East Wilmette vs West Wilmette (Evanston, Lake Forest: foreclosure, houses, neighborhood)

[wchase44]

Thinking of moving from NW Evanston to Wilmette.....have kids and prefer Wilmette schools.

I'm very familiar with East Wilmette....but not that familiar with West Wilmette. Anyone have any insights on the area right around Harper School and Thornwood Park? Pros / Cons?

Would really appreciate some insight.

[wchase44]

Also looking hard at Glencoe and Winnetka.

[Drover]

Careful of the gang warfare between the East Wilmette Jets and the West Wilmette Sharks.

[JonhE]

Originally Posted by Drover

Careful of the gang warfare between the East Wilmette Jets and the West Wilmette Sharks.

lol. In Lake Forest, residents ask each other "Do you live east or west of 43?". LOL.

[Avengerfire]

Wow, I wish I had the luxury of deciding on something as trivial as this.

[wchase44]

Excuse me for asking something as trivial as opinions on a certain specific part of a neighborhood and its school. How could I have been so thoughtless to interrupt the incredible genius of the three previous posters? Undoubtedly they would be adding incredible value on some other post if I hadn't have interrupted them.

Apparently its perfectly ok to ask opinions on certain parts of Evanston. Wilmette, however? My god, how could someone????

[chet everett]

It's house by house -- teardown or older home. I don't have personal experience with the schools. Unless you know someone who lives there who is willing to give you the street by street lowdown, and then you will only get their opinion, so you will have to consider the source as well. It depends on your personality but depending on where you live, in my opinion, the dynamic can become claustrophobic.
The nice thing about living in a town (like Wilmette) is even when you don't know what you are doing, someone else does!

I would make sure I know some basic things about whose living in the houses closeby, because you might not want to live next door to a flipper who had to move into his failed investment or is foreclosure. Some things will be obvious from the outside like the condition of the house but you might not want to live directly next door to someone who has kids your kids age. Or maybe you do!

Like the other posters above said, it's a nice problem to have, moving to Wilmette. But Wilmette is also a diverse community. Toward the west where prices tend to be more affordable there are more recent asian and eastern european immigrants and has a wide range of different kinds of houses. Do you want a teardown? Do you want a split level? What can you afford? Do you want a Cape? What condition? If you move toward the east end of town, I'm thinking it's like many of the suburbs mentioned above by our fellow posters.

I have been watching this market for over 20 years now and if you really want to live in a community, you can find stuff at almost any price point, with compromises. Everything is a tradeoff. Your intentions are good, in my opinion and I wish you good luck!

[wchase44]

Thanks for the insight. Would very likely look for newer construction. It's clear that you can get more house for the $ on the west side. Also looks like a lot of new construction right around Thornwood Park. This is where we've looked -- but really just don't know much about thAt part of town.

[JonhE]

Originally Posted by wchase44

Excuse me for asking something as trivial as opinions on a certain specific part of a neighborhood and its school. How could I have been so thoughtless to interrupt the incredible genius of the three previous posters? Undoubtedly they would be adding incredible value on some other post if I hadn't have interrupted them.

Apparently its perfectly ok to ask opinions on certain parts of Evanston. Wilmette, however? My god, how could someone????

Sorry, I was just poking fun. In a nice suburb like Wilmette, etc. it seems a little elitist to ask about the lake shore part vs the farther from the lake part. I think you'll be happy with either choice.

One last warning though... Don't think that you'll be able to roll down your window at a traffic light and ask "Do you have any Grey Poupon?" to the east-siders if you are west, or west-siders if you are east. <chuckle>

[Drover]

Originally Posted by wchase44

Excuse me for asking something as trivial as opinions on a certain specific part of a neighborhood and its school. How could I have been so thoughtless to interrupt the incredible genius of the three previous posters? Undoubtedly they would be adding incredible value on some other post if I hadn't have interrupted them.

Apparently its perfectly ok to ask opinions on certain parts of Evanston. Wilmette, however? My god, how could someone????

Wow, I was just trying to make a joke. Lighten up, cupcake.