u/Equivalent_Banana679

I knew it was not going to be easy but looking for a condo in Chicago has been much harder than I thought. It’s like there is no inventory at all. It seems the only way to get a decent looking property for a good price is to go really far south which I’m not trying to do. I think I went into this whole process a bit delusional about what it was going to cost to get what I was looking for!! I guess I’m looking for a little encouragement and recommendations on neighborhoods that I should be looking in that are within my budget

A bit about me:

First time home buyer
I am working with a real estate agent
Single 30 year old African American women.
Budget $350,000
Salary: $140,000 before taxes
I only have $40,000 to put down. Which in hindsight I know is not a ton.
Looking for 2 beds ideally which I know may be hard.
I have a car.

I was considering Bronzeville for a while but I have been hearing mixed things from friends and family. I want to ensure to choose a location where I’ll be safe and still have access to some city amenities like shops, public transport etc.

I’m thinking of stopping the search for now and waiting another year to save up more for a down payment so I really can get what I want. However, I’m nervous that in this economy if I wait another year that a condo will cost my soul and my first born child(if I ever have a kid). 🤣 If you have bought a home within the last couple years I really commend you cause it ain’t easy out here!

What is everyone’s opinion on the Bronzeville neighborhood. I found a home that I really love down in that area and I’ve been sitting here contemplating whether or not I should pull the trigger. I currently live in the suburbs, but previously was living in the city mainly near the west side when I was going to college at UIC. When it comes to purchasing a home, the Hyde Park, Bronzeville, Woodlawn area is definitely more what I can afford, but I hear all the time that when it comes to the southside people really only live there because they were born there. I have visited the neighborhood several times now and it seems nice,you can also tell that there are a lot of new builds going up, which is good for increasing overall property value.

The place I am looking at is a condo in a three-story building. I am in love with the unit! The building is pretty old however the unit itself is pretty recently remodeled. It is well within my budget and looking at all of the new builds in the area I feel like this might be a good time to get in now before prices really start skyrocketing. I have been waiting for years for rates to come down and honestly they’ve done nothing but continue to rise so I figure it’s now or never.

A little bit about me:
I am 30 years old.
I am a single woman who travels occasionally for work, but otherwise works remotely about 50% of the time.
I’m African-American.
I am a first time homebuyer.
I own a car.

A little bit about the condo:
It is under $350,000 which is within budget for me.

HOA is 309 per month and it covers lawn care, trash, water, snow removal and exterior maintenance.

Reserves have about $72,000 in there which I thought was pretty good.

Biggest downside for me is that there is a parking spot, but it is laughable. I don’t know if I can even fit my car in there. Good thing is there’s a lot of free street parking.

I love your opinions on other neighborhoods to check out where I might be able to purchase a home under 350 K if the Hyde Park/Bronzeville area isn’t the best.

My dad went to drop off his car at the dealership to get some work done on it. Upon arrival he was informed that the work would probably take 3 to 4 hours Since he was kind of far away from where I am I decided to get him an Uber to go back to his house. A little while after getting dropped off he called me on his second phone telling me that he accidentally left his work phone in the Uber. He said he called the Uber and that he was going to come back and bring the phone. I said OK that’s great when he drops it off let me know I’ll tip him $30 in the app. When the man arrived with the phone my dad thanked him and informed him that I would be tipping him $30 in the app. The driver got super upset saying well I had to drive all the way back from the airport from another ride just to come down here to drop off this phone. Are you kidding me? That’s all you’re giving. He got super pissed flipped my Dad off and got back in his car. I think his reaction is really rude considering I didn’t have to tip them at all. I understand that he also didn’t have to bring the phone back. I guess I just wasn’t expecting that reaction. Am I wrong?