Where do tree hugging, vegetarian liberals belong in north Chicago? (Highland Park: mortgage, student loan)

[Anthera]

I would pick HP over Wilmette anyday. HP's downtown is so much nicer, I love Ravinia and the Botanic Garden(which, technically is in Glencoe). Gillson is a great beach, but it attracts too many outsiders.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Anthera

There is only one ETHS. I don't know why Nysee is telling you otherwise.

He/she wasn't being literal...

[Anthera]

I don't know. Nysee has said many interesting things.

[cohdane]

Originally Posted by Nysee53

Cohdane, Wilmette is much nicer than Highland Park. It is also wealthier than Highland Park. It is also more convenient than Highland Park. It has a nicer beach than any of Highland Park's beaches. Have you actually looked at the two. I love the architecture in Wilmette. Highland Park has way more of the suburban-subdivision, McMansion type housing. Wilmette is five stars, Highland Park is four stars. Just my opinion.

For my preference, ALMOST everything you list is a reason I like Highland Park more-- being "wealthier" is also being more homogeneous IMO (not that HP is any model of incredible diversity, but at least there are some small homes, cheaper apartments, ethnic/immigrant population, mixed religions, etc.).

"Nicer" beach is also relative-- Gilson is "popular" which translates to developed and more crowded. Some of Highland Park's beaches are undeveloped and underutilized. Both of which are VERY appealing to me. It feels much more natural and private. Also, I have friends in Wilmette and my understanding is that in addition to needing a Wilmette sticker to park at the beach, there are also ENTRANCE FEES to pay-- IF you can get a parking space. So far this year in HP, I have never had a problem finding plenty of FREE parking at any of the beaches. (Knock on wood!) One day, I hope to own a home where I can walk to the beach-- via a meandering path through the woods. Can you do that in Wilmette?

As for architecture, no argument about the style-- I love craftsman, victorian and the like-- Wilmette has tons of it. All one right next to the other in tidy tight rows so you can maintain eye contact with your neighbors while you both do the dishes. Not my thing. Also, unless you have $$$ the yards are tiny.

The suburban subdivision stuff definitely exists in both places. However, near the lake in both places, you get substantially less of it. I should have been more specific in my post about that. I was speaking of East Highland Park.

In any event, both communities are terrific and it's a very privileged problem to be choosing between the two.

Which one is "five stars" comes down to personal tastes.

[Calidreemer]

I agree with Cohdane's statement "In any event, both communities are terrific and it's a very privileged problem to be choosing between the two"

Honestly I am really turned off by the "wealthier than" statements in Nysee's post. Who cares? It's about where the buyer feels comfortable. I really dislike that kind of elitism. Everybody can pretty much figure out which end of the socio-economic bell curve you fall into if you are looking at or living in these communities. While there may be exceptions to this, I don't think we need to point it out all the time. It's just vulgar if you ask me and doesn't seem to match the OP personality at all - minimalist, green, vegan - so I doubt she cares whether one community is "wealthier than" another. Sorry, but that just pushed my buttons.

I wish people would focus on more important things. How about focusing on gratitude for having the "privilege" of having the ability to choose from many safe, family friendly communities with lots of amenities?

[chet everett]

And I have to add that in BOTH towns there have been PLENTY of homes TORN DOWN that sold more than $550K so you are definitely looking at something with some negatives...

I did not realize the OP's two kids were so young. Thinking back to when my kids were that age I don't think renting would have worked for me either. I guess that sort of help explains why having some neighbors to count on is therefore such a big deal -- and, given her price range an even trickier deal. In my experience the "transfer crowd" is not as dialed into having a "doula attended birth experience/vegan only diet/crystals to align your yonni" as the OP seems to be. Corporate warriors even if this more enlightened era tend to be 'big red meat eaters' that take the 'little woman' to the sales meeting in Antigua and leave the nanny in charge of shoving Similac into the babies... The OP and her family are going to be an outlier. Take one example -- despite the that fact that the LaLeche League started in Franklin Park IL the suburban Chicago region has pretty crappy percentages of families that give their kids nature's perfect food for infants. It is going to take some effort to find like minded families.

As to other commenter's 'insights' into drug use at the high school, I gotta wonder what value that is to someone who won't even be sending kids to kindergarten for like 3 years???

Somehow I don't think it makes a whole lot of sense to consider how easy is it to sneak onto a beach as plus when the OP has kids that are going to need some close supervision for several years either...


If the OP and their agent have a line on ANY homes that will work for them in any area that is a reasonable commute for her husband THAT is going to be hard enough. I lived in Libertyville in a VERY non-subdivision area and I loved it. Of course for me it was probably ten minutes from work too, so the traffic was a complete non-issue. Going a bit further would be a HUGE hassle. Living close to work is a very "green" thing to do but also means dad can simply be AROUND more -- especially helpful with two really little kids!

I would worry less about the particular nit-picking merits of any one area and focus on doing the comparison of the attributes of the PARTICULAR HOMES that you come across. The standard real estate things are always good to keep in mind: "location. location. location. SIZE of the property. AGE of the property. CONDITION of the property. ABSENCE of "non-remediable detriments" (ie not too close to anything too heinous). PRICE. VALUE. Favorable terms. I always thing these things are SUPER important because regardless of whether you stay for 40 years or wanna get the hell out of the home much sooner, if you choose the house that scores HIGHER on each of those you are less likely to have regret/monetary hardship. Although there is A LOT of emotion involved in a home purchase it must ALSO be the correct thing to do economically.

This should be getting easier.

I genuinely feel for you and think your husband and you must have a very special relationship if you came in to do this without him, sincerely hope this works out well!

[Nysee53]

That was just a point that I was making, because many people think that HP is wealthier than Wilmette, while it really isn't. I have also run into many more snooty people in HP than in Wilmette. Wilmette is much nicer in my opinion. ETHS is two schools. It is very divided along racial lines. ETHS is really not a great place for your child unless you have a star, which can be true for NT too, but Evanston cannot give your child a great education unless they are in the Honors program or above. I would go with either Wilmette or Evanston and not HP. I only shop in HP because it has a great Downtown. Again just my opinion.

[Anthera]

Jay,

I think all of the areas you are looking at now(HP,LF,LB) are wonderful family friendly communities. You will meet lots of great people in all of those communities. I think you will be happy in which ever one you choose. If you end up in a more conservative community, you will still find nice interesting people. Whatever choice you make will be good, just trust your instincts.

[cohdane]

Originally Posted by chet everett

Somehow I don't think it makes a whole lot of sense to consider how easy is it to sneak onto a beach as plus when the OP has kids that are going to need some close supervision for several years either...

The standard real estate things are always good to keep in mind: "location. location. location. SIZE of the property. AGE of the property. CONDITION of the property. ABSENCE of "non-remediable detriments" (ie not too close to anything too heinous). PRICE. VALUE. Favorable terms.

For what it's worth, I have a four-year-old with gross motor and motor planning problems. He enjoys sneaking to the beach. The journey through the woods is part of the adventure. It's also easier to supervise a little one on the beach when there are fewer people-- less to obstruct your view, less for your little one to run into or get run over by-- it's a very peaceful experience.

That said, different strokes....

I will save your excellent sum-up of what matters in real estate. It seems particularly important to remember in this market. Thanks for nailing it.

[Anthera]

Originally Posted by chet everett

And I have to add that in BOTH towns there have been PLENTY of homes TORN DOWN that sold more than $550K so you are definitely looking at something with some negatives...

I did not realize the OP's two kids were so young. Thinking back to when my kids were that age I don't think renting would have worked for me either. I guess that sort of help explains why having some neighbors to count on is therefore such a big deal -- and, given her price range an even trickier deal. In my experience the "transfer crowd" is not as dialed into having a "doula attended birth experience/vegan only diet/crystals to align your yonni" as the OP seems to be. Corporate warriors even if this more enlightened era tend to be 'big red meat eaters' that take the 'little woman' to the sales meeting in Antigua and leave the nanny in charge of shoving Similac into the babies... The OP and her family are going to be an outlier. Take one example -- despite the that fact that the LaLeche League started in Franklin Park IL the suburban Chicago region has pretty crappy percentages of families that give their kids nature's perfect food for infants. It is going to take some effort to find like minded families.

As to other commenter's 'insights' into drug use at the high school, I gotta wonder what value that is to someone who won't even be sending kids to kindergarten for like 3 years???

Somehow I don't think it makes a whole lot of sense to consider how easy is it to sneak onto a beach as plus when the OP has kids that are going to need some close supervision for several years either...


If the OP and their agent have a line on ANY homes that will work for them in any area that is a reasonable commute for her husband THAT is going to be hard enough. I lived in Libertyville in a VERY non-subdivision area and I loved it. Of course for me it was probably ten minutes from work too, so the traffic was a complete non-issue. Going a bit further would be a HUGE hassle. Living close to work is a very "green" thing to do but also means dad can simply be AROUND more -- especially helpful with two really little kids!

I would worry less about the particular nit-picking merits of any one area and focus on doing the comparison of the attributes of the PARTICULAR HOMES that you come across. The standard real estate things are always good to keep in mind: "location. location. location. SIZE of the property. AGE of the property. CONDITION of the property. ABSENCE of "non-remediable detriments" (ie not too close to anything too heinous). PRICE. VALUE. Favorable terms. I always thing these things are SUPER important because regardless of whether you stay for 40 years or wanna get the hell out of the home much sooner, if you choose the house that scores HIGHER on each of those you are less likely to have regret/monetary hardship. Although there is A LOT of emotion involved in a home purchase it must ALSO be the correct thing to do economically.

This should be getting easier.

I genuinely feel for you and think your husband and you must have a very special relationship if you came in to do this without him, sincerely hope this works out well!

Great post!