Which suburbs of Chicago have the most home for the money? (Aurora: foreclosure, crime)

[topgun129]

Hi,

I'm going to be moving to the Chicago Suburbs from Nashville, Tenn. I mostly plan to work from home and I'm not particular about all the details of the suburbs (schools, social diversity etc.). The only thing I care is a large sq. foot home for a cheap price. Do any areas like this exist in the suburbs where home prices are way below the avg. with large sized homes? Maybe the only thing is that the crime should be a little low, but other than that I don't care where I'm located on the map!

I've considered Texas for the cheap housing, but the heat I know will drive me insane!

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks!

[Steve-o]

How much are you willing to spend? Do you want to be close to the action, or further out in the country? Sycamore and DeKalb have some nicer new homes, that are quite large, and are 2/3 the price of those closer to the suburbs.

[outsider1]

Seems like Round Lake(Round Lake Beach, Round Lake Park) is your destiny!

[topgun129]

hi,

thanks for the replies. i'm looking in the range of $300-500K. i don't want to be way out in the country but being close to the city i wouldn't mind. something in btwn. would work. even unincorporated areas will work well!

I also love homes with brick fronts!!! Know of any other good areas?

[Steve-o]

You might want to look into Oak Park, Elmhurst. Theyre decently close to the city and you should be able to find something in that price range. For further west suburbs (about 30 miles west that still allow decently easy access to Chicago) you should check out Naperville, Plainfield, Geneva, St. Charles, Warrenville, Winfield, Bartlett, South Elgin, Wasco, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Hinsdale.

[MarquettePark]

Oak Forest Il 60452 Huge lots, with homes; Midlothian Il (near the metra tracks, and all points west.........., same as Oak Forest

[WItoNC]

Originally Posted by topgun129

hi,

thanks for the replies. i'm looking in the range of $300-500K. i don't want to be way out in the country but being close to the city i wouldn't mind. something in btwn. would work. even unincorporated areas will work well!

I also love homes with brick fronts!!! Know of any other good areas?

What about Southeastern Wisconsin? Land is less expensive, traffic is considerably better, and you are only a train ride from Chicago. To give you an idea of price ranges. Our Victorian Home is 3,800 square feet on 25 acres with an apple and pear orchard. We are in the country, but 6 miles from the interestate. 10 miles from Lake Michigan. And we are going to list it for a little over your price range. I know you can't find that anywhere in Chicago Suburbs.

[eli499]

Hi WItoNC,
Your home sounds too good to be true. You are 10 miles to the Lake and have 25 acres? What community? Have you listed your house? What are your taxes like?

[OakBrookMom]

In your price range you have lots of options. Unincorporated areas of townships with higher taxes will definitely help. Areas west like Warrenville where you get more land and a bigger home but yet are able to take advantage of all the amenities and train access of Wheaton. Woodridge is a sleeper town that is getting developed where you can get a larger home under 350K yet be right off of 3 major expressways and close to Downers which has 26 minute express trains to Chicago. The cities with lots of car dealerships and malls typically have great taxes - like areas of Orland and Tinley on the fringe of town you can get larger newer homes with the brick front you want on more land and the low taxes with access to Chicago via Metra. I love the section of St. Charles (a really pretty upscale town on the Fox River with its own charming downtown full of restaurants and shops) west of Randall close to the new train station where you can get that sprawling home on acreage. For example there is a home in an unincorporated area of St. Charles called Ferson Creek for 395K with 4BR 2.1BA on 1.25 acres with low taxes ($5,557 - yes that's low for the area given the size home on that size of a lot). The newer homes that they are building out here are estate-like, many with million dollar price tags to match. I would also look at larger homes where you might not have that acre or the taxes to go with it but you back to forest preserve land, golf courses or common land locked areas. There are opportunities if you wanted to rehab through city programs where you could get a larger home, a tax freeze and even rehab money in certain towns that want to bring back their once grand homes like Elgin and Aurora - certain parts of both are better than others as far as crime is concerned. I also would look to the south suburbs like Monee which is further out but right off of I-57 which is getting developed, there's a home on Roberts Ridge for 347.5K on 1.5 acres with 4 bedrooms, 3.1 baths, 3 car garage built in 2002 with less than 4600/yr for taxes or for 270K you could get a brand new home on 1.82 acres with 4 bedroom, 2.1 baths and a 2 car in a subdivision called Country Meadows (taxes have not yet been assessed). In my opinion as a realtor and investor, I think Lemont still offers good appreciation potential, there's a 3br/2ba ranch home on an acre of land on Liberty right across from million dollar Equestrian Estates for only 375K with 4500 in taxes because it's unincorporated. Then there's the northern counties where you could have a larger home on a lake or channel with a pier for a boat (ie -in Ingleside & Island Lake) for under 500K. There are foreclosure properties in every town - my husband and I looked at 2 in Naperville in very upscale subdivisions - and they didn't need to be gutted. It's so hard to decide from far away, you really need to see the areas because there are so many great areas here.

[gardener34]

Elmhurst is WAY expensive, 500K you could get a house, but $300K will get you a small ranch there, but they do have good schools.

Depending on how you want to commute, all kinds of developers are offering "big houses, low pricing" etc.

Commute time to work should be a number 1 consideration, so it's hard to say where to go unless you know where work is going to be. Traffic in chicagoland can be a nightmare.