Hello, my name is Mark Buckner from the Mark Buckner Group at Compass.

Are you debating about moving to Chicago? Like a lot of people, my greatest weaknesses are often my greatest strengths. And Chicago is no different. The things I don't like about Chicago are also the things that I love about Chicago.

Here are my top three pros and cons of living in Chicago.

Chicago Winters

Con: You can’t talk about Chicago without talking about Chicago winters. They can be long and grueling. Cloudy, gray, wet, snowy, icy, with bitter cold temperatures.

Pro: When winter finally does arrive, so do all the winter activities that I love like ice skating on Michigan Avenue, long romantic walks with my wife with a cup of hot cocoa, snowboarding and sledding with my kids at our local ski hills. My personal favorite part of winter is the end when spring begins.

Chicago Traffic

Con: The traffic and parking in Chicago can be a lot. I hate sitting in bumper to bumper traffic. I hate trying to park.

Especially during the winter snowstorms. Chicagoans get a little territorial. They dig themselves out of parking spaces on the street. They now think they own that parking space in front of their condo or their house. They like to call dibs on that space by setting up their old lawn furniture in the parking spaces. It's so funny to drive through the street and see yard furniture out in the streets surrounded by piles of snow.

Pro: I catch up on my learning with E-books while I'm stuck in traffic.

If I’m not interested in sitting in traffic, I can take advantage of the public transportation Chicago has by riding the L, our elevated subway system. While on the L, I get a bird's eye view of different neighborhoods, a sneak peek into people's backyards, and a view of all the cool street artwork on the buildings.

Cost of Living

Con: Like every city, Chicago’s expensive to live in it. Sometimes it feels like the city is just looking for ways to tax the locals.

Pro: If you compare Chicago to other metropolitan cities like New York and LA, Chicago is still one of the most affordable cities to live in.

For me, the benefits of living in a great city are far greater than the cost.

The city has so many things to do year round. From coast, from amazing outdoor festivals to live entertainment, museums, incredible shopping, and dining.

This past summer I attended Lollapalooza with my daughter and all our friends. This past week, I enjoyed a Sunset River Cruise Fundraiser. Last Sunday, my wife and I stopped at the Farmers Market in Logan Square and then headed over to a tailgate party for the Chicago Bears game.

The options are endless in this city. If you have questions about the city, what to do, or where to live, give me a call at 312-957-7745.

Thanks for joining me,

Mark Buckner