McHenry/Kane Counties-- a Tranquil Escape from Chicagoland? (Aurora, DeKalb: homes, neighborhoods)

[wallstreet1986]

The Chicago area is expensive and dense. I don't like the feel of people always honking at me for not peeling out of red lights and the sort of fight for your survival/priced out, competitive feel that the high housing prices and daily life there entail. Currently I live about 30 miles out from the city. Still it is quite crowded and chaotic in this way.

Does anyone know anything about McHenry County-- Crystal Lake, Woodstock, etc or Kane-- West Aurora, DeKalb? When I've been out to these areas they have been very pretty, rolling hills, and peaceful. There's a lot more space. Someone mentioned Woodstock being like Oaxaca? Why would there be a lot of Mexicans there? It seems like it would be kind of a normal middle American white country folk kind of place. Negatives or positives on people, jobs, home prices etc? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Drover]

Aurora is in the thick of suburbia. Aurora is spreading out and swallowing erstwhile "rural" neighborhoods, turning them into part of the suburban landscape. Half of Kane County is now thoroughly suburbanized, and the other half is rapidly on its way. DeKalb is not in Kane County, it's in DeKalb County, which is one county west of Kane. And suburbia is beginning to reach parts of DeKalb county too. In particular there has been considerable new housing developments in DeKalb and Sycamore as people look to flee the suburbanization of once rural commuties to their east, and in the process they are bringing with them the very suburbanization they are fleeing. I give it 20 years -- 25 years tops -- before DeKalb and Sycamore are part of the contiguous suburbs.

[Georgia]

I lived in Crystal Lake for 3 years.
I will get the worst out first.

* Commute: I worked in Rolling Meadows by the Mall on Golf Road. My home was exactly 23 miles from my office door. On a good day my commute was an hour. If it snowed, expect 2+ hours. Now keep in mind Rt 62 is now a 4 lane, and I understand they have widened the 90 area by the Randall Road exit so it is probably much better.

* Property Taxes: Property taxes are horrible. I relocated from NJ to IL only to find I got less home for more money and my property taxes increased. But then again Illinois has a 3% income tax. Take that in comparison to my home in GA with less property tax but double the income tax it is equal.

Pros:
Just about everything else. If my wife did not hate the cold as much you could guarantee I would be right back in beautiful Crystal Lake, Illinois.
I have lived in many places over my career and Crystal Lake was one of my favorite.
Norman Rockwell little downtown. The train has an express line so you can be in downtown Chitown in 40 minutes. Great deep dish pizza joint right downtown and a pub by the train. Next is the people. The most pleasant folks I have ever had the opportunity of living around.

Next door: Woodstock,IL.
Just watch Bill Murray in Groundhog Day and you will see Woodstock. A quaint downtown with the Dick Tracey museum and fine folks.

I guess you get my jist now about Crystal Lake. Very high on my recommend list!

[kel3420]

I have lived in Crystal Lake for almost ten years. I also lived here for four years in grade school and then moved numerous times. So to move back here and raise my kids here says alot. If you are looking for good schools in the McHenry County area, CL beats them all, by far.

The Northside (60012) is nicer and more expensive than the southside
(60014). The homes and neighborhoods are nicer.

There is great shopping and dining nearby.

I highly recommend this area.

[mdz]

The area around crystal lake and the fringes of the old metro area have really changed in last 15 years. Don't know when you were out there last but it's pretty much standard suburbia now--lots of traffic, strip malls, etc. You'll still get honked at up there. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad place to live, but I don't think you're going to find it a serene, bucolic area. Bull Valley is less hectic but it's pretty expensive, Woodstock does seem to be less crowded than the Crystal lake area but it is a bit further out.

And to Georgia--62 is still two lanes through barrington hills. Still a really pretty drive by the horse farms. Whenever we drive that way, Wife always chastises me for not having enough money to buy them.