Where do tree hugging, vegetarian liberals belong in north Chicago? (Clinton: living, bill)

[Avengerfire]

I would venture to say this thread is way off topic.

[Calidreemer]

That it is.

[jaynetarzana]

It certainly is off topic.

Update - I arrived and checked out Evanston today by car. I really liked what I saw of the area although we didn't spend as much time there as I would have liked since our agent doesn't really think there is anything in our price range. The campus looks beautiful! It definitely doesn't have the architecture we are drawn to, but I can still appreciate the vintage buildings. Two thumbs up for Evanston though. Our agent maintains that Evanston can be just as conservative as the other north shore towns and that the only thing making it liberal are the college students. She said that Highland Park is a mini version of Evanston. I just don't see it. I keep reminding her of our desire to live in a progressive area, but she keeps telling me that Evanston isn't the only place for that.

I feel so completely overwhelmed!

[Calidreemer]

Hey Jay - welcome to Evanston! Glad you made it safe and sound. I have to respectfully disagree with your realtor. I don't think the college students make the town more liberal. We just attended my sisters graduation from NU last weekend and I didn't get a super liberal vibe there, not that it isn't liberal, but I don't think NU can take all the credit. I also don't think Highland Park is a mini version of Evanston. One of my sisters lives in Evanston and lived in Ravinia ( an area of Highland Park) and I just don't see the comparison. Just out of curiosity where does your Realtor live? It seems she doesn't have a good feel for Evanston.

Hang in there I know house hunting is tiring, especially when you have real life happening - like taking care of children, coordinating a move, etc. Hang in there I know you'll land somewhere soon. All the best and if I can help, let me know! Glad you guys made it to the East.

[chet everett]

As I said before, you are going to have to realize that the Chicago region is quite different than Berkley CA, Boulder CO or Austin TX. Yes, there are a number of Whole Foods here. There is no doubt that Obama will carry the state with no effort. Our imbecile governor gets tons of liberal cred for throwing tiny amounts of state money at stem cell research and fake health care for kids.

That said, no town in the region is going to help Phish set a new record for Meatstick dancing...

As I also thought I had made clear "atomic ranches" are not super common, even though there are some around, but there is not much appreciation for them. The odds of finding a really well done mid-century modern that is in an "unmuddled" state AND priced in your range is just about impossible.

Find a place to rent. Home for the best neighbors, but don't 'invest' too much effort ruling out comfortable, affordable rentals if the home owner next door ain't lying in a Guatemalan hammock with a tie-dye shirt on when you are checking out the place...

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Calidreemer

Hey Jay - welcome to Evanston! Glad you made it safe and sound. I have to respectfully disagree with your realtor. I don't think the college students make the town more liberal. We just attended my sisters graduation from NU last weekend and I didn't get a super liberal vibe there, not that it isn't liberal, but I don't think NU can take all the credit. I also don't think Highland Park is a mini version of Evanston. One of my sisters lives in Evanston and lived in Ravinia ( an area of Highland Park) and I just don't see the comparison. Just out of curiosity where does your Realtor live? It seems she doesn't have a good feel for Evanston.

Hang in there I know house hunting is tiring, especially when you have real life happening - like taking care of children, coordinating a move, etc. Hang in there I know you'll land somewhere soon. All the best and if I can help, let me know! Glad you guys made it to the East.

Yeah, your realtor is full of crap. Evanston is quite politically liberal outside of the university. Highland Park and Evanston are not that similar, but they do have many similarities (if that makes any sense).

In Chicago there are three kinds of "liberals":

1. The liberal "elite" who are somewhat sophisticated, drink wine, shop at whole foods, etc (to just go right with the stereotypes). Most of them are socially liberal and economically centrist. This can trancend race in Chicago, and there are liberal elites of all races.

2. Poorer minority voters who vote their pocketbooks, but may be more socially conservative. The tend to vote based on race in the Chicago area.

3. Union "working class" voters, who also tend to be more socially conservative and fiscally liberal. Generally they dislike free trade and often vote Republican since the Reagan area.

Of course there are all kinds of people who buck these stereotypes and fit into one or more (or none) of these groups. But you can really track voting behavior in the metro area based on these three major demographics. For instance, most of the social elite educated Democrats in places like Evanston and Oak Park tend to support Obama and Durbin on the national level, but voted against the "Black Machine" candidate Todd Stroger in the County elections.

Oak Park and Evanston tend to be more tied to the educated liberal elite, while many other suburbs are more working class but still vote Democrat. Other suburbs are pretty staunchly Republican, but the Republican party in Illinois is in pretty bad shape right now. Even Dennis Hastert's old seat is hotly contested by Democrats these days because of shifting demographics in suburbia (and an unpopular Bush administration).

[jaynetarzana]

Thanks for your continued replies everyone. Okay, this question might throw you for a loop, but what about Lake Bluff? It is super close for my husband to commute to work and there is quite a bit of nice real estate in our price range. The downtown area looks kind of quaint. What is it like? Thanks in advance once again!

[chaset]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

We're not into horses. Is that pretty much what Barrington is? Large properties? We'd actually rather not have acreage to maintain. Just looking for a mid century modern house on a modest lot in an area with other people who care about protecting the environment and being conscientious parents.

My realtor told me that most of the mid century modern houses are in Glencoe and Highland Park. Anyone have any burbs to add? We're currently looking at Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Glenview, Northbrook, Northfield, Lake Forest, Deerfield, Highland Park and Fort Sheridan.

It's true, although to be frank, Chicago isn't known for its modern homes. Chicago is where the Colombian Exposition, Frank Loyd Wright, and Louis Sullivan Took place, as well as where sears is headquartered. You are going to see more traditional, prairie style, and craftsman style homes in Chicago. Barrington has a village with normal homes, many of them in your price range, and not too far from mettawa. You should be forewarned that traffic in Chicagoland SUCKS! So does snow. If you are looking to move to a suburb of chicago, your preference to build a midcentury style home is going to sacrifice your standard of living. With your budget limitations, I'd seriously look into a townhouse in glenview, or lake barrington, or many of the other large developments built in the late 60s that are very park like, and they do all of the maintance for you. Just go to DWR and fill it up with herman miller and such if you are really into midcentury stuff. keep in mind though that, again, midcentury stuff was mainly a movement in the west. You'd have to build new, or move into the city (and spend more than 600,000) to get a mid century home fit for a family, that's in a nice neighborhood and fit for a family. Any suburb you are considering is going to have great schools for your children, no matter what. The people who also recommended libertyville were on to something too.

[chaset]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

It certainly is off topic.

Update - I arrived and checked out Evanston today by car. I really liked what I saw of the area although we didn't spend as much time there as I would have liked since our agent doesn't really think there is anything in our price range. The campus looks beautiful! It definitely doesn't have the architecture we are drawn to, but I can still appreciate the vintage buildings. Two thumbs up for Evanston though. Our agent maintains that Evanston can be just as conservative as the other north shore towns and that the only thing making it liberal are the college students. She said that Highland Park is a mini version of Evanston. I just don't see it. I keep reminding her of our desire to live in a progressive area, but she keeps telling me that Evanston isn't the only place for that.

I feel so completely overwhelmed!

Illinois is much different from California. This is where Obama is from, and where Ms. Clinton grew up. Even in Barrington, where there are mega mansions and such, and generaly rupublican ideals, is a huge system of forest preserves. Hank Paulson, the former head of the nature conservency, lived here. People are environmentaly consious and such, and much more liberal than the south, but very moderate all around. You can definately find like minded individuals in the area, but the vast majority of people are mildly left. Evanston is liberal, your realitor is on crack or something.

[cohdane]

It's true, the Chicago area isn't known for mid-century modern homes. That's said, perhaps a few links-- and a LOT of luck-- could lead you to one of your own:

modernproperty.com

Modernist Dwellings, modern homes in Chicago, contemporary real estate, modernist houses and condos, unique architecture, mid-century modern

Modern Chicago Homes - Chicago Real Estate and Homes - Chicago Lofts, Condos, Townhomes, Houses

Happy hunting!