Glen Ellyn vs La Grange - need Lookout Kid, Chet and JJSki's advice (Chicago: co-op, houses)

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by WannaBeinBoston

LK brings up a point that I hadn't thought about, which is green space at schools. That is food for thought!!

We were sensitive to it, moving out here from the City. It's the one thing I didn't like about Cosley in La Grange, which was the school assigned to most of the houses we were looking at. However, I think we could have lived with it.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by WannaBeinBoston

The smart move would be for us to rent and then give us time to look around. Stupidly, we simply don't want to have to move twice. Moving is exhausting and I think we have it in us to make one last move and settle down until the kids are on to college.

You all bring up good points. The walkability is important but more to a downtown retail core than to schools. I think we all glamorize the kids being able to walk but more often then not, parents end up driving. And, given their rapid transition from elementary to middle school, and HS, it's short lived and not a smart way to base housing decisions.

LK brings up a point that I hadn't thought about, which is green space at schools. That is food for thought!!

If I had a put a percentage on folks that did rent as part of a relocation to the desirable suburbs I doubt it would be over 10%. The majority of folks figure out where they want to live and decide from amongst the available inventory over the course of a few months.

Even among the 10% or so that do rent I would say greater than 75% end up staying in the same school attendance area as they rented. It is tough to switch schools once kids start to form friendships after a move and parents wisely try very hard to avoid moves that break those bonds.
That slice of folks that do move after renting mostly are intimidated by the portion of there assets they'll be committing to a home that matches their wants / needs OR fit into the "very hard to satisfy" category that probably overlaps with the group of people giving out bad Yelp reviews to places that have earned Three Stars from Michelin and have Zagat ratings just a point or two from perfect 30 in food/decor/service...

[JJski]

GE/wheaton hands down win in the green department - the closer you get to city the more urban/dense it gets... LG does have salt creek trail... Again 2 really great choices, Please share your thoughts after visiting and feeling out the areas. We are all curious now what you will think post visits... ��

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

We were sensitive to it, moving out here from the City. It's the one thing I didn't like about Cosley in La Grange, which was the school assigned to most of the houses we were looking at. However, I think we could have lived with it.

I drive past Cossitt at least weekly when I take a lunch break and the kids use the paved play ground for traditional school yard activities. It is not like they are learning how to roll dice or something, this is still suburbia, not the Blackboard Jungle or West Side Story with Jets vs Sharks

COSSITT AVE ELEM SCHOOL: School Profile


Honestly LG is kind of anomaly with Cossitt Ave's lack of greenspace, as all the other towns, and even the other school in the district have rather park like settings. It is just one of those almost odd things that I suspect goes back to the school having been built in an era when paved school yards were standard.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by chet everett

I drive past Cossitt at least weekly ...

Yes, I meant Cossitt.

JETS! SHARKS!

[JJski]

Originally Posted by chet everett

Honestly LG is kind of anomaly with Cossitt Ave's lack of greenspace, as all the other towns, and even the other school in the district have rather park like settings. It is just one of those almost odd things that I suspect goes back to the school having been built in an era when paved school yards were standard.

I bet really soon that gets converted back to green space - it screams green me and sticks out like a sore thumb...

[WannaBeinBoston]

I will definitely post my perspective after next week's visit. Found this excellent article today. Where and how people choose housing choices defines friendships.

How our housing choices make adult friendships more difficult - Vox

[holl1ngsworth]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Yes, I meant Cossitt.

JETS! SHARKS!

Cosley is the zoo in Wheaton. Plenty of grass, no sharks.

[JJski]

Great article - when we moved to LG 3 years ago - our neighbors greeted us with bottles of wine... We are all friends now (had no issurs here) and even have a fb group for instant communication... The wives do girls nite out in chicago via trains/uber...

The homes here are not sprawled out so your kinda forced to know your neighbor... LG is also the king of summer porch parties IMO - i now understand the logic of the late 1800s early 1900s wrap around masssive porch, associated to older design...

[WannaBeinBoston]

La Grange seems like it would provide what we've like about our time spent in Atlanta in the Virginia Highlands neighborhood. Walkable, small lots, historic homes that range anywhere from $500k for a teardown to a rebuilt in the $1.5M range. Even though we live in a big city, we run into the same group of neighbors and people around town so that's why the article resonates with me. It's so true about the spontaneity and gathering place. Our neighborhood parks does summer movies, Friday night picnics and it's a great outlet for building communities. Despite the other "issues" about living in the south, I would say the southern hospitality is one we've grown accustomed to and would miss.