Homewood vs. Flossmoor (updated information) (Chicago, Olympia Fields: homes, neighborhood, buying)

[chicago_60611]

Hmm, I was trying to stay closer to centeral Beverly, prospect is too close to church and sketchy Washington Heights. We've actually been monitoring beverly and the housing stock for a min, and as far as I can see one would want to stay away from beverly's east and west borders. FYI. We are looking for at least 2200sf--which is hard to come by in beverly, unless I want to spend some serious $$$$, or don't mind doing some fixing

[ajolotl]

I live east in a huge house (much bigger than 2200 sq feet) on an even bigger lot. It is totally fine. I've already voiced my opinion regarding the only thing that bugs me. But if the occasional group of black teenage boys doesn't bother you then it really isn't that sketchy at all. Lots of families with old people mixed in. Very evenly divided racially.

Originally Posted by chicago_60611

Hmm, I was trying to stay closer to centeral Beverly, prospect is too close to church and sketchy Washington Heights. We've actually been monitoring beverly and the housing stock for a min, and as far as I can see one would want to stay away from beverly's east and west borders. FYI. We are looking for at least 2200sf--which is hard to come by in beverly, unless I want to spend some serious $$$$, or don't mind doing some fixing

[ajolotl]

If you don't have a taste for Prospect Wood is a safer bet and still a decent deal. Near 103rd in particular Wood is pretty nice and right next to the shops on 103rd and the metra stop as well as a short walk to Barnabas.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by ajolotl

I wish my mother and law would move in. My wife and I could escape the kids more frequently.
At1: you'll appreciate MOL when you have some little ones. It's all about survival and sanity at that point.

Tell me about it. Now that I'm newly jobless, I'm a stay-at-home-dad. While it is nice to get some more time with my daughter, I'm slowly losing my mind and look forward to nap time like you wouldn't believe.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by At1WithNature

well, put 2 and 2 together. Homewood-Flossmoor is becoming more of a certain kind of group then you have test scores drop plus other things...

Yeah, but sometimes dropping test scores are just because of averages and don't really signify a drop in teaching quality. Case and point, Evanston Township High School, where white students actually have higher test scores on average than many "good" suburban schools. But the test scores of underachieving black kids there drive the average score down.

[ajolotl]

I recall semi-fondly the days of playing dead on the bed so that the little ones would finally calm down and take a nap, and then trying to slip out of the room unnoticed, only to hit my knee on the bed and cause them to wake up and start all over.

The best vacation is going to work.

Part of me misses it, though. You only go through that phase once per child, and it passes quickly.

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Tell me about it. Now that I'm newly jobless, I'm a stay-at-home-dad. While it is nice to get some more time with my daughter, I'm slowly losing my mind and look forward to nap time like you wouldn't believe.

[At1WithNature]

yeah, no one is saying that aren't capable but so far they aren't doing themselves any favors of changing the tides of the perceptions and of the proven test scores, criminal records, etc.

[oldhousegirl]

My 2 cents here. I know you wanted recent, used to live in Flossmoor 3.5 years, but go back regularly. It still looks gorgeous but the thing is really the schools. You can half way justify the crazy taxes if the schools are good. But the schools are trending downward, as much as I hate to say it.

My son is now a freshman in H.S., I'm sure he would have been fine at HF, questionable about the middle school - which he didn't attend. And his elementary school Heather Hill was okay at the time, but we all of course want more than okay for our kids. By the way, half of the parents white and black were practically peeing on themselves about the perceived "horrors"' of Parker. I think they were overeacting.

Yes, yes a thousand times yes about water in the basement. Heather Hill subdivision, on Douglas street, the lower parts of Oakmont, and other areas.

Beverly is great, but of course the problem is with the high school if you don't go Catholic. Or you're on the eastern portion and you don'y get Clissold or Sutherland elementary. Another Beverly thing is that lots of the houses, and I generalize but from my experience they're older and need lots of updates. I know I sure didn't want to spend $300k and get a house with a 1940's kitchen!

I don't think the tide has completely turned in the Homewood Flossmoor area, but it will if more young non ethnic families choose to live elsewhere. For what it's worth, the family that bought our home a few years ago was white with small kids, I think they went Catholic as far as schools.

[ajolotl]

This all sounds very sensible.

One clarification -- the Sutherland district extends east all the way to Prospect as long as you're north of 100th (more or less), and to the western side of wood for much of beverly. Be sure to check out the boundary.

Yes, for 300K you won't get a nice kitchen. I got a very well cared for but dated 100-year-old house and redid everything. Cost quite a bit of money and effort but it was worth every penny. No idea what it's worth now and i'm not really interested in finding out.

Originally Posted by oldhousegirl

My 2 cents here. I know you wanted recent, used to live in Flossmoor 3.5 years, but go back regularly. It still looks gorgeous but the thing is really the schools. You can half way justify the crazy taxes if the schools are good. But the schools are trending downward, as much as I hate to say it.

My son is now a freshman in H.S., I'm sure he would have been fine at HF, questionable about the middle school - which he didn't attend. And his elementary school Heather Hill was okay at the time, but we all of course want more than okay for our kids. By the way, half of the parents white and black were practically peeing on themselves about the perceived "horrors"' of Parker. I think they were overeacting.

Yes, yes a thousand times yes about water in the basement. Heather Hill subdivision, on Douglas street, the lower parts of Oakmont, and other areas.

Beverly is great, but of course the problem is with the high school if you don't go Catholic. Or you're on the eastern portion and you don'y get Clissold or Sutherland elementary. Another Beverly thing is that lots of the houses, and I generalize but from my experience they're older and need lots of updates. I know I sure didn't want to spend $300k and get a house with a 1940's kitchen!

I don't think the tide has completely turned in the Homewood Flossmoor area, but it will if more young non ethnic families choose to live elsewhere. For what it's worth, the family that bought our home a few years ago was white with small kids, I think they went Catholic as far as schools.

[chicago_60611]

Originally Posted by oldhousegirl

My 2 cents here. I know you wanted recent, used to live in Flossmoor 3.5 years, but go back regularly. It still looks gorgeous but the thing is really the schools. You can half way justify the crazy taxes if the schools are good. But the schools are trending downward, as much as I hate to say it.

My son is now a freshman in H.S., I'm sure he would have been fine at HF, questionable about the middle school - which he didn't attend. And his elementary school Heather Hill was okay at the time, but we all of course want more than okay for our kids. By the way, half of the parents white and black were practically peeing on themselves about the perceived "horrors"' of Parker. I think they were overeacting.

Yes, yes a thousand times yes about water in the basement. Heather Hill subdivision, on Douglas street, the lower parts of Oakmont, and other areas.

Beverly is great, but of course the problem is with the high school if you don't go Catholic. Or you're on the eastern portion and you don'y get Clissold or Sutherland elementary. Another Beverly thing is that lots of the houses, and I generalize but from my experience they're older and need lots of updates. I know I sure didn't want to spend $300k and get a house with a 1940's kitchen!

I don't think the tide has completely turned in the Homewood Flossmoor area, but it will if more young non ethnic families choose to live elsewhere. For what it's worth, the family that bought our home a few years ago was white with small kids, I think they went Catholic as far as schools.

Thanks for the info. So other than the areas you mentioned are there others I should avoid in regards to flooding--are there any safe zones? Also how is the flooding in Flossmoor Park, and lasltly so where are the good schools? My daughter is only four, so she's not quite ready for k-8. Any votes on private or other?