Newly married couple looking for our first home! (Chicago, Naperville: sale, real estate)

[deeman7]

Public schools are prison and the only place most people ever encounter physical violence.

[damba]

Originally Posted by deeman7

Public schools are prison and the only place most people ever encounter physical violence.

If I recall correctly, you have made this claim at least once before on C-D.

So sorry your public school experience was so traumatic(!)

[Hiruko]

The posts over the weekend are of great comedic value.

[amym786]

Originally Posted by damba

IMO, you are not familiar enough with their demographic, who can easily afford a SFH at that price point.

Thank you all for your responses. Unfortunately, renting is out of the question and his parents and younger brother will be living with us until well. who knows. Lots of generational, cultural, filial, guilt from the parents that will take years (hopefully) for me to undo.

We are focusing on any area with decent school districts which will shorten his commute even by 10-15 minutes. He commutes about 80 miles one way and he said it's the most peaceful part of his day lol. He doesn't mind this commute and says he doesn't think it'll change in the winter.
We loved houses in Wheaton, Lisle, and Naperville (the varying school districts are frustrating!)
Burr Ridge/Oak Brook, we probably would need to increase our budget to 2m for what we truly like in a home. Looking more for a turnkey rather than a fixer-upper.

[damba]

How about Downers Grove? Great schools/amenities and Lower tax rates than some of the surrounding communities, with some relatively centrally located larger homes that are sufficiently updated to be essentially ‘turnkey’. Easy access to 355/57 here:

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4...71909895_zpid/

How about posting an example of one home that suited you thus far(?)

[Hiruko]

Originally Posted by amym786

Burr Ridge/Oak Brook, we probably would need to increase our budget to 2m for what we truly like in a home. Looking more for a turnkey rather than a fixer-upper.

My my! You have very expensive taste. Have you actually toured homes in your previously stated price range? $2m is more than the vast vast majority of homes in those areas.

[majka]

Hinsdale is upper class community, they have tons of homes for sale due to the fact that houses starting from $800k and up are taxed higher and higher (illinois ugly things), so people want to downsized and even ready to sell for less than they bought it. I am sure there is a lot to choose from. Anyway, according to my opinion Hinsdale is beautiful community, and seems like it fits your budget easily, check if location works for you.

[RJA29]

For $2MM you could buy any house in Downer's Grove, you'll find turn-key, walk to school, drive right to the expressway homes. I don't think it is quite as exclusive as some other burbs, but I have found it to be a nice place to live.

With regard to another post from earlier - I would be happy to see IL go the way of California. By most any metric, CA is a thriving nation-state unto itself.

[Hiruko]

Originally Posted by majka

Hinsdale is upper class community, they have tons of homes for sale due to the fact that houses starting from $800k and up are taxed higher and higher (illinois ugly things), so people want to downsized and even ready to sell for less than they bought it. I am sure there is a lot to choose from. Anyway, according to my opinion Hinsdale is beautiful community, and seems like it fits your budget easily, check if location works for you.

Property tax rates are not progressive, and Hinsdale has among the lowest property tax rates in the Chicagoland area.

[Curly Q. Bobalink]

Originally Posted by Hiruko

Property tax rates are not progressive..\

Not yet, but that idea's being kicked around. I say, "great idea", there are way too many folks on the low end, especially in the south suburbs, who are being taxed off of their properties.

For grins and giggles, I checked out a couple of million dollar properties in the Hinsdale area on Zillow. Taxes were in the $20 - 25K range, which was less than I thought they'd be - Illinois aggregate taxes are like 3%, correct? So, you're right, Hinsdale does appear to have a lower tax rate. I think Willowbrook also has a lower rate because it has a lot of commercial property. If I remember correctly, there were about 175 homes for sale in the $1 - 1.1M range in the area from Hinsdale to the northern suburbs.

Anecdotally, my sister sold her home in unincorporated Downers Grove for about $550K in the late 90's. Zillow has it valued for about the same amount today (over twenty years later), and it has been totally remodeled by the guy who bought it (it re-sold a few years ago). If that experience is indicative of future gains for higher-end properties in the western suburbs, one would be better off renting. My own home (completely different price range) is currently valued (by Zillow) at about 20% LOWER than I could have sold it for twenty-three years ago. But that's Zillow, t's "actual" value is quite a bit less. YMMV.