Crystal lake??? (Chicago, Gurnee, Algonquin: appointed, sales, 2014)

[Honeybear6703]

Me and my family are relocating and we noticed houses are much cheaper in Crystal Lake compared to other communities does anyone know what it's like there exactly?

[wjj]

Crystal Lake is a nice far northwest suburb. Nothing at all wrong with it. Family oriented, good but not great schools, lots of shopping nearby, safe, and it has a Metra Station. However, it is a very long way from Chicago and if there is a need to be in the city on a regular basis, it would be a real grind. I have had colleagues that have done it by timing the express trains just right, but it would not be for me.

The reason housing is so much cheaper is the distance from the city. Otherwise, it is a nice, safe place and a great place to raise a family. If you are looking for a more urban setting with lots of bars and clubs, it is definitely not the place to be.

[chet everett]

Housing is depressed due to underperforming schools AND high taxes. It is a solid 90 minutes to Chicago, so few folks try to commute for daily work, those that are enticed by low cost new homes are often disappointed by DECLINING values. There are still a fair number of active farms nearby -- the political climate of McHenry County tends to be shaped by the sort of rural / agricultural issues...

[Lookout Kid]

There's this guy Jason who wears a hockey mask and stabs people, but other than that it's a nice town.

[holl1ngsworth]

Vibrant little downtown area surrounded by attractive, historic homes. If I was buying there, I'd only look at walking distance to town and Metra. Outside the downtown district things really start to spread, and it's not all that attractive. Lack of local white collar employment and distance to Chicago suppresses prices.

[DougStark]

I agree. Crystal Lake is a nice town (suburb.) I remember when it was still small back in the 70s. Traffic can be bad, though. I'd also agree that you should not be surprised by high property taxes there.

Next door to Crystal Lake to the NW, Woodstock is a nice town (exurb) also, if you want an even smaller town feel, although it's not a small town by any means now.

Both towns are on a commuter train route to downtown Chicago.

[Choosey]

I grew up there, had a great experience, attended a Big 10 school, and now manage millions of dollars in sales for my career. So, you can grow up there and turn out ok I've got nothing bad to say about it, I had a great childhood.

[ChiAreaGuy]

It's average. But far, and underperforming schools yes. It's in McHenry county, so nothing too nice, and weather is not the best. Algonquin is still better, no doubt.

Other suggestions: Algonquin, LITH(Lake in the Hills), Barrington areas, in the North we can talk about, Gurnee, Pleasant Prairie, Antioch's East Side, Wadsworth, Grayslake.

[4122]

Originally Posted by ChiAreaGuy

It's average. But far, and underperforming schools yes. It's in McHenry county, so nothing too nice, and weather is not the best. Algonquin is still better, no doubt.

Other suggestions: Algonquin, LITH(Lake in the Hills), Barrington areas, in the North we can talk about, Gurnee, Pleasant Prairie, Antioch's East Side, Wadsworth, Grayslake.

Crystal Lake schools are not underperforming. They schools are some of the best in Mchenry County. My dad lived in Crystal Lake for a few years or so as a kid and he said it was his favorite place out of the many places he lived during his childhood. A friend of mine also lives there and loves it and his son just graduated from Central HS and had a great experience there. By the lake, it's much more expensive than the rest of Crystal Lake and Mchenry County.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by Honeybear6703

Me and my family are relocating and we noticed houses are much cheaper in Crystal Lake compared to other communities does anyone know what it's like there exactly?

Really, it depends on where you are planning to work. If you are heading into the city for work, it is NOT the best option as you are talking 60-70 minutes to get to the loop on an express train.

As for the schools, I think that most people are very happy with the education that their kids are receiving.

The real issue in most of the Chicago suburbs is that many people are moving out as employers are shutting down operations to move to more business-friendly locales. In 2000-2014, I can think of at least 20 employers in the area who have shed 50-200 employees in McHenry County alone. And I know of several more who are planning major layoffs.