Moving from Orange County, CA to Chicago, IL. Do you know any good suburbs to live in? (Naperville: real estate, houses)

[kb78]

I've been struggling to find places that I want to live in when my family and I move to Illinois. My job is going to be based in Chicago so I'd like for my commute to be less than 90 minutes if possible.

My budget is 700k-750k for a home if that helps to narrow down any suburbs at all.

Are there any suburbs North of Chicago that I can afford? All the ones i've looked out seem to be quite expensive... like million dollar homes expensive. lol.

I've also looked at the South Side and so far my favorite is Orland Park. Is there any information you could give me about OP that I can't find online? I'm also quite concerned about property taxes. I really do not want to be taxed out of my home.

Any information you can give me will be great!
Thank you so much~

p.s. schools are of no concern. i don't have any little kids. all of mine are in their 20's.

[JTW2013]

Why are you willing to accept a 90 minute commute? With that budget you can find something much closer. You really do not want to commit yourself to a 90 minute commute. Traffic is bad and frustrating in Chicago. Bad weather which should be expected for at least 3 months of the year makes a bad commute even worse.

Where will your job be based in Chicago? The Loop? Are you open to taking the train to work?

Since you do not care about the schools, would you consider living in Chicago?

Property taxes are high in every Chicago suburb. Does your $700K budget take property taxes into consideration?

There are plenty of suburbs with houses in that price range. It's just a matter of figuring out where you work and how you will get to work and then choosing the one with the best commute.

Do you want a SFH or something more urban? Do you want a large yard? Do you want to be responsible for shoveling snow and mowing during the summer?

Do you want to live in a town with a nice, walkable downtown or do you want to live in a more suburban environment?

Do you like older homes or newer, more modern homes?

Why North and why Orland Park? Did you consider the Western or the Northwestern suburbs? I think you get a better value in the West. If you're going to be working in the Loop, look for a suburb with an express train on the Metra.

To each his own, but I'd seriously consider your commute when choosing where you live. You have a high enough budget to find housing with a good commute to work, especially given that you don't care about schools.

[kb78]

I said 90 minutes because I know it's more than likely not going to take me that long.
I've already figured out the commute from certain areas and it's only a little over an hour.

Yes, my work is in the loop.
And yes! I was already planning on taking the train to work.

No, I would not consider living in Chicago. I like suburban life.
Well it takes 13k-14k property taxes into consideration. Anything above that, I would not even move into the house.

I don't care so much for the front yard but a big back yard is a definite must. I want there to be plenty of room for the dogs to run around. Mowing the yard would be no concern since we'll just hire a gardener and my husband can take care of shoveling the snow. Or my son until he finds a place of his own.

I like modern and newer homes. However I am okay with older ones as long as they're fully upgraded.

I was just curious about the North since i haven't really bothered looking at homes there.
I like Orland Park because of the shopping/restaurants/businesses. The homes are newer and really nice. Plus, I can afford the property taxes.

If you could recommend to me some Northwestern or Western suburbs, that would be awesome. I would definitely take them into consideration!

[JTW2013]

Since you prefer a more modern home with a yard, maybe look in Downers Grove or Naperville. Both of which have express trains to the Loop. I'm sure you would find something in your price range in both towns. All of the shopping, restaurants, etc. that you like in Orland Park can be in the Western suburbs. Naperville has a nice little downtown with lots of shopping and restaurants.

Downers Grove is close to the shopping in Oak Brook which is the best mall in the Chicago area, IMHO.

Check out the Metra website to find the other express trains. There are also towns that don't have express trains but still have a pretty quick train from the Loop. You'll also need to consider parking at the Metra station. The ideal is to be able to walk to station but the houses by the stations are more expensive and older.

When you looked at commute times did you factor in the time it will take you get from your office to the train station and then from the station to your house? That could add at least 30 minutes to your commute. That's why, if you can, go for an express train that is 30 minutes.

[4122]

Lake county taxes are some of the highest in the nation and they have the highest taxes in Illinois. I think Orland Park is a good choice. You could also look into Burr Ridge or Countryside in the west suburbs.

[ToriaT]

Top Suburban areas in Chicago are the northern and western suburbs. Orland Park is okay but it would not be my choice.
I'm not fond of the south or southwest burbs. They do have some nice homes there though.

[chet everett]

If work is in the Loop it makes A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE to give priority to towns with good train service. The line with the largest number of truly efficient express trains is almost certainly the BNSF. As others have said express trains to Downers Grove or Naperville along the BNSF are very efficient and frequent enough to give lots of options. Those towns also have some nicer options for homes with large yards. While many homes will have trditional exterior apperances there are PLENTY of modern updated interiors that should be in your price range.

Second in terms of good rail options is the UP-W line, that serves towns as close as Oak Park and as far as Geneva. Each town should have some modern homes as options in your budget. Express trains from towns like Elmhurst, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, West Chicago and Geneva might work well for the commute.

Prices are generally higher in the North Shore towns, driven by perceived access to Lake Michigan and perceived school quality.

Towns along the UP-NW might also fit your needs, especially towns like Palatine and Barrington that might have good selection of homes with large yards in your price range.


Rail service along the southern / southwest rail lines is not as fast / frequent as other region, the conflicts with freight lines is often cited. That said your money will go farther in those towns. In addition to Orland Park you should probably explore areas like Tinley Park and Frankfort where home prices have been more affordable since the bursting of the real estate bubble in 2008.

[nikitakolata]

Orland wouldn't be on my list if you have to commute to the loop. I would focus on the towns along the BNSF line and UP West line. Most of the towns are nice and you can certainly find houses within your budget. Depending on how large of a yard you require, you could even live within walking distance of the train and save yourself the hassle of driving and parking (plus the expense of parking).

Metra Mobile

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by nikitakolata

Orland wouldn't be on my list if you have to commute to the loop. I would focus on the towns along the BNSF line and UP West line. Most of the towns are nice and you can certainly find houses within your budget. Depending on how large of a yard you require, you could even live within walking distance of the train and save yourself the hassle of driving and parking (plus the expense of parking).

Metra Mobile

The towns along these train lines are also some of the nicer suburbs in the region, in my opinion. And your $700,000 house in the western burbs will likely be nicer than what you could afford along the North Shore.

[wjj]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

The towns along these train lines are also some of the nicer suburbs in the region, in my opinion. And your $700,000 house in the western burbs will likely be nicer than what you could afford along the North Shore.

But perhaps not as nice as could be found in the northwest suburbs at that price range. Look at Barrington (all of the Barringtons), Long Grove, inverness, Hawthorn Woods, etc. The UP NW Line has many express trains and though the trip may be a few minutes longer than to the west suburbs using the BN, the house you can get and the amount of land you can get for $700K is pretty impressive.