All my coworkers are buying houses right now. One of them got one in Chicago and is moving shortly. The other is shopping in Long Island.
I can’t swing New York, of course, but Chicago is a much different market. And I could conceivably leave NY in December, if I could find a job. (Big “if”, I know. Anyone want to give me $50k to spend a year working on my novel? LOL.)
Like I kind of love this place:
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/507-W-Aldine-Ave-60657/unit-2B/home/13374923
I’m predictable. I love vintage, privilege aesthetic over practicality, and want to live by Clark & Belmont. (It’s right by the comic shop).
But there’s a lot of stuff in NY I’d not want to give up, like the fabric stores and the cocktails. (I didn’t mention theater, because I quite dig the Chicago theater scene. And I actually prefer Chicago dining. There isn’t as much uber high-end stuff as there is in NY, but I can’t afford that anyway. And there is a lot in the $12-15 entree range in Chicago that is epic, compared with NY.)
The weather sucks, though. It sucks a lot worse than NY.