La Grange vs Hinsdale? (Naperville, Evanston: for sale, houses, neighborhoods)

[TexanUpNorth]

We will be moving our family from Austin after the school year and I am trying to get an understanding of the Western suburbs. I know Hinsdale is widely considered the most affluent of the Western suburbs and the most expensive. It does seem like a lovely village so perhaps it's worth the extra cost.

But wondering how other areas like La Grange compare. Or even Downers Grove and Western Springs. For a family of four with a budget of about $1M to $1.2M do you think you get the most bang for your buck in Hinsdale (schools, events, recreation, downtown) or in the surrounding villages? FYI - Naperville is out for us but would consider other Western villages.

Thanks for your help. This forum is great!

[Lookout Kid]

Yes, you get more for your money in La Grange. And I actually like La Grange better in many respects. I find it to be more charming (at least north of 47th street) and like the downtown area quite a bit more. The elementary and junior high schools in district 102 are excellent (and 105 is only a slight issue at the Junior High level). Lyons Township High School does not have the same performance as Hinsdale Central, but it is a lot more of a diverse student body--and I believe the test scores reflect that. It is still a great school with a lot to offer college-bound kids.

Downers Grove is also a really nice town, and the schools in the northern portion of town are highly rated. You might also consider Elmhurst, Wheaton, and Glen Ellyn (inventory is very low in all of these towns, so you may need to cast a wide net).

[JJski]

We struggled with that same question… We are from MI originally ~ Ann Arbor which most closely matches your Austin weird… If you could take Naperville and Evanston and put them together it might come close…

At 1M+ you will get walking distance downtown LG – nice home. We looked at all the towns you mentioned and the coveted North Shores. Search some of my threads as we hit this board hard during our search.

I believe you will prefer La Grange over your other western choices (especially with your budget) for the same reasons we did... Restaurants/life/great schools/central location/vibrancy - You will get tons of comments on this thread and I look forward to reading them also.

And best advice is visit on a weekend – you can easily hit all of them in 1 day to feel it out…

Best of luck

[Lookout Kid]

I'm sure that Chet will bring up the fact that in the $1M+ price range, homes in Hinsdale will hold their value better--as it is a more typical price point for that suburb. La Grange's sweet spot seems to be in the $650k-$950k range for homes in the historic zone.

[JJski]

650 downtown LG will get you something that needs significant rehab... IMO LG is 850+ for decent/move in ready (prime location) DTLG home. Tear downs going for 350 and those are hard to come by.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by JJski

650 downtown LG will get you something that needs significant rehab... IMO LG is 850+ for decent/move in ready (prime location) DTLG home. Tear downs going for 350 and those are hard to come by.

There are plenty of nice houses for sale in the heart of La Grange for $650k or less. They aren't the neighborhood showpieces, but they aren't all in need of "signficant rehab" either. Some may just need cosmetic rehab.

[holl1ngsworth]

Hinsdale is certainly the cream of the crop, but you will get more "bang for your buck" in other desirable Western suburbs. The list of other desirable Western suburbs includes, east to west: Oak Park, River Forest, La Grange, Western Springs, Elmhurst, Clarendon Hills, Oak Brook, Downers Grove, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton and Naperville.

I'm in Wheaton and I can say there are many beautiful properties here at and below your price point. The median incomes of Wheaton neighborhoods fit somewhere below those in Hinsdale but above those in Downers Grove -- somewhat inline with La Grange. We've got one of the larger downtowns in the Western burbs and there is always some sort of activity or festival happening. The schools are stellar: the elementary school serving our downtown district had the 6th-highest standardized test score in the state last year, and when adjusted for the achievement gap our high school had the 10th highest standardized test scores in the state. For recreation, we've got 800+ acres of city-owned green space, as well as the Illinois Prairie Path and some of the largest forest preserves in the area. We've got a free zoo, an equestrian center, top-rated golf courses including the oldest 18-hole golf club in America, museums, formal gardens and much, much more.

Here is a nice under-budget property:
1002 S. Gables Blvd. WHEATON, IL 60189 | Redfin

And another that is on-budget:
525 W. Lincoln Ave. WHEATON, IL 60187 | Redfin

If you want to use every bit of that $1.2mil budget, I like what's available in Glen Ellyn, La Grange and Clarendon Hills. If you want to save a little cash and still live in a charming, affluent town Wheaton is my favorite... because it's no fun being in this situation.

[JJski]

I dont know LK... We recently looked alot (650 thru 1M) and 650 in DTLG was alot of work (additions, floor plans, kitchens, bathrooms, on top of cosmetic such as paint) IMO...

I think they are looking for more at something like this: 111 N Spring Ave, La Grange, IL 60525 - Zillow notice it sold in 3 days and over asking...

[chet everett]

I often tell folks that tryiing to judge home on price per sq ft basis is like buying tires by the pound -- it just ain't the right way to assess what you need / want.

Heck, I also routinely make fun of folks that use the flowery language of wine reviews to try and discern the subtle variations between different neighborhoods too -- go ahead and read some of this stuff Best Zinfandel Wines - Ratings & Reviews from Wine Enthusiast

Are you gonna lay down $38 for something with dry dusty tanins or would you rather spend $34 and get some briary peppery wild berry flavors?

Firstly I do tend agree that LaGrange is larger and has more absolute range of everything from people to resturants to schools. That said the shift that one might find in having less wide a range but perhaps a bit more 'premium' options is not really a negative. Hinsdale has a whole bunch of nice people, eating, entertaining, and shopping options, and should you ever want anything that LaGrange offers you are a short ride away.

I also have to agree with Hworth in that with a budget of over a million dollars you really should include a whole bunch of town in your initial cut so that you understand both what you get upfront and what the total package is over the long haul. Basically all the towns from Lagrange throuugh Western Springs,Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills and Downers Grove on the BNSF as well as towns like Oak Park, Elmhurst, Glen Ellyn and Wheaton on the UP-W line each have things that may be appealing for someone coming from Austin.

What is very hard to deny is that the tax burden is likely most manageble in Hinsdale, in fact about the only place with lower taxes (and better schools but far less walkability...) would be the portions of Oak Brook served by D53...

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

I'm sure that Chet will bring up the fact that in the $1M+ price range, homes in Hinsdale will hold their value better--as it is a more typical price point for that suburb. La Grange's sweet spot seems to be in the $650k-$950k range for homes in the historic zone.

Well fine, Chet, if you're not going to step up...

Hinsdale has proven again and again to attract families willing to pay $1M+ for homes. This is a well-established price in Hinsdale.

Now I have several homes at or above that $1M in my neighborhood in Glen Ellyn, but they tend to sit on the market a bit longer and are sort of outliers compared to the median. They are also bigger and nicer than the same priced home in Hinsdale. This is not to say that my neighborhood is cheap! Most of the houses have been listing well above $600k recently. But there aren't as many $1M house shoppers in my neighborhood as there would be in Hinsdale, so the argument could be made that the $1M investment would be a bit safer in Hinsdale, assuming you want appreciation and the ability to sell quickly. But... You get more for your money in Glen Ellyn or La Grange. Or Wheaton (that one's for you, Holl1ngsworth).

Of course there are parts of Glen Ellyn that are nicer than where I live, and where I think the $1M+ price would be a safer bet--particularly in the areas with views of Lake Ellyn. And there are parts of Hinsdale where you would be insane to own a seven-figure house due to location issues. So it really does come down to the micro-location within the village as well as the choice of suburb itself.