A noob looking for info on where to live in the western / northwestern burbs (Chicago: bank owned, section 8)

[Burneedog]

Hello all -

I've found this forum to be extremely helpful and informative as my family and I are about to move from the Nashville, TN area to the Chicago area. I've accepted a position with Sears, and am trying to glean some info on the better areas in which to live and raise my 3 year old daughter. I've read many threads here with all kinds of advice, but here's our specific situation and I'm hoping you can give us some pointers.

We're looking first and foremost for an area with good schools. I'll commute a bit further if it improves the school picture. We're looking for a home in the $200-230k range. My wife prefers newer construction, but we're not averse to an older home if it has been updated, which should open up some other neighborhoods for us.

We've been looking at the obvious areas to live, i.e. NW burbs like LITH, Crystal Lake, Algonquin, Huntley, Cary, Gilberts, and Pingree Grove, and some farther south like South Elgin, St. Charles, Geneva, and Batavia.

My question is how is the commute to Hoffman Estates, and how are the schools / crime / neighborhoods? Any significant disadvantages to any of these?

Are there other areas I should be considering?

Thanks for your help!

Burneedog

[Buzz Bee]

We live in Cary, the school system is one of the best in the state, and there is plenty of newer, as well as older, housing that is nice. Crime is still pretty low. Commute to Hoffman Estate would be from Route 14, and you can cut through Barrington Hills on Old Sutton all the way down to the Sears Complex there, probably 25-30 minutes, unless it snows. We like Cary, but we liked it a lot more when there will still horse farms, most of which have been built on now. We lived in Crystal Lake a long time ago, when there were also still a lot of farms, by LITH, I would stay away, congestion is bad now due to poor growth planning, your commute would be worse, from Route 62 across 31 to 59. Huntley commute also would be lengthy.

Fox River Grove, and some areas of Barrington might even fit your needs, and these suburbs are south of the Fox River, as opposed to Cary being North and with the number of bank owned properties on the market, you might be able to find something in the 200-230 range. Both also have highly rated school systems.

Stay away from Cook county, your property taxes will be higher. Stay away from Carpentersville, Elgin, areas around there, the crime rate is higher and resale can be a problem, schools are not rated as highly. If you can afford St Charles or Geneva, both are nice, especially Geneva. Pricy, but nice. I doubt you'd find housing for 230K there. Algonquin is iffy.

[gardener34]

Bartlett is also a decent commute to sears. I am not sure if that is cook cty or dupage though. If you look at smaller ranches in town in st. charles you may get your price range. Stay on the east side of st. charles, it is too difficult to get across the river. Also in south elgin, parts of that (certain developments) are D-303 which is the more highly regarded school district (st. charles). Geneva is too far south forget that.

[Steve-o]

Huntley sounds about right for you. Not the best schools in the world, but far from bad. The town has grown like a weed and continues to grow, despite the economy. You should have no problem finding a home in your price range that is new construction.

[Burneedog]

Thanks for the info - any thoughts on these areas? Wauconda, Island Lake, Lake Zurich, West Dundee, or Sleepy Hollow?

[middle-aged mom]

Originally Posted by Buzz Bee

Stay away from Cook county, your property taxes will be higher.

Property taxes in all areas depend on the township, school district and county.

I am in Barrington, Cook Cty, Palatine township and Barrington schools. My taxes are relatively cheap compared to Lake and Mc Henry Ctys.

[middle-aged mom]

Newer or updated construction for $200-230, without a killer commute to Hoffman Estates, is going to be a challenge.

Property taxes, especially in newer construction areas , are going to be an issue in any good/improving school system and will impact affordability.

Please consider renting something for 3-6 months and get to know the area and perhaps better position yourself to buy a short sale or a foreclosure.

[Buzz Bee]

Originally Posted by Burneedog

Thanks for the info - any thoughts on these areas? Wauconda, Island Lake, Lake Zurich, West Dundee, or Sleepy Hollow?

Wauconda and Island Lake are pretty iffy, old, swampy, and stay away from Port Barrington, those houses were mostly slapped up in a week, and that area, along with Island Lake and Wauconda, tend to be flood plain, or close to it. Lake Zurich is pricy in the good areas, and crummy in the old areas- the moniker for Lake Zurich used to be Lake Zero (again, the newer areas are quite nice but you won't even find a short sale or foreclosure in LZ for 230K) West Dundee and Sleepy Hollow, I'm not too familiar with, except that the mall is there, and the area doesn't really have much of a "neighborhood feel" anymore. And they are close to Elgin and Carpentersville, which as a long time Illinois resident, are two suburbs that I wouldn't buy in, even in the new and "nice" areas.

I would agree that you probably want to rent for a few months and check out areas that interest you, drive the commute a few times, check out the neighborhoods. Your idea of nice and mine could be totally different.

[chitown85]

Sears is on the western edge of Hoffman. PG, Gilberts, Algonquin are mostly McHenry county which is an up and coming area. Property taxes are much cheaper in Cook than in Lake. McHenry is still pretty cheap, but that will change due to the growth.

If you are new to the area, my suggestion is to rent in Schaumburg (very close to Sears) because of the mall, shopping centers, etc. It is very easy to get acquainted there and the streets are easy to get around.

Then go and look. Depending on your price range, Hoffman is affordable to purchase a home and the schools are good.

FYI, anywhere in Cook you will now have section 8

[tcs1366]

My best friend lives in West Dundee... they are right on the boarder of Sleepy Hollow... nice homes, bigger lots, without the price tag of Sleepy Hollow. It is very beautiful out where she is, and not far from shopping, etc that is on Randall Rd, but country like setting. She's off of Sleep Hollow Road. Lots of mature trees, not a lot of traffic. nice and quiet. [and 5 min or less off of I90]

Not sure about the schools though -- if that is a consideration for you... her's went to private school.