Need Home/Willing To Commute (Chicago, Aurora: budget, travel, work)

[mabas9395]

If everything goes well, I could be moving to the Chicago area this fall. I plan on working downtown and would like to live with my wife and three kids (ages 7-12) out in the burbs. I currently work in Seattle and my commute door-to-door is one and a half hours each way. This may seem crazy to some, but it provides us with the lifestyle we want at a price we can afford.

If this happens we will be looking for a palce to live and have started our search along the Union Pacific NW line since my wife has been there before and liked it (hey, we got to start somewhere).

I would be working about 4-5 blocks from the Ogilvie train station downtown (walking distance I assume) and would like to find a place to live that would give me a door-to-door commute between one to one and a half hours each way with houses in the low $400k price range. (yes it is a long commute but I have gotten used to it) It doesn't have to be directly on a train line but the travel from home to the station would need to be factored in.

We were thinking the Algonquin/Crystal Lake/Fox River triangle as a general area. Any thoughts on how that area stacks up against what we are looking for? Any other places to look that we should consider for a person willing to commute?

Thanks.

[sgresident]

I am not familiar with that train line, however, that price range should be fine for finding something in the suburbs. especially, since you are willing to have the longer commute time. there is much to be found in the geneva, st. charles, batavia, elburn, la fox, sugar grove, aurora and montgomery areas. metra has stops in geneva, la fox and elburn. also, western areas of kane county are only 10 minutes away from these train stations.

[sukwoo]

Pretty much any Metra station is less than an hour and a half from Ogilvie.

[nanannie]

Your train commute to those towns will be around an hour. Nice family areas.No crime to speak of and good schools. Check out Arlington Hts,McHenry and Cary as well. Good luck with the move. We moved here from Oregon years ago,the areas been very good to us.

[mendelman]

go for Arlington Heights - for the low 400Ks you can easily find a nice 3-4 bd home within 1-2 miles of the downtown Arlington Heights station.

Plus, the ride to downtown Chicago is only about 45 mins - more time for you with the family.

Arlington Heights has much more going on than those other munis you mention and is closer to much more to do.

[aiwei]

You can search along any of the Metra lines. With your low $400k budget, you should not have any problem finding a nice house. Do pay attention to how close the house you find is to the Metra station you would be using. Parking in or near the station is in general a great pain of behind. This is true with all the stations. My husband waited 3 years for a parking permit in Aurora station's parking lot; before that he used the daily parking meter and lot, which is very inconvenient, especially in the winter. It would be great if you could live close enough to the station that you could even walk there.

[myrc60]

Wherever you decide to settle, check out the park district first. I would imagine Arlington Heights has a nice one but you won't know unless you check beforehand.

I agree with the others that you can find what you are looking for in your budget just about anywhere in the metro area. Good luck in your search.

[ccjarider]

Moved from Wisconsin to Arlington Heights a few months ago. In your price range you will find decent, but not extravagent inventory.

We like the area a lot. Very friendly people and convenient location with a decent amount of green space (parks) although not overly spacious. Kids are gone, so don't care that much about schools but people seem relatively satisfied (nothing is perfect).

Cannot believe how quiet the neighborhoods are, especially when you consider the crazy traffic just a few short blocks away in every direction. (Palatine RD, AH RD, 83, 90/94, 355 etc)

It is a nice area. Metra downtown that is close to good housing stock and nice shops. I could walk to the train but I don't need it as I work right here. Chicago is close too if you want to drive there for fun.