Suburub with Good Schools, Commutable to Downtown (Chicago, Naperville: condominiums, crime rates)

[zolcat]

Hi - Planning to take up a new job in Downtown Chicago on Clinton & Monroe in August, and trying to find a town where the commute via train is within 30-45 mins, has a really good public school district, and a diverse population. We have budgeted around $500K-$550K for a 4-bedroom house, around 10 years or so. Do you have any recommendations?

Thank you.

[urbanlore]

The fastest train service is along the BNSF. The towns along it also have some of the more highly rated schools. The trick will be finding a relatively young home (10 years or so) for the price point you are targeting. The obvious choice would rank Naperville high on the list of candidates. More details of what you needs / expectations are can lead to a more specific recommendation.

[jaymaster]

Diverse and a great school system. How bout Oak Park?

[chet everett]

I really doubt any newer home (which would have to be a tear down of recent construction...) would be available in a more mature town at the price point the OP is looking for. I would similarly caution against a "flip" at that price point as instead of it being a really thoroughly upgraded "gut remodel" it more than likely is a case where years of deferred maintencance are covered up with a glossy veneer of slapdash updates ...

Even with a thorough inspection by a competent home inspector the range of problems that crop up in "gut oibs" that are more marketing hype than honest attempts to bring an older home into compliance with modern standards is likely to be exactly the wrong choice for a new homeowner without the skills or inclination to competently be able to maintain a home themselves / have the connections to understand the differences between a scam whose beauty is skin deep and money pit with a rotten set of problems lurking beneath the surface..

[zolcat]

Is crime in Naperville, less than that in Oak Park, or areas like Downer's Grove?

I see on the Metra that there are multiple services into Chicago. Is one better than the other - in terms of schedule, reliability and safety?

Are stand alone or high-rise condominiums pretty common in towns like Naperville?

Unlikely to buy a flip or a fixxer-upper - have neither the willingness or the skills :-)

[cubssoxfan]

Park Ridge (Maine South), Arlington Heights (Hersey/Prospect), Mt. Prospect (Hersey/Prospect)are NW suburbs that fit your criteria. Not sure if diverse enough for your tastes though

[FairytaleLyfe]

I would say Oak Park or River Forest. More diverse than previously mentioned areas. Your access to public transit system and metra are very easy to get to. Also the schools are good. Also, try the LaGrange area. Naperville is a higher end area, all 3 areas probably have about the same crime rates. More bikes being stolen then anything else. As far as homes it has some condo complexes and townhouses as well as single families in your price range. It is a longer train commute, but probably has the best school system out of all 3. Hope this helps.

[chitownperson]

zolcat,

For an integrated diverse suburb with a short commute to downtown and good schools, I would recommend Oak Park. Yes, it is safe. As with a lot of suburbs, most of the crime is property crime or crimes of opportunity such as leaving car doors unlocked... Lot's of young families that want an integrated diverse area to raise their children seek out Oak Park. Naperville is predominantly white, Chinese and Indian. A lot of White, Chinese and Indian people move to Naperville to be within those communities specifically, but there is no real integration between those communities... but that is what some people are looking for, so it's what the individual wants.

[urza216]

Homewood. Metra is local. H-F is award winning and it's quite integrated and diverse.

[divakat]

Crime in Naperville is much less than Oak Park, which unfortunately has spillover from the higher crime areas it is surrounded by. It's not terrible, but higher crime than some people with families are comfortable with. That said, plenty of families do live in Oak Park and love it there.

Naperville has a wonderful downtown area with top schools and falls within your budget, but is mostly white. That said, it is a very large hub that attracts people of all ethnicities from the surrounding areas. We go to River Walk park which is in the center of downtown and visit it any day of the week, and every race and ethnicity is definately represented there. Naperville has a pretty large Asian population living there as well. There are several express trains from Naperville that get you to downtown Chicago in 33 minutes. My husband takes the 33 minute train to Chicago every day. If you are not walking distance from the train, there are Pace buses that will pick you up near your house and drop you off in the mornings and evenings.

Another diverse area aside from Oak Park is Evanston. Close to the city and if you stay on the NE or NW side, the schools are pretty good. The high school isn't as good as some of the other suburbs, but it is decent enough.