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Given employment is located in Cary, it makes the most sense to focus on the greater Barrington area.
There are more Barringtons than you can shake a stick at, given the area covers about 100 square miles, across 4 counties.
Given your price range and lack of familiarity with the area, I would suggest that you look closely at homes in the Village of Barrington, specifically Fox Point and adjacent sub divisions. This area is chock full of families with children of all ages. Pay attention to property taxes. Cook County will be less and perhaps allow you to afford more home for the money.
If you really want more land and the maintenance that goes with it, Lake Barrington has some good values. Be aware that anything on an acre or more will be well and septic as opposed to village water/sewer. There are pros and cons, like with anything.
The parents are very involved in the schools and take their volunteer hours and fund raising seriously.
There is a Newcomers Club and the Barrington Juniors Women's Club that allow you to meet others and get involved in the community.
Hi, I thought I'd throw my hat into the ring. My family's been in the Barrington area since the mid 1800's, I graduated from Barrington high school, as did most of my family. The area, if you are in Barrington proper, is great for walking, riding a bike and spending time with friends and/or family. It can get very congested and take quite a bit of time, depending upon the time of day you're driving, through downtown, which is Route 59 (Main Street) and county line road. These also intersect with Route 14, Barrington Road, Route 68, Route 25, etc. It's really a huge artery through Barrington Proper.
You can find a comfortable home for approximately $450,000 (4 beds, 2 baths) and be right in the middle of everything. Hough Street School was listed as one of the best in the area, which is in Barrington proper nearing the Rt. 59 and Rt. 68 intersections. I am a stay at home mom and live in Carpentersville, with a Barrington school district address. If one goes into a situation knowing that they are worth it then your experience will be great. The stay at home moms I had the honor of meeting were awesome. They are very involved with their children and their children’s school programs. Our boys are 3 and 8; our 8 year old is now in private school because the Carpentersville schools are all right, but lacking in reading and arithmetic. I am sure others might disagree, which is fine, that's what this forum is for! When our 3 year old reaches Kindergarten, unless we move to another area, he will be attending private school as well.
As for driving distances: From Naperville to Cary or vice versa will be difficult. Your husband will be looking at approximately an hour and half commute each way every day, more on Friday. Being that we live in Carpentersville, we're 6 miles from Cary, unless your husband is like mine (he always says he doesn't mind the commute while I do) then I'd reconsider unless there is a chance that you as a family might move permanently to Naperville or Naperville's surrounding area. The schools, per my sister in law, whose children are in the 203 school system, are awesome. My nephew has ADHD and the Naperville school system works wonderfully with him. The Barrington school system does the same, but to what I extent I do not know.
Another area you might consider, depending upon your long term goals, is Fox River Grove. As a mom and one that hopes to move to a bit larger home I ask everyone their opinion. Fox River Grove schools, in particular the high school, out ranked Barrington High School and Naperville's High Schools. Another great school system is Crystal Lake. However, once you start looking at Crystal Lake you're again looking at very high taxes.
For a $450,000 home in Barrington you're looking at approximately $4,000+ in taxes, Crystal Lake you're looking at approximately $7000+ a year, Fox River Grove $6000+ a year, Carpentersville (depending upon which side of the river you purchase) East of the river $3400+ a year, West side of the river $7400+ a year. Barrington really is a little pocket unto itself with great attributes. The police station is top notch, the fire department is top notch, the people are a bit more reserved than most, but they're some of the kindest you'll have the honor of meeting. And yes, there are stinkers too, most certainly! But you can avoid them anywhere you go. They usually have that uppity attitude that announces the kind of person they are within 10 paces!
Also, as a quick side note, Barrington, Crystal Lake, Fox River Grove and Cary all have train stations that have numerous times to Chicago. Cary does not have as many as the others mentioned, but they are all so close to Cary if you should park at any one of those cities you'd be home in no time flat. Naperville is on the BNSF Railway Line. You can find all of the listings at Metra - Welcome to Metra.
I wish you the best of luck. Its one thing choosing where to move when it's just you and your husband, but add in children and the “recipe” immediately thickens!
We lived in Lake Barrington several years ago, and found much to do with kids, especially if your family likes outdoor activities. Our children were the same ages as yours when we moved there, and we used the park district facilities a lot -- great pool, lots of classes for kids, fitness center for adults. There are some nice parks, and there are many activities for young children at the Barrington library. There's a newcomer's club, which helps for finding playgroups and other parents of young children. The Village of Barrington has smaller houses on smaller lots, North and South Barrington have huge houses on huge lots, and Lake Barrington has a variety of sized houses -- huge to modest. There are also unincorporated areas within the Barringtons that are still in the Barrington school district. There are also state parks (Volo Bog comes to mind) not too far from Barrington, where you can find rural areas and hiking, biking, etc.
One of the reasons we moved away is that Barrington tends to be very conservative and conventional and we felt out of place. We are politically liberal, and our views were not welcome, at least among the circle of people (all very nice) we knew. We also like to go to the theater and to museums in Chicago, but found it difficult to get there because of the distance (often 2 hours in traffic). There's a train to Chicago from Barrington that takes about an hour. If we moved back to that area, one town we liked is Long Grove (about a 25 minute commute to Cary). It's a small town that seems to have a lot of activities for families, and has cute stores. I've never lived there, but spent time visiting and liked it.
The forest preserves I mentioned are not close to Aurora. Glad you know the area so well.
Steve,
I've always enjoyed the wealth of info you give on your posts and all those wonderful pictures you provided of so many, many suburbs of the Chicago area. I really don't wish to get into yet "another" Naperville debate, but I have to say I am surprised you even suggested the idea to this OP. It's sooo, so far away from where her husband will be working in Cary. If Naperville is suggested, then this opens up the door for all the other suburbs that are a little further east and North of Naperville, that are every bit as nice of a community, some more tight knit than Naperville as Naperville is so, so big, and these many other suburbs would be a little "less of a commute" than it would be from Naperville. An hour is IF there is no traffic, and we all know what that's like just to get out of the Naperville area.
Also, all the forest preserves you mentioned are actually closer to Warrenville, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, and of course Lisle. How does Naperville now take credit for these forest preserves you mentioned? Depending on what part of Naperville you settle in, a trip to the morton arboretum will be an outing you need to set aside a whole day for. Might as well go to Glencoe to the Botanicle gardens. My point here is, Naperville got it's "spotlight" and we all know it, are tired of hearing it, and as many will argue, was not necessarily deserved as many "Napervillians" are just taking it literally and quoting it as if they don't understand what it was all based on. It's downtown is FANTASITIC and many of the daily "fold" that walk the streets of Naperville, do not live there, but are visiting it's wonderful shopping and eating establishments, us included, from Wheaton as well as many, many other wonderful communities/suburbs. I'm sure I'm not the only one who wonders if the family crossing the bridge on the riverwalk in the picture is actually a Naperville family.
Barrington has a great community and has always had a great reputation of well established stature. The pricerange of the OP will get them a nice home in a great community that's well established with great schools. Her husbands commute will be easier and they should not be left to feel as if they "wish" they could have lived in Naperville, but too far away, as if Barrington is a choice of compromise. Barrington is by no means, second fiddle to Naperville. So there, my bi-weekly defense of "all the other suburbs" compared to Naperville. Sorry, but it just needs to be clarified to any "out of stater" coming our way. For goodness sake, enough of Naperville already. There are far more established, expensive, smaller suburbs out here that Naperville doesn't hold a candle too, Money Mag. rating or not. Remember, the population looked at was between 50-300 thousand, leaving most all prestigeous suburbs "out of the running" with populations under 50,000. That's most all other western suburbs out here.
Thanks, again, for all of your very interesting, fun info and I will continue to enjoy reading a lot of it. You seem to have a pretty "unbaised view", most of the time. Take Care
We also like to go to the theater and to museums in Chicago, but found it difficult to get there because of the distance (often 2 hours in traffic). There's a train to Chicago from Barrington that takes about an hour. If we moved back to that area, one town we liked is Long Grove (about a 25 minute commute to Cary). It's a small town that seems to have a lot of activities for families, and has cute stores. I've never lived there, but spent time visiting and liked it.
Moving to Long Grove will not improve your treck to the city, and they have no Metra station. The stores are 'cute' but are all geared to the tourists who frequent there every day. The locals have to shop in the neighboring towns for groceries etc. The family activities I have not heard of unless you mean the Strawberry festival held there yearly. And like many burbs, Long Grove has horrendous traffic now on its main roads-83,Hicks,etc,,its an ordeal during rush-the Cary commute would be longer then 25 minutes,certainly on those snow days.
I really don't wish to get into yet "another" Naperville debate, but I have to say I am surprised you even suggested the idea to this OP. It's sooo, so far away from where her husband will be working in Cary.
Well, I suggested Naperville because at the time the OP didnt mention that her husband would be working in Cary. Had I known that when I posted, I never would have recommended Naperville.
One of the reasons we moved away is that Barrington tends to be very conservative and conventional and we felt out of place. We are politically liberal, and our views were not welcome, at least among the circle of people (all very nice) we knew. We also like to go to the theater and to museums in Chicago, but found it difficult to get there because of the distance (often 2 hours in traffic). There's a train to Chicago from Barrington that takes about an hour. If we moved back to that area, one town we liked is Long Grove (about a 25 minute commute to Cary). It's a small town that seems to have a lot of activities for families, and has cute stores. I've never lived there, but spent time visiting and liked it.
Well, I suggested Naperville because at the time the OP didnt mention that her husband would be working in Cary. Had I known that when I posted, I never would have recommended Naperville.
OK, enough said then. As mentioned, keep up the great posts and LOVE the pictures. I look at them frequently. You've captured great shots of many great suburbs.
Moving to Long Grove will not improve your treck to the city, and they have no Metra station. The stores are 'cute' but are all geared to the tourists who frequent there every day. The locals have to shop in the neighboring towns for groceries etc. The family activities I have not heard of unless you mean the Strawberry festival held there yearly. And like many burbs, Long Grove has horrendous traffic now on its main roads-83,Hicks,etc,,its an ordeal during rush-the Cary commute would be longer then 25 minutes,certainly on those snow days.
So true.... "Historic Long Grove" has unique, charming, overpriced shops geared to tourists. Most of the locals shop in Lake Zurich. I love Long Grove though (I even got married there and had the Long Grove Confectionery do the dessert table...YUM ). But I feel Barrington has way more to offer for family activities and it's been easy for us to take the Metra downtown.
p.s. I finally sold my house! Closed on Friday! Thought it would never happen...
One of the reasons we moved away is that Barrington tends to be very conservative and conventional and we felt out of place. We are politically liberal, and our views were not welcome, at least among the circle of people (all very nice) we knew.
I haven't experienced this where I've lived in Barrington. My circle of friends have diverse political views and are successful professionals because they are non-conventional risk-takers in the business world. In their personal lives, most are in a "traditional" family and are highly involved in their childrens' lives and in the community. Is this what you mean by "conventional"?
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When our 3 year old reaches Kindergarten, unless we move to another area, he will be attending private school as well.
