Evanston Schools: Any experience with them? (Chicago, Skokie: sales, real estate, apartment)

[Costa Rica Chica]

[quote=Lookout Kid;8880738]Can you clarify? Are you saying that neighborhood attendance boundaries don't always apply?
[quote]

If you are applying for the general curriculum at a public school, it shouldn't be a problem. But if you apply for the TWI program, the African-American focused program (forgot what it's called,) or to one of the two magnet schools - you might not find out which school your child is in until right before classes start. This can be stressful, especially if you have more than one child. Plus, district 65 is thinking of redefining the school boundary regions - something to look into.

[cubssoxfan]

Lookout,
I read your objectives and have a suggestion. How about a place near the Linden "L" stop in Wilmette?
You have the Wilmette schools and New Trier HS. You can ride your bike, hop the "L" or take a bus into Evanston for shopping/dining/entertainment. It's been a while so I don't recall the distance, but maybe a place walkable to both downtown Wilmette and the "L". The issue remains the density and mix of multi-unit and commercial you get in Evanston that you won't find in Wilmette. In some ways driving the streets of LaGrange reminds me of Wilmette, La Grange has the somewhat bigger and busier downtown.
Good luck, I appreciate the appeal of Evanston, I tried to afford a place there before moving to AH. I do miss Lee St. Beach-happy kiddo memories.

[kindrakindra]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Can you clarify? Are you saying that neighborhood attendance boundaries don't always apply?

In Oak Park if you live within an attendance boundary, you go to that school. They do gerrymander the attendance boundaries a bit to help with racial integration, but I think the idea in Oak Park is that the primary integration efforts occur at the housing level, not the school level.

In OP, if you live between two schools, and it's not Mann, you can usually switch.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by cubssoxfan

Lookout,
I read your objectives and have a suggestion. How about a place near the Linden "L" stop in Wilmette?

That would be lovely, but we simply either can't afford that part of Wilmette or don't want to stretch that much to afford that part of Wilmette. We are looking at houses on the lower end in Evanston as it is, and may end up in a large condo if we moved there. We'd really like to stay under $450,000, and I've only seen some real crapholes in Wilmette at that price--or they are really far west in ranch house land by the Edens. I will keep my eyes open for anything there, but am not optimistic.

[cubssoxfan]

Well, I'll take a stab at this; have you been to downtown AH and walked a few blocks in either direction? The neighborhood just north of the library is very pretty and very un-cookie cutter.
Doesn't have the vibe or overall density of Evanston, but district 25 and Prospect HS are excellent. The 450K might be doable in a single family within walking distance of downtown, certainly do-able for a condo. Although LaGrange and LGP have more older homes, they are mixed age housing stock towns like AH. LaGrange downtown is a different vibe because it has older buildings instead of being predominantly newer. Otherwise, my eyes see many similarities between AH and LaGrange. They seem to be similar in distance to the loop also.
Just making sure your view of AH hasn't been form a quick drive up Rand Rd.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by cubssoxfan

Well, I'll take a stab at this; have you been to downtown AH and walked a few blocks in either direction? The neighborhood just north of the library is very pretty and very un-cookie cutter.
Doesn't have the vibe or overall density of Evanston, but district 25 and Prospect HS are excellent. The 450K might be doable in a single family within walking distance of downtown, certainly do-able for a condo. Although LaGrange and LGP have more older homes, they are mixed age housing stock towns like AH. LaGrange downtown is a different vibe because it has older buildings instead of being predominantly newer. Otherwise, my eyes see many similarities between AH and LaGrange. They seem to be similar in distance to the loop also.
Just making sure your view of AH hasn't been form a quick drive up Rand Rd.

Arlington heights is something like 25 miles out from the Loop, but I can see the appeal of the downtown area.

In La Grange we are only looking north of 47th Street, which is basically the historic heart of the village. In La Grange Park we are only looking at the area just north of La Grange. Our price range is on the lower end for that area too, but it does seem doable. Actually, Oak park seems to offer the most house for the money of all of the areas we're currently looking.

[chet everett]

The taxes in OP may offset an "savings" -- really hard to get at the "total cost" and frustrating for folks like you that have a good handle on what you do and do not want...

[mh7]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Arlington heights is something like 25 miles out from the Loop, but I can see the appeal of the downtown area.

In La Grange we are only looking north of 47th Street, which is basically the historic heart of the village. In La Grange Park we are only looking at the area just north of La Grange. Our price range is on the lower end for that area too, but it does seem doable. Actually, Oak park seems to offer the most house for the money of all of the areas we're currently looking.

Sounds like you are looking at exactly the same stuff my wife & I were...we looked at evanston, oak park, river forest, la grange, la grange park and western springs. la grange seemed to us to have the best mix of schools + activities + convenience to downtown.

I'm suprised that youre finding more oak park more affordable than la grange - we looked at a lot of stuff there & it seemed that the lots were smaller and slightly more expensive than la grange (and the taxes were higher as someone else mentioned).

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by mh7

Sounds like you are looking at exactly the same stuff my wife & I were...we looked at evanston, oak park, river forest, la grange, la grange park and western springs. la grange seemed to us to have the best mix of schools + activities + convenience to downtown.

I'm suprised that youre finding more oak park more affordable than la grange - we looked at a lot of stuff there & it seemed that the lots were smaller and slightly more expensive than la grange (and the taxes were higher as someone else mentioned).

I don't mind small lots. I kind of like the added density and more urban feel of southern Oak Park.

But yes, I am finding a LOT of historic homes in Oak Park that are reasonably updated in my price range, and very few north of 47th Street in La Grange. But if you include areas south of 47th Street, it's a different story. And we are looking in the prime area of La Grange, but marginal areas of Oak Park. So overall, Oak Park is still much more expensive, but we can more easily find something in our price range that's acceptable to us.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by chet everett

The taxes in OP may offset an "savings" -- really hard to get at the "total cost" and frustrating for folks like you that have a good handle on what you do and do not want...

Taxes in La Grange seem to be comparable for similarly priced properties. For instance, 605 S. Maple in Oak Park is listed at $499,000 and had annual taxes of $7,381 in 2007. A similarly priced property in La Grange, 15 N. Poplar, listed at $490,000 and had taxes of $7,796 in 2007. I've found that again and again the taxes in La Grange are comparable or slightly higher than what we're finding in Oak Park.