Bought house in Highland Woods, Elgin (Chicago, Aurora: for sale, lease, credit)

[JohnRoxy]

I moving from out-of-state and saw a beautiful home in (looks to be) awesome neighborhood. Don't care about being in "fun" city. Like idea of being more "rural" have elementary school kids.
Questions:
1- is there a reason all the homes in this neighborhood are for sale? (Other than the housing market)
2- Elgin, is it safe? Is it run down? What is the biggest problem with this city? It seems less desirable by reading posts. I don't mind Hispanics. However minorities can burden the system.
3- County, property taxes are outrageous! Why!? Is it improving the county? Where is the money going?!

I didn't have a lot of time or contacts to find best places. Other homes we looked at just didn't work in places like Roselle, Schaumburg, Des Plaines (horrible schools) we wanted a newer home and needed lots of space for our kids. Feel like something is wrong about this area, but I don't know what it is.

[cubssoxfan]

What school district are you in? Burlington SD is better than U-46 in my opinion. have you considered Palatine or Elk Grove? Good schools with a closer commute. What is your housing budget?

[JohnRoxy]

Why does it seem Elgin is less desirable? It would be in the west area of Elgin. Also, why are there so many homes for sale in the neighborhood? (Other than the housing market) wondering if there is an issue or problem there so people don't want to live in highland woods.

[knitgirl]

There are people that have a problem with all of Elgin because the population is pretty diverse. The area that you are in is pretty generic suburban and your kids will be going to a different school district. I would have recommended renting for a year before buying in a new city, but since it's too late for that, I think you'll be fine. Elgin has a lot of good things going for it. You will be in an area that is fairly rural as you said you like. If any of your kids ride horses, there are places to do that out that way. Elgin has a terrific library right by the river and a branch off Randall Rd. The Elgin symphony is excellent and there are lots of events at the Hemmens. Elgin Community College is a good resource for continuing education, some fun noncredit classes and theater.

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by Pauljrnicole

We have already bought the house. It's district 301. I know little about Elgin or the highland woods development. Why does it seam Elgin is less desirable. We will be in the west area of Elgin. Also, why are there so many homes for sale in the neighborhood. (other than the housing market) wondering if there is an issue or problem there so people don't want to live in highland woods.

I think the areas west of Randall Rd are nice. You avoided U-46, which is a good move! The issue with Elgin, is that it has some diverse, Hispanic areas that are lower middle class and some people are not comfortable with this and automatically think ALL of Elgin is undesirable. So it is perception, mediocre schools (compared to other nearby suburbs) and competition from other suburbs that makes Elgin seem less desirable.

[JohnRoxy]

Thank you for your replies.
We don't like renting and didn't want to get stuck in a year lease, esp if we found a home to buy soon after. It can at times be easier to just buy, then sell if you're not happy. Closing on a house can be as quick as a few weeks. If that fails you can rent out your home and perhaps make a few bucks.

Highland Woods is a planned community that looks and sounds great. Only time will tell.
I do love the home we bought. We got a killer bargin.
I'll have to explore the area and just see for myself. If it turns out that I don't like the city, I at least can stay in my secluded neighborhood, and enjoy this nice planned community.

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by Pauljrnicole

Thank you for your replies.
We don't like renting and didn't want to get stuck in a year lease, esp if we found a home to buy soon after. It can at times be easier to just buy, then sell if you're not happy. Closing on a house can be as quick as a few weeks. If that fails you can rent out your home and perhaps make a few bucks.

Highland Woods is a planned community that looks and sounds great. Only time will tell.
I do love the home we bought. We got a killer bargin.
I'll have to explore the area and just see for myself. If it turns out that I don't like the city, I at least can stay in my secluded neighborhood, and enjoy this nice planned community.

Did you buy without physically visiting first? Some of your questions seem as though you didn't visit the area at all.

[OkC720]

Highland Woods is an excellent community developed by a great developer (Crown Development) who has developed some very prestigious developments throughout the Far West Suburbs, such as Thornwood (Recently) and Stonebridge in Aurora which was in the late 1990s. Highland Woods was growing like gang busters during the housing boom. Sadly, that all went away with the housing crisis. Burlington School District 301 is a great school district and the new elementary school in Highland Woods is beautiful and Highly Acclaimed. I grew up in Saint Charles, class of 2005! (just south of Elgin) but live in Oklahoma City, OK now. Elgin is VERY large by suburban standards (100,000+) and has good and bad areas. People who are not familiar paint the whole town as ghetto, but in reality most of the town is great with some older, run down areas (closer to downtown). Highland Woods is in a very picturesque rural (for now) area. As housing picks back up that neighborhood will be a hotspot once again. Please drive through Thornwood in South Elgin to get an idea as to what it will become. It will give you an idea as to what a great family friendly neighborhood Highland Woods will be. Thornwood (even during the boom) took 10+ years to develop and I believe there are still a few last lots available. You made a great choice with Highland Woods. Great Schools (especially a brand new neighborhood school), amazing master planned community, neighborhood pool and rec center, beautiful homes and close to Randall Road, which has all of the shopping needs you could ask for. Please don't let the name "Elgin" bother you. You are extremely far removed from any of the negative parts of Elgin Proper.

[JohnRoxy]

Thank you! Thank you!!!
Yes, we did fly into Chicago twice to look for a home and visit the neighborhood. I looked at several homes in Highland Woods. Most are for closers. We really wanted to buy a home in this neighborhood. We looked all around Shaumburg, Roselle, Hoffman Estates, Streamwood, Itasca, and much more.
I haven't had the opportunity to see much of Elgin and can look past the "ghetto" areas. We’ve lived in other states and know that neighborhoods can drastically change block by block. I feel living in a planned community with strict standards will shield that problem for the future. We
I feel better knowing it was the housing market that affected this community and not something else that is driving people away. It just seems like EVERY home here is for sale. (Not that the market crash wasn't devastating on home owners)
Thank you again!

[Derrick83]

John Roxy

We are thinking of building a home in Highland Woods. Just wondering what you think of the community so far. Do you love it? Or do you wish you picked a different neighborhood?

Thank you,

Derrick