New job, new home/Woodstock (Crystal Lake, Barrington: foreclosure, to rent, condo)

[ztempest]

My husband just got a new job in Crystal Lake and we (no children) would like to live in the quiet of the country after living in the crime infested larger city, not in Illinois.

We have looked at properties in the Woodstock area, out of town in the so called horse country, we only have a dog. Is it nice and quiet as it is safe ??? Not being a gun owner and noticing the taxes are extremely high, figured a larger police/firefighter presence.

It's ok to laugh, I am now judging properties by their properties taxes ... Uh ... No children, bet the schools are great, we will never utilize them, but maybe a few goats instead of horses.

So, is Woodstock as safe as it is quiet ???

And last question (again, ok to laugh) .... High speed internet make it up that way for a home office.

Many gracious thanks ....

{z}}}

[chet everett]

First I do agree that Woodstock is safe, not becuase of any particualrly effective police force but becuase there are not many things to attract crime.
Second although the taxes are high the quality of the schools is not partcularly stellar. There was an uptick in population as the expansion of the suburbs saw more folks move out that way and subsequent surge in spending on new public Infrastructue including schools.

It may be in your best interst to shop both on aquistion price and ongoing property taxes as areas that have high taxes are likely to just see them keep climbing while areas that are more affluent and have a history of lower tax rates are also likely to see those trends continue.

Unfortunately in the areas convenient to Crystal Lake there are not a whole lot of really affordable options, especially if you want a parcel big enough to be "out in the country". One angle worth looking at is getting a real farm, using a acre or two around the house for your little hobby / goats and renting the bulk of the acreage to working silage type farmers. This may allow you to have the lower agricultural rate on the whole parcel and depending on how the rent for the land works out you might actually make money. Of course financing is not going to be the same, and you will need different kinds of analysis to ensure you get productive land...

Alternatively you might find situation to rent where a family has consolidated their arable land but still has a few resideneces from back when uncles and cousins had side-by-side homesteads.

[middle-aged mom]

You might want to consider Lake Barrington, too.

[maddog49]

I'd check out Marengo. Cheaper and plenty of 2-3 acre lots for less than 400k if your willing to buy a older house. How much land are you looking for? 3 acres or 40? As far as I know you need 40 acres in mchenry county to be zoned agricultural so you get cheaper taxes. I'm very familiar with the area around crystal lake and surrounding areas west of 47.

[jlawrence01]

I lived in Woodstock for 14 years, actually up to two weeks ago when I sold my place.

Woodstock is your typical small town. Crime in minimal and seems concentrated around bars around the Woodstock Square area, generally late at night. I live in a 100+ condo unit in town and we have had no burglaries in the area. We did have a coupe of people busted for possession in the area but that happens just about anywhere. Police response is very quick. The major thing to watch is that you need to stop completely at all stop signs in the areas around the Woodstock Square. They do ticket on the first offense.

As for the schools, they do a good job. They test lower than some of the other districts as they have a higher percentage of non-English native speakers especially in the lower grades. The tests are more concerned with where the students are academically. I am more concerned with the progress they are making while the are in school.

Property taxes are high. However, you should appeal the assessment every several years and often, you will see a reduction of property taxes in the area.

Do realize that if you do not buy within the city limits, you do not have access to certain services like the library, unless you are willing to pay to join.

Personally, if I was working in Crystal Lake, I would live in Crystal Lake north of IL-176. You generally have larger lots and you do not have to deal with the traffic on US-14 and IL-47. I did that commute for 13 years and it takes about 10 minutes longer as they continue to add traffic lights on US-14.

Also, there is a lot more retail in Crystal Lake than in Woodstock.

[ztempest]

Thank you for your replies and suggestions, Lake Barrington seems overly expensive.

We are looking for a minimum of 3 acres outside of a city, where it is quiet. Not interested in retail or schools, as I plan ahead for food and we have no children. Just want quiet. My husband is currently working in Crystal Lake and I am here in midtown Kansas City packing up, our house has sold. Unfortunately when it gets hot, it get stupid. As in shootings, drunks, and all around unpleasantness that you find in an urban area. A 35 mile radius of Crystal Lake will be ideal.

We like old, as this house is cir. 1910 and fixed it up, lost our jobs, so here we come.

I also appreciate the tip on the 'appeal of assessment' good advice that I will do.

Cheers,
{z}}}

[anawinkr2]

I live in rural Harvard, about 15 miles from Crystal Lake. Next door neighbor on 10 acres - 4-bedroom is being forced to sell - due to Husband's recent death and facing foreclosure. Asking $250,000. 4-bedroom, 3-bath (2 are unfinished, but should not be a major project. House was built in the 1970's I believe.

[ztempest]

Thank you for your reply. We have found a lovely 3 acre parcel with a home in the countryside.

Kind regards for everybodies advice and recommendations.

{z}}}}}