Need help and advice on Metra lines to North Chicago & househunting in North suburbs (Waukegan: condos)

[mnkb_chicago]

We are looking for a house in the northern suburbs close to the metra station that goes to Northern Chicago and downtown Chicago/City.My husband has to commute to North Chicago for work but I will have to commute to the city.
We have looked at options in Vernon Hills and Libertyville but the not sure about the proxility of these places to Metra lines.
Our budget is between 300-400K.
Evanston seems to be a good option but most places near Metra lines have only condos that fit our budget. We would like to look for a townhome if we can get it if the place has:

1.Metra line that goes both to North Chicago and downtown Chicago

2.Livelier place with lots of things to do.

Can anyone please suggests a few other communites that fit our criteria?
Your help will be much appreciated. Thanks!

[rgb123]

libertyville and vernon hills both have metra stops. many north suburban towns do...most do actually. Go to metrarail.com and look at the route maps. you will easily find many locations that fit what you want.

off the top of my head, I would suggest libertyville - sounds like a good fit for you, but really, just look at the maps...lots of choices.

the vernon hills train does not run as often as the libertyville one does....they are not the same line. all the north suburban trains run into either union station or ogilvie transportation center...they are pretty much across the street from each other downtown...but its good to know there is a difference. metra trains go out of downtown like spokes on a wheel....

[Travel'r]

Hi
Use this link (or copy & paste into browser) for an idea of where the trains run:
www.metrarail.com/System_map/index.html

Libertyville is a great suggestion, but you will have to drive n.east to get to N. Chicago. The North Chicago-bound Metra train runs strictly North/South along the lake, while the Libertyville/Chicago train is more towards the west.

You'd have to take the train from L'ville all the way into town, then walk about 3 blocks north to Oglivie station to catch the Northshore train to N. Chicago (or any town along the lake) because these trains run more parallel, as opposed to east to west.
Good Luck!
If not Evanston, have you looked into Highland park?

[outsider1]

Libertyville/Vernon Hills to North Chicago is not that bad of a commute actually. He can take Rt.137 east, then either Rt.43(Waukegan Rd) or Rt.41(Skokie Valley Rd aka Skokie Hwy) or Amstutz Exprswy north to North Chicago.
And you can take Metra to downtown from Liberyville. You can probably do the same sort of commute(he drives, you take the train) if you live in Gurnee.


If you can't afford what you're looking for in Evanston, it doesn't make much sense to keep looking aong the Metra line that runs between Kenosha and Chicago(that's the one with a North Chicago station). It runs along extremely expensive North shore suburbs ad then gets to Waukegan and its satellites like North Chicago, Zion, Winthrop Harbor where you probably don't intend to live(although some like the last one).

[rgb123]

thats true, I must have missed the part where you said you wanted the train to stop at chicago AND north chicago (I think I thought you meant the northern part of chicago)

the commute (driving) to north chicago from libertville actually is very easy.

also, depending where you live between vernon hills and libertyville (or anywhere really) you will be driving distance to a few different train stations. If I miss a train I have been known to drive to one of 5 different train stations in the north suburbs.

The suburbs are still places where most people drive everywhere (unless commuting to downtown) for better or worse, that is how life here tends to be.

[mnkb_chicago]

Originally Posted by rgb123

t.
off the top of my head, I would suggest libertyville - sounds like a good fit for you, but really, just look at the maps...lots of choices.
metra trains go out of downtown like spokes on a wheel....

Thats good to know.Thanks!

[mnkb_chicago]

Originally Posted by Travel'r

Hi
Use this link (or copy & paste into browser) for an idea of where the trains run:
www.metrarail.com/System_map/index.html

Libertyville is a great suggestion, but you will have to drive n.east to get to N. Chicago. The North Chicago-bound Metra train runs strictly North/South along the lake, while the Libertyville/Chicago train is more towards the west.

You'd have to take the train from L'ville all the way into town, then walk about 3 blocks north to Oglivie station to catch the Northshore train to N. Chicago (or any town along the lake) because these trains run more parallel, as opposed to east to west.
Good Luck!
If not Evanston, have you looked into Highland park?

--Thank you! I actually didn't know that the North Chicago bound route is strictly along the lake shore, until I carefully checked these Metra maps.

We are also looking at townhomes and condos Highland Park, Lake Forest and Lake Bluff.

[mnkb_chicago]

Originally Posted by outsider1

Libertyville/Vernon Hills to North Chicago is not that bad of a commute actually. He can take Rt.137 east, then either Rt.43(Waukegan Rd) or Rt.41(Skokie Valley Rd aka Skokie Hwy) or Amstutz Exprswy north to North Chicago.
And you can take Metra to downtown from Liberyville. You can probably do the same sort of commute(he drives, you take the train) if you live in Gurnee.


If you can't afford what you're looking for in Evanston, it doesn't make much sense to keep looking aong the Metra line that runs between Kenosha and Chicago(that's the one with a North Chicago station). It runs along extremely expensive North shore suburbs ad then gets to Waukegan and its satellites like North Chicago, Zion, Winthrop Harbor where you probably don't intend to live(although some like the last one).

---Thanks! Getting a better idea now after reading all the comments