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Old 01-16-2011, 07:56 AM
enk enk started this thread
 
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We are looking to buy a house in La Grange, and we are trying to decide between two different homes. What is considered a desirable location in La Grange, preferably the historic district? Are there certain boundaries I should look within?
Thanks!
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Old 01-16-2011, 08:54 AM
 
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Default With LaGrange Rd plowing down the front lawns of some the nicest houses...

Resale of many home in the core of historic section is difficult.

The most stable prices have actually been in the blocks bit further west and even then with so much traffic on 47th St and Ogden the ability to factor which is the "most desirable section" vs just the block with the least amount of cut-through traffic is up for debate. Similarly the "country club section" trends to have a larger number of ranches from the 50s and later that vary considerably in how they have been updated / expanded -- those that have bigger kitchens, maybe second floor addition or at least some way to open the living space sell very quickly while those with less up-to-date layouts can be had for a much less princely sum, as the tear down buyers have largely retreated...

The fact remains that those who shop LaGrange often do look at Western Springs and even the more affordable home in Hinsdale, so in a sense the most affluent buyers that start looking in LaGrange can get "upsold" to a town that has more uniformly high home prices. Of course for those with kids who want to stay in the same schools the break down of what they will consider is more limited and thus a large number of folks who have the room and can afford to update / renovate choose that path, sometimes going against logic. There are a handful of homes that end up on the market and are very "over improved" which has some odd effects when trying to set up comparable for appraisal / offer construction. I have also seen that happen in towns like Wilmette and other North Shore areas as well...
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Old 01-18-2011, 10:10 AM
 
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North of 47th Street is more desirable, until you get to the mess of parkings lots and apartment buildings just south of the BNSF tracks. People choosing La Grange tend to want proximity to the Metra and Downtown, but don't want to be RIGHT NEXT TO it. Being one or two blocks off of La Grange Road is less of a problem, and the neighborhood quickly turns to quiet tree-lined streets and neatly kept historic charmer houses. The lots get bigger as you go further west from La Grange Road, and then the houses get more of a post-war feel as you approach Western Springs. But the core of the historic district is robust in spite of the smaller lots, and the home values remain quite high. It's not Hinsdale, but it's one of the most pleasant areas in the Chicago Suburbs, in my opinion. But Chet was correct that the big money lies in the larger lots west of the historic district (or at least the showiest houses are there).

Once you go east of La Grange Road, things remain nice for a couple of blocks until you get closer to the north/south railroad tracks. The sliver of La Grange east of the tracks is the "rough" part of La Grange. It's decidedly down market compared to the rest of La Grange (and has that appearance), but you'll notice that crime remains low.

South of 47th Street is a mixed bag. The District 105 Middle School is weaker than the one in District 102 (but certainly not a bad school by any means). The southeast corner of the village is less desirable again, as you approach some industrial property and lose proximity to La Grangey amenities. But there are some very nice houses in the Country Club neighborhood. And many of the old 1950's ranch houses have been renovated or torn down and replaced. Prices are still on the higher side for similar housing stock in the western suburbs.
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Old 01-18-2011, 06:50 PM
 
Location: Land of debt and Corruption
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I will echo what the other posters have stated. North of 47th and West of LaGrange Road are good boundaries to go by. I wouldn't venture further than one block east of LaGrange Road as the properties tend to get sketchier. South of 47th street (to the West of LG RD) is also very nice (Country Club section), but it has a completely different feel to it with more post WWII ranches, capes, and smaller houses overall.. although many have been expanded/updated. South of 47th and East of LG RD is an okay area, but home values are not nearly as high as the rest of LaGrange. The historic district will pull in the highest value given its proximity to the train and downtown LG. I really like the Harding Woods section too, but that is considered LaGrange Park (it's North of Ogden and West of LaGrange Rd)... very pretty in there.
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Old 01-18-2011, 11:54 PM
 
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Originally Posted by whatyousay View Post
I wouldn't venture further than one block east of LaGrange Road as the properties tend to get sketchier.
There are some absolutely spectacular homes two blocks east of La Grange Road. The properties near the tracks tend to get crappier, but it's still a safe area. I wouldn't live east of the tracks, though. Not that it's dangerous or anyting.
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Old 01-20-2011, 08:22 AM
 
Location: Land of debt and Corruption
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Originally Posted by Lookout Kid View Post
There are some absolutely spectacular homes two blocks east of La Grange Road. The properties near the tracks tend to get crappier, but it's still a safe area. I wouldn't live east of the tracks, though. Not that it's dangerous or anyting.
Never said it was dangerous. It's patently not, however, if you're going to spend several hundred thousand dollars on a house, do you really want to live next door to a run down shack? As I said, much past one block east of LG Rd, the area gets sketchier (meaning SOME of the properties are run down and shoddy looking, yards are unkempt, etc). There's no need to quibble over one vs. two blocks and it's simply my personal opinion that I wouldn't plunk down that much cash to live literally within feet of crappy rundown houses.
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Old 01-20-2011, 08:31 AM
 
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Originally Posted by whatyousay View Post
Never said it was dangerous. It's patently not, however, if you're going to spend several hundred thousand dollars on a house, do you really want to live next door to a run down shack? As I said, much past one block east of LG Rd, the area gets sketchier (meaning SOME of the properties are run down and shoddy looking, yards are unkempt, etc). There's no need to quibble over one vs. two blocks and it's simply my personal opinion that I wouldn't plunk down that much cash to live literally within feet of crappy rundown houses.
We have been looking in La Grange and La Grange Park for the last 5 months for a house and to say the houses East of La Grange Rd. are sketchy rundown crappy houses is not accurate. Sorry. They are actually really really nice and it's a nice area. Of course there are some that are older and need work but that is in any town. So to the OP do not be afraid to look East of La Grange road.
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Old 01-20-2011, 08:37 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by enk View Post
We are looking to buy a house in La Grange, and we are trying to decide between two different homes. What is considered a desirable location in La Grange, preferably the historic district? Are there certain boundaries I should look within?
Thanks!

Also let me know if you need a GREAT realtor in La Grange. She knows the in's and out's of La Grange like no other and lives in the historic district. Hit me up and I will give you her contact info. We are working with her right now and she is fantastic..
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Old 01-20-2011, 07:11 PM
 
Location: Land of debt and Corruption
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Originally Posted by Gunner0325 View Post
We have been looking in La Grange and La Grange Park for the last 5 months for a house and to say the houses East of La Grange Rd. are sketchy rundown crappy houses is not accurate. Sorry. They are actually really really nice and it's a nice area. Of course there are some that are older and need work but that is in any town. So to the OP do not be afraid to look East of La Grange road.
Please, I never claimed they all were sketchy rundown crappy houses, they aren't. There are some very beautiful huge old victorians and four squares in that section. Are you denying that there are run down shacks East of LaGrange Road? I'm not talking about older historic homes in need of some updating. I'm talking about dilapidated properties, and yes, they do exist in that section, sometimes right next door to a beautiful 3 story updated victorian in excess of $700K+.
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Old 01-20-2011, 10:34 PM
 
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Originally Posted by whatyousay View Post
Please, I never claimed they all were sketchy rundown crappy houses, they aren't. There are some very beautiful huge old victorians and four squares in that section. Are you denying that there are run down shacks East of LaGrange Road? I'm not talking about older historic homes in need of some updating. I'm talking about dilapidated properties, and yes, they do exist in that section, sometimes right next door to a beautiful 3 story updated victorian in excess of $700K+.
The houses right up on the railroad tracks and east of the tracks are undeniably crappy. No doubt. Or at least many of them are. It looks like a different town. But the first few blocks east of La Grange Road are pretty awesome. It starts to fall appart a bit as you get closer to 47th street, and you see more of those boxy brick Georgians. But they are still quite nicely kept until, as said above, you get closer to the RR tracks.
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