Which Suburb to Move to? Convenient to O'Hare and Metra (Chicago: rental car, rental)

[starshine24]

We may be moving back to Chicago, this time the burbs. Which one would suit us best? In a perfect world we would like to be convenient to O'hare and walking distance to Metra. So Close to Air travel and the city. Public schools are not a factor as children are grown. We previously lived in the Loop which we loved. This time we are downsizing, meaning sending children through college and saving as much as possible for retirement. Is there a suburb that seems to be up and coming, but has not caught on yet? Thanks in Advance!

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by starshine24

We may be moving back to Chicago, this time the burbs. Which one would suit us best? In a perfect world we would like to be convenient to O'hare and walking distance to Metra. So Close to Air travel and the city. Public schools are not a factor as children are grown. We previously lived in the Loop which we loved. This time we are downsizing, meaning sending children through college and saving as much as possible for retirement. Is there a suburb that seems to be up and coming, but has not caught on yet? Thanks in Advance!

There are literally MILLIONS of people that vote with their wallets in the region and there is no such thing as a "hidden gem" -- towns that are more affordable generally have a variety of factors that shape that affordability and NOT JUST an absence of higher quality schools or any other SINGLE factor.

If you want to be close to O'Hare and have a WALKABLE commute to Metra I suppose you could put DesPlaines on your short list but know that it is so close to O'Hare that noise can be an issue. Further, despite efforts to upgrade its downtown, I would say that improvements have largely "stalled out" due to market realities rather than being "up and coming". That said, downtown DesPlaines does have some merit, nice restaurants and such. Schools are big step down from neighbors like Mt Prospect or Park Ridge. but homes are more affordable... Yet taxes are not all the low.

The list of other towns that might fit the bill is pretty limited, directly south of O'Hare things are rather industrial even in towns that have tried to make an effort to be attractive to residential development. Similarly the closest towns west of the airport are know more for large volumes of vehicular traffic than a focus on walkability. I suppose there are towns like Itasca that does have some Metra service but the walkable part of town is rather limited. And when it comes to total housing budget, factoring in property taxes, things look worse. Even inside the NW side of Chicago, with areas like Edison Park having decent Metra service, relatively high home prices and taxes scheduled to increase significantly are not encouraging.

Need to look at total budget and long term goals. Would a condo or rental work? How long will be staying?

[ToriaT]

Maybe Park Ridge or Edison Park. Edison Park is in Chicago but its kinda suburban like. You could pick a place like Oak Park, Its more urban than most suburbs and has the metra. Its not particularly close to OHare but you could get up there fairly easy. If you don't go to O Hare on a daily basis to work I don't know why you would want to live close to it. Too much plane noise.

[pvande55]

Do you mean convenient to Metra trains that go to OHare? That is only possible on the North Central line,
http://metrarail.com/content/metra/e...p/ncs/map.html though it may be workable, using the 250 bus, from the Northwest line.

[starshine24]

Thanks a lot of great info. We are thinking this may be our final neighborhood. We have moved a lot and would like to finally settle down. Would like a single family home. Family in/near Chicago. Kids are going to College in Chicago. If they move after at least we will be near air port. If the North Central Line is the only convenient one to O'hare that would be awesome. Too much noise would be not good. Which suburbs are on the north central line? Also the reasons for suburbs are . . . hopefully more bang for our buck, single family home . . . and I can't believe I am saying this . . . I am officially getting old . . . less hustle and bustle and OK and maybe a free parking spot.

[MSchemist80]

The North Central Service has only a handful of trains daily and none on the weekend nor holidays. Evanston has Metra L service and a bus Route 250 that goes to Ohare. Morton Grove and Desplaines also have that bus and Metra service. Park Ridge is above your budget but has the Blue line and Metra.

[wjj]

Originally Posted by starshine24

Thanks a lot of great info. We are thinking this may be our final neighborhood. We have moved a lot and would like to finally settle down. Would like a single family home. Family in/near Chicago. Kids are going to College in Chicago. If they move after at least we will be near air port. If the North Central Line is the only convenient one to O'hare that would be awesome. Too much noise would be not good. Which suburbs are on the north central line? Also the reasons for suburbs are . . . hopefully more bang for our buck, single family home . . . and I can't believe I am saying this . . . I am officially getting old . . . less hustle and bustle and OK and maybe a free parking spot.

North Central Service north of O'Hare stops at Prospect Heights, Wheeling, Buffalo Grove, Prairie View (which covers Long Grove and Lincolnshire) Vernon Hills, and then about 10 more stops further north. It does not run on the weekends. I would not call any of these suburbs up and coming. All are well established.

The NCS Line is the only Metra Line that stops at O'Hare. But it does not stop by the terminals. It stops behind an office complex next to one of the remote parking lots (which is now being converted into the rental car center). So after getting off the train, you take a bus to the people mover train which takes you to the terminals. So if you are flying out of Terminal 1 on United, it can take 20 to 25 minutes from the time you get off the train until the time you enter Terminal 1. While it is relIable going to O'Hare, it is not so reliable coming back since there are not a lot of outbound trains and a short flight delay could cost you two hours if you miss your train. I fly almost weekly out of O'Hare and I never take the NCS even though I live in Buffalo Grove just a few minutes from the station.

[starshine24]

Wow. Thanks. Very helpful. So cabbing it is the best way to get to O'hare no matter where you live in Chicago? Thought that might change in the burbs. Metra to city very important. Weekend Metra to the city is a must. Had not even thought of that complication.

[starshine24]

What's above my budget?

Originally Posted by chet everett

There are literally MILLIONS of people that vote with their wallets in the region and there is no such thing as a "hidden gem" -- towns that are more affordable generally have a variety of factors that shape that affordability and NOT JUST an absence of higher quality schools or any other SINGLE factor.

If you want to be close to O'Hare and have a WALKABLE commute to Metra I suppose you could put DesPlaines on your short list but know that it is so close to O'Hare that noise can be an issue. Further, despite efforts to upgrade its downtown, I would say that improvements have largely "stalled out" due to market realities rather than being "up and coming". That said, downtown DesPlaines does have some merit, nice restaurants and such. Schools are big step down from neighbors like Mt Prospect or Park Ridge. but homes are more affordable... Yet taxes are not all the low.

The list of other towns that might fit the bill is pretty limited, directly south of O'Hare things are rather industrial even in towns that have tried to make an effort to be attractive to residential development. Similarly the closest towns west of the airport are know more for large volumes of vehicular traffic than a focus on walkability. I suppose there are towns like Itasca that does have some Metra service but the walkable part of town is rather limited. And when it comes to total housing budget, factoring in property taxes, things look worse. Even inside the NW side of Chicago, with areas like Edison Park having decent Metra service, relatively high home prices and taxes scheduled to increase significantly are not encouraging.

Need to look at total budget and long term goals. Would a condo or rental work? How long will be staying?

Originally Posted by MSchemist80

The North Central Service has only a handful of trains daily and none on the weekend nor holidays. Evanston has Metra L service and a bus Route 250 that goes to Ohare. Morton Grove and Desplaines also have that bus and Metra service. Park Ridge is above your budget but has the Blue line and Metra.

[wjj]

Originally Posted by starshine24

Wow. Thanks. Very helpful. So cabbing it is the best way to get to O'hare no matter where you live in Chicago? Thought that might change in the burbs. Metra to city very important. Weekend Metra to the city is a must. Had not even thought of that complication.

Drive, taxi, or car service. I usually drive for shorter trips (3 days or less) and take a car service for longer trips. The parking lots at O'Hare are packed during the week (the main covered garage closest to the terminals usually fills up and closes by Tuesday afternoon and doesn't open up again until Thursday afternoon). Most business travelers from the suburbs drive and park at the airport at either the main garage, the main outdoor lots next to the garage (you walk directly into the terminals from both), or at one of the remote lots where you need to take the people mover train plus also a bus if in one of the far remote lots.

City dwellers are more likely to cab it or take the Blue Line el to O'Hare. But traffic from the city out to O'Hare can be a nightmare during both rush hours and make a cab ride a very long trip. I can get to O'Hare from Buffalo Grove in under a half hour most days but someone going from downtown to O'Hare during the morning or evening rush will need to plan on at least an hour and often more for a trip that is a shorter distance than my trip from BG.