Commute into city from Lake Forest/Bluff/northern suburbs (Chicago: cul-de-sac, how much)

[Water 4 the Pool]

I am interviewing with a company near Union Station. My wife and I are originally from the Midwest (me from MI and she from WI) but have lived in Manhattan for 15 years. Chicago has always been on our list of possible places to move but we have no sense of what to expect when we get there, or even where to live. I've heard Lake Forest is great, but I know it's quite pricey. Evanston? Lake Bluff? We have three boys and one girl, all ages 5 and under, so schools--public or private--are critical.

How is the commute by train? I see it's around an hour, and people here do commutes like that all the time, so I'm not too concerned. Should I be?

Cheers!

[chisub]

I know people do it all the time, but there is a reason people live closer in smaller homes as well. Family time. I'm from WI originally as well and my husband and I came to Chicago via Brooklyn. If you post some of your requirements and price range people will chime in with more options that may work that aren't so far out.

[chicagobear]

If your office is near Union Station, you can pretty much live anywhere in the Chicago area. The North Shore is nice but expensive while there are many suburbs in the west which are nice as well (Hinsdale, Downers Grove, Wheaton, Naperville etc).

[cubssoxfan]

If you live near a Metra Station you can keep the commute tolerable and have many good towns to choose from. The 2 north lines, NW line and 2 western lines seem to be the best options.

[Water 4 the Pool]

Originally Posted by chisub

I know people do it all the time, but there is a reason people live closer in smaller homes as well. Family time. I'm from WI originally as well and my husband and I came to Chicago via Brooklyn. If you post some of your requirements and price range people will chime in with more options that may work that aren't so far out.

Thanks, chisub. How long were you in Brooklyn, and how do you like living in Chicagoland after NYC?

Our price range is probably $700k to $900k. Neither of us is fond of subdivisions with cul-de-sacs--we are seeking a real, established neighborhood, with sidewalks that people actually use, community pride, good schools, parks and stores/shops. Walkability is key, as is access to trains into the city. I want to be smart about picking a quality a community before I fall in love with a house and endlessly try to make everything else work around it.

I grew up living right on Lake Michigan (in South Haven, MI) and hope to deliver a similar experience to my kids, so that is why I want to focus on lakefront communities. I know buying lakefront property isn't an option in my price range, but I'd love to be able to walk to the beach.

Believe me, we're used to living in a small space. Manhattan living has been wonderful but with four kids, it's time for something new because our house is feeling smaller by the week.

[chisub]

I lived there for 5 years, but my husband grew up there.

Have you looked into Wilmette at all? Reminds me of some New England towns and has beach access.

The others are right that you are lucky with your job location bc it opens up so many possibilities. My husband used to work around there, but now he doesn't and it makes his commute from the Naperville area pretty painful.

[chisub]

As to living in the Chicagoland area after NYC, I felt an immediate drop in my blood pressure and I wasn't even 30 when I moved here! I do miss being able to drive to the ocean or being within 5 hours of some pretty cool cities. I would never move back to NY, even though it was good to me.

[chet everett]

Near to the lake for $700k to $900k is not going to happen in Lake Forest. Lake Bluff has far less of a "town center" to it than other North Shore towns. You might find somethings to consider in Highland Park or Wilmette but given that you have four children you probably would not be happy with a three bedroom split level on a busy road.

Honestly, except for Lake Michigan, you would be able to find a lovely community with top notch schools, sidewalks that people actually use, swift commutes, pride of place and an extremely pleasant place to live , shop and raise your four kids in Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Western Springs or Lagrange all along the BNSF. You could find similar towns along the UP-W line too -- Elmhurst, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, even Oak Park all would offer a nicer range of options for a family of six...

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by Water 4 the Pool

Thanks, chisub. How long were you in Brooklyn, and how do you like living in Chicagoland after NYC?

Our price range is probably $700k to $900k. Neither of us is fond of subdivisions with cul-de-sacs--we are seeking a real, established neighborhood, with sidewalks that people actually use, community pride, good schools, parks and stores/shops. Walkability is key, as is access to trains into the city. I want to be smart about picking a quality a community before I fall in love with a house and endlessly try to make everything else work around it.

I grew up living right on Lake Michigan (in South Haven, MI) and hope to deliver a similar experience to my kids, so that is why I want to focus on lakefront communities. I know buying lakefront property isn't an option in my price range, but I'd love to be able to walk to the beach.

Believe me, we're used to living in a small space. Manhattan living has been wonderful but with four kids, it's time for something new because our house is feeling smaller by the week.

Evanston should do the trick.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

Evanston should do the trick.

I am not sure how much it has to do with the time of year but there just are surprisingly few larger homes on the market in Evanston right now. If you are OK with a property tax bill of over $20K/year and a location west of Ridge this is available: 1140 Asbury Ave, EVANSTON, IL 60202 | MLS# 08093264 | Redfin but it ain't exactly strolling distance. For something a lot closer you might have to really undo some very cheap "remuddling" but if you have a few hundred grand for updates this could be quite a showplace -- 1006 Forest Ave, EVANSTON, IL 60202 | MLS# 08126164 | Redfin Personally I would much prefer a town with more uniformly high performing schools, but many people are more than happy with the trade offs that come in a town like Evanston.