Another family moving to Chicago! Thanks for helping! (Aurora, Naperville: real estate, budget)

[gr8tobemom]

Hi everyone!

I have been reading through the other posts about the Chicago suburbs and it has given me some ideas. I will be checking this frequently so thanks ahead of time for all your help. My husband's district will include Tinley Park, Orland Park, St. Charles, Bloomingdale, Oswego and Lumbard and one in Merrillville, Ind. We can look anywhere in that area.

Schools are important.
Probably in the $250,000 range. Size of the lot isn't a big concern as much as a nice area. My husband is there now and says Geneva is really nice but looking at the housing cost I'm not sure we can find anything. We have 3 kids and will have an exchange student. Plainfield looked good although I've heard the traffic is awful because there is only one way in. What about North Aurora, Romeoville or Oswego?

We are headed there in March to visit and look at houses. Any suggestions on a great outing with the kids in Chicago? I'd love to walk around downtown but worried it may be too cold.

Thanks again for your help! Anyone headed to Raleigh, NC or Lexington, KY let me know and I will be happy to help you!

Pam

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by gr8tobemom

Hi everyone!

I have been reading through the other posts about the Chicago suburbs and it has given me some ideas. I will be checking this frequently so thanks ahead of time for all your help. My husband's district will include Tinley Park, Orland Park, St. Charles, Bloomingdale, Oswego and Lumbard and one in Merrillville, Ind. We can look anywhere in that area.

Schools are important.
Probably in the $250,000 range. Size of the lot isn't a big concern as much as a nice area. My husband is there now and says Geneva is really nice but looking at the housing cost I'm not sure we can find anything. We have 3 kids and will have an exchange student. Plainfield looked good although I've heard the traffic is awful because there is only one way in. What about North Aurora, Romeoville or Oswego?

We are headed there in March to visit and look at houses. Any suggestions on a great outing with the kids in Chicago? I'd love to walk around downtown but worried it may be too cold.

Thanks again for your help! Anyone headed to Raleigh, NC or Lexington, KY let me know and I will be happy to help you!

Pam

250k isn't likely to get you much in the suburbs you listed. You may be able to get a smaller condo but that won't work if you have three kids, obviously. The only western area I know of where you'd be able to get a half way decent house for that price is DeKalb or Sycamore.

You may want to take a look at the Chicago Tribune's online real estate section. You can type in a suburb name and see what's available and at what prices. That way, you'll have a good idea of the areas you can afford before you come out. That will save you a lot of time and frustration.

[mdz]

I think 250K can get you a house in most of those areas. It many not be the prettiest one on the block, it's not going to be new construction, but you should be able to find something. It does depend on how many bedrooms you want/need. check out realtor.com for any of those burbs and you can see what 250K can get you.

definitely come on downtown in March, just bundle up and you'll be fine. Middle of March, your average high will be in the 40s somewhere.

[Drover]

March weather can be fickle. Sometimes it's in the 60s. Sometimes its in the 20s. Check out weather websites a few days before you get here and pack accordingly.

[Pixie Dust]

I lived many years in Roselle area it borders with Bloomingdale. GREAT schools, I went there and so did my children. Roselle unless it has changed drastically in the last couple of years is less expensive than Bloomingdale. The Metra rail also has a stop there. Awesome Library!!!!

[Steve-o]

Try Sycamore. There are lots of new developments out there and they shouldnt be too expensive. The drive might be a bit much, but its only about 20 miles (country drive) to St. Charles from there. If you look around you MIGHT be able to find something for 250K in Geneva thats big enough for you and yours, but youd have more luck in Batavia or St. Charles. You might also want to look into Winfield and Warrenville as well, theyre more centrally located in DuPage and offer quiet living. All the above mentioned towns have nice schools.

As for Chicago, there is just too much to list here. If you want specifics PM me and Ill be glad to point you in some directions. March weather is highly unpredictable, some days its beautiful, some days its horrid. Late May through mid-October are your better-weather months.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Try Sycamore. There are lots of new developments out there and they shouldnt be too expensive. The drive might be a bit much, but its only about 20 miles (country drive) to St. Charles from there. If you look around you MIGHT be able to find something for 250K in Geneva thats big enough for you and yours, but youd have more luck in Batavia or St. Charles. You might also want to look into Winfield and Warrenville as well, theyre more centrally located in DuPage and offer quiet living. All the above mentioned towns have nice schools.

As for Chicago, there is just too much to list here. If you want specifics PM me and Ill be glad to point you in some directions. March weather is highly unpredictable, some days its beautiful, some days its horrid. Late May through mid-October are your better-weather months.

The main problem with Sycamore is that once you move there, you have pretty much shut yourself out of the Chicago job market, unless you don't mind a two hour commute each way and can convince an employer that you don't mind. Sometimes, life circumstances change and you end up losing a job, or you have to move on for career advancment. Putting myself two hours away from the third largest job market in the U.S. isn't something I would personally do but if you want a house and great schools on a shoe string budget, I guess you have to make some choices.

[Drover]

Shutting oneself out of the Chicago job market inapplicable to this case for two reasons: a) If you read the OP, the person in question already has an established sales territory; b) the "Chicago" job market, in reality, encompasses the whole Chicago area. Millions of jobs are located in the suburbs, many of which are within easy reach of Sycamore (which itself will be a suburb in the next 10 to 15 years). In fact the primary source of growth in the DeKalb/Sycamore area are people who commute into the suburbs to work.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by Drover

Shutting oneself out of the Chicago job market inapplicable to this case for two reasons: a) If you read the OP, the person in question already has an established sales territory; b) the "Chicago" job market, in reality, encompasses the whole Chicago area. Millions of jobs are located in the suburbs, many of which are within easy reach of Sycamore (which itself will be a suburb in the next 10 to 15 years). In fact the primary source of growth in the DeKalb/Sycamore area are people who commute into the suburbs to work.

Right, and my comment was that life circumstances can change. Nowadays, no one has a job forever. If you're renting, it's one thing, but if you're buying I house, I just think it's smart to build in some flexibility. Sycamore and DeKalb are essentially "suburbs to a suburbs" and there are a lot of jobs in the Naperville/St. Charles/Aurora area. But there aren't nearly as many as there are in the Loop and throughout Chicago. And let's face cold hard facts -- if an employer sees that someone lives two hours away from the office, it will be considered a major negative, even if you yourself are willing to make the trek.

I think it's far better to be between Chicago and Naperville (and don't forget the north suburbs either). You want easy access to as many possible jobs as you can. Of course, the downside is that the closer to Chicago you get, the more expensive real estate is, especially in areas with "good schools." So you pays your money and you takes your choice.

[domergurl]

Try Crown Point Indiana ... you could definitely get a nice house in your price range and they have great public schools. It is south of Merrillville.