Newer Chicago burbs -- any semi-urban, or all semi-rural? (Aurora: real estate, foreclosures)

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by HockeyFan

I remember those nights in the Midwest... the days can be stifling, but the nights are actually great in my opinion!

Our number of days above 90 degrees is NOTHING compared to what most of the country experiences, thank goodness. I find Chicago's summers (minus the handful of really hot and humid days) to be absolutely beautiful. Anyone who thinks our summers are "hot" can go spend some time in Miami, or Phoenix, or Savannah, or Memphis, or Houston, or....

[Chuckity]

Originally Posted by HockeyFan

NW Indiana is probably futher out than I'd like, and the smoking issue is a problem there too. Still, are there any walkable-type communities there -- I have to admit, Gary is about my extent of knowledge of NW Indiana, but I am sure that is not representative of the area!

Actually, Valparaiso & Crown Point Indiana are both smoke free cities. Both have cute downtown areas built around a clock tower building ala Back To The Future. Downtown Valpo has some beautiful homes - as well does Crown Point's historic district. But I believe Valpo has CP beat though when it comes to variety of walkable establishments - cute pubs, restaurants, boutique stores, regional museum and two community theatres (Chicago Street Theatre & Memorial Opera House) are all within walking distance of downtown Valpo. Let google be your friend for more info. :-)

Good luck to you!

[owlstosleep]

Originally Posted by HockeyFan

I remember those nights in the Midwest... the days can be stifling, but the nights are actually great in my opinion!

I suppose it depends on where in Chicago you are. Near the lake is nice because it's almost always cooler and breezier there but where I live it's totally dead most summer nights with no breeze and the air is just stagnant unfortunately.

[owlstosleep]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Our number of days above 90 degrees is NOTHING compared to what most of the country experiences, thank goodness. I find Chicago's summers (minus the handful of really hot and humid days) to be absolutely beautiful. Anyone who thinks our summers are "hot" can go spend some time in Miami, or Phoenix, or Savannah, or Memphis, or Houston, or....

Some people just have a lower tolerance for heat. There is nothing written in stone for what feels hot to one person or another. On the other hand, when most people are wearing jackets and talking about how cold it is, I'm usually in a short sleeved shirt thinking about how wonderful it is.

[trailerguy]

I moved here (Park City, Lake Co.) about 15 years ago from SF and absolutely LOVE IT!
Consider going farther out than you may be contemplating now. Northwestern Lake County and McHenry are still bargains in prices. You get big homes, minimal crime, and (by California standards--I know, I come from San Francisco) very reasonable taxes. The Metra suburban rail service is WONDERFUL!!!. (Metra - Welcome to Metra) Very cheap, frequent trains, and you can set your watch by their schedules. You can drive to downtown Chicago in less than an hour on the Tollway. Total toll is about $2 and you can drive 80 in places. Locals hate it. I tell them, drive the California freeways and thank the Lord you have this available.
There is a beautifull new Del Webb adult community in Hinckley. If you are more adventurous, there are some sweet old country farm houses with a few acres for (by California standards) throwaway prices.

[HockeyFan]

Originally Posted by trailerguy

I moved here (Park City, Lake Co.) about 15 years ago from SF and absolutely LOVE IT!
Consider going farther out than you may be contemplating now. Northwestern Lake County and McHenry are still bargains in prices. You get big homes, minimal crime, and (by California standards--I know, I come from San Francisco) very reasonable taxes. The Metra suburban rail service is WONDERFUL!!!. (Metra - Welcome to Metra) Very cheap, frequent trains, and you can set your watch by their schedules. You can drive to downtown Chicago in less than an hour on the Tollway. Total toll is about $2 and you can drive 80 in places. Locals hate it. I tell them, drive the California freeways and thank the Lord you have this available.
There is a beautifull new Del Webb adult community in Hinckley. If you are more adventurous, there are some sweet old country farm houses with a few acres for (by California standards) throwaway prices.

Sounds like you have found your home! However, in our case, we're definitely looking for something with smaller lots because of allergies, and a more urban/less rural area is our preference. From what I've heard, that area might be better for those who like large lots and semi-rural areas?

Thanks again for all the comments!

[chet everett]

Park City in lake Co is between Gurnee and Waukegan, not exactly rural. Actually parts of Waukegan near the lake have some quite attractive homes and a sort of old urban feel. Not sure about the schools and definitely more Hispanics than other lake front towns, though coming from California that should not be too different.

Hinckley and Huntley are still out in the ag-into-burbs zone in many parts, though the development is pretty extensive in spots you'll never call it 'urban'...

[HockeyFan]

I just looked at Park City on Google Earth -- you are right, it's closer to the water and Waukegan than I thought. What is Waukegan like as a city? Does it have a vibrant business district? Is it relatively safe?

Being in an area with more Hispanics is fine with us. Many of our friends and acquaintances here are of Hispanic descent, and I certainly enjoy the Mexican and Latin cultures.

[chet everett]

Vibrant in some senses, but definitely not like other Chicago area towns. Most businesses are much more focused on the Hispanic community. There are hospitals, restaurants, grocery stores and all the other sorts of businesses but with a strong bias toward Hispanics as they make up about 50% of the town. There are some operating plants from local and national manufacturing firms include drug/health care products firms.
Recreational opportunities include the really nicely developed marina/harbor, as well as parks and all the other amenities that one would except in city of over 50,000. It is about half way between Chicago & Milwaukee, has train service south to Chicago and Milwaukee via Kenosha.

The loss of many manufacturing jobs has been hard on some part of the town, but that might be an opportunity to get a good deal on someplace that may turn around. I suspect that the "green emphasis" could be a real boom to towns like Waukegan.

Might be worth looking into...

[HockeyFan]

I do recall reading an article about redevelopment in Waukegan a while ago... any chance the area could really become quite vibrant once again -- maybe not quite like Evanston, but as a regional downtown center for shopping, dining, etc?