knock your door down with a casserole when you arrive: city life is often too noisy and hectic. Take the initiative. If there are things you liked to do in your town, find ways to do those things in the city. Try new things. Volunteer. Big cities offer so many opportunities to engage other people, so find what you like.
Mind your wallet. City life is expensive. Everything costs more: food, insurance, clothes, rent. There are also a lot more ways to get ripped off, whether legally or criminally. Be careful how you spend, and know where your money is going.
Crime: Check out crime maps of Chicago if you aren’t familiar with the city and are trying to figure out where to live.
