Hi Mage,
This is a very interesting question.
The reason being is that a lot of people feel comfortable renting because they can get up and go when their lease is up if they don't like the area or if other negative things surface. On the other hand people are prone to purchasing a condominium because the can build equity, the unit will probably increase in value and if you decided to sale you would get most if not all of your investment back. I think its important for you to determine how long you may be working at St Bernard, because again if you rent chances are you won't be able to recoup that money. The monthly rent and the mortgage payment (if you decide to purchase) will probably be about the same. Hope this helps. By the way, I work the Hyde Park area. Vist my webpage http://www.TimHaywood.net.

I strongly recommend taking the CTA from Hyde Park to St. Bernard a few times (at night, in the winter) before committing to this plan. On the other hand, it is a five minute drive and nobody in Hyde Park cares what kind of car you drive, so if you don't have a clunker I would recommend the $1000 investment before condo shopping.

Hi Mage, Yes, it sounds like a great choice to rent an apartment in Hyde Park and commute to St. Bernard Hospital. Check out the rental listings on Craigslist. There are also several apartment finding services in Hyde Park. A google search should take you in the right direction. To learn how to use the bus to get to work, use the CTA website at http://www.transitchicago.com/

Happy Hunting!