Realtor sending houses in Bartlett...help please! (Chicago, Elgin: best neighborhoods, real estate)

[fishandram]

My husband is starting a new job in Hoffman Estates (tomorrow), we just accepted a bid on our house here in greater Cleveland and now I have a realtor looking in the NW and one in the west.

The latter is sending us info about houses in Bartlett. Schools are #1 for us (we have a kndg and 3rd grader). The problem is Bartlett Schools are part of sd u-46...not rated so hot. But the elem and middle schools are highly rated in Bartlett. I've gotten mixed on the High School

Any info on the community as well. I've searched the forums and found the surrounding areas have issues with illegals, how does that affect Bartlett?

Please be honest. It doesn't need to be sugar-coated. I'd like to make a house hunting trip to Chicago next week and be in the area by mid-June, so time is becoming an issue.

Thanks in advance for any input.

>Michelle

[sgresident]

you might want to check the schaumburg area. It is more congested, but I think the schools are good there. also, it has close proximity to hoffman estates!

[gardener34]

Yeah, I would check the bartlett schools carefully, it is a nice town, but some parts go to bartlett hs and others still go to Elgin hs I believe. I don't know any bartlett-ers, they would be able to give you the lowdown.

U-46 is a really huge school district (I think the largest in the state?) and it encompasses so many towns, thus the problems) I think parts of bartlett, elgin, streamwood, south elgin, carol stream, wayne? maybe...

honestly, if you can afford it, I would get as close to the job as you can because the commute into the hoffman estates/schaumburg area is pretty bad.

[tcs1366]

I too would probably look in the Hoffman area, rather than going towards Bartlett.
there is plenty of housing and good schools near HE and even north of that.

[chet everett]

In addition to gardener's good advice I would tell your the person that you are working with that LOCATION far out weighs price for you. It should be no problem for them to generate a list of properties that are priced the same and in towns with better schools, shorter commutes and higher median selling prices.


I would not screen out any homes based on "age" but instead focus on finding the most affordable home in the best neighborhoods -- this may very well torpedo the listing this person has will almost certainly him/her to use their brain and not just run queries against the MLS.

If the place does not have online tours/photos you will almost certainly have to drive out and see with your own why that is. Some agents, even this tough market are stupid/lazy. Others may be hiding a place that needs only some de-cluttering/clean-up while others may have a listing that really is best not viewed at all, suitable only for teardown buyers.

If you do decide that Bartlet is your best bet, be sure that you get as much detail on the property, including schools and total taxes. Use all the information to evaluate both the situation that exists today AND to plan for as long you are likely to remain in the house.

You will want to buy in an area where a strong argument for price stability can be made and just where the listings happen to be...

[fishandram]

Thank you! All great points and reinforces some of what we were thinking. We've "rehabed" one house and can do it again. Foil wallpaper and shag carpeting doesn't scare us...unless it's orange All the houses she sent us were the same and they didn't need much work.

We have another realtor working in the NW (Palatine, Arlington Hts, Buff Grove, etc). My gut's telling me that's the direction we're headed.

Thanks again, it really helps bouncing this stuff off other people especially since my husband is already there and I'm here

>M

[Chinolala]

Ask your realtor to show you listings in an area/subdivision of Arlington Heights called Northgate. I have a friend that lives there and LOVES it. Great schools...kids will attend Buffalo Grove High School. Real estate taxes aren't bad, very established neighborhood, close to shopping in both Schaumburg and Libertyville and an easy drive to downtown Arlington Heights, which has lots to do.

[middle-aged mom]

I don't know your price range or if you are looking for newer construction or a more established area. Based only upon schools in the general vicinity of Hoffman Estates I suggest the following:

Hoffman Estates, either Barrington or Fremd HS school areas

Palatine, Fremd HS

Village of Barrington

Deer Park, Barrington Schools

Cary Cary- Grove School

[OakBrookMom]

Have you checked out the east side of St. Charles? That wouldn't be too long of a commute if you are already looking in Bartlett. You'd get more for your money than NW suburbs like Arlington Heights. You'd just take rte 64 to rte 59 north into Hoffman. I'm not sure how far east in Hoffman your husband works but if he works off 59 you could even go into west St. Charles which has a bigger selection of homes in different price ranges. If he is in east Hoffman I would stay east of the river for commuting purposes if you don't want a longer commute.

[MayMove]

Yes, I agree with OBM, east St. Charles.