Relocating to Chicago....I know, but please any advice? (Naperville: 2013, houses)

[Dormar75]

I see this on here a lot but they are older posts! Any recommendations besides Naperville? My husband will be commuting to Burr Ridge, Il. However, he does travel a lot so a 30 minute commute (when in town) would be good. We live in CT now, I grew up in The Bronx (little history). I like safe, not stuffy. I want my kids in good schools not pushed to the brink!!! Good sports programs, I can drive to them if I have to. Competent physicians. Don't want to live in complete , but not too congested. Perhaps this is all to much to ask for....but any recommendations would be appreciated. Mokena? Frankfort? Palos Park?

[MSchemist80]

I've heard good things about Orland Park, Brookfield, Hinsdale...

[Dormar75]

Thank You

[Antny12]

South burbs such as new lenox, Frankfort, mokena, tinley park, Orland park and homer glen are nice. Just keep in mind as in mos places In Illinois the property taxes are outrageous.

[linicx]

Most property taxes 100 miles south of 1-80 are far more reasonable than in Cook County or Chicago. This is primarily because 2/3 of the state population lives in Cook County and Chicago whilst 1/3 of the population is spread across the other 101 counties in the state.

Dense population, including the majority of the state legislators and the governor, live in Chicago/Cook County, above or very near 1-80. By comparison downstate legislators most often represent farmers and ranchers in multiple counties.

[chet everett]

There is not a whole lot of impact on property taxes from state legislators -- the majority of property taxes go to schools and area that have had to build new schools and add staff to accommodate booming population have much higher tax rates than communities with relative stable population...

For a work place in Burr Ridge the most logical towns would include LaGrange, Western Springs, and Hinsdale. These are traditional towns with a rail-centric core, nice walkable shops / resturants, very good schools (which even if you don't have kids helps to maintain property values...), and a pleasant mix of charming homes. If you are OK with towns that have less walkable amenities and lot sizes a little larger you could consider Burr Ridge, Indian Head Park, Homer Glen, Darien, and Willowbrook. There are also a fair number of homes in "unincorporated Hinsdale" that are scattered around the various Forest Preserves and facilites like Argonne National Lab.

It really does not make sense to look as far away as Frankfort / Mokena / New Lenox / Tinely Park unless you are priced out of the other areas, given congestion I suspect that most of those towns would be beyond a 30 minute rush hour commute. Additionally staying closer to the I-55 corridor (Stevenson Expressway) will greatly reduce travel time to Midway airport for out-of-town travel.

[MSchemist80]

The problem with property taxes is they can be raised very easily so there is little incentive to behave in a fiscally responsible manner as they can always go the the bottomless piggy bank that are property owners. This is as opposed to the income tax which looks like the dummycraps are hesitating because there is an election in Nov and they rightfully fear that there is going to be h#ll to pay. My guess is they make it perm in a lame duck session in Dec/early Jan again.

But yea OP research carefully the property tax situation. It could get as high as 2% + of the house's value annually.

[chet everett]

Already much higher than that in some areas...

[Dormar75]

Thank you for the information so far and bit of fyi... our 2013 property tax was 1.9% here in CT and I am in Litchfield County. The reason I was looking further out then Hinsdale, Western Springs etc. was I could only find older, smaller houses that needed work for 600k +. However, this was on internet...so please re-direct me to a web site if you know of one or neighborhoods that I may be over looking?

[3Series]

What about Burr Ridge? For $600k you can find a decent/newer house on a cookie cutter lot that goes to Hinsdale South. I'ts a good school too.