Looking for a great place for a young latino family in the 'burbs. (Chicago: houses, neighborhood)

[chitown85]

Wheeling, Palatine, Prospect Heights, Mount Prospect, Streamwood, Hanover Park all are large NW burbs with significant Hispanic populations.

[deechee]

Aaaaarrggghhh!

[bulldawg1594]

Originally Posted by chitown85

Wheeling, Palatine, Prospect Heights, Mount Prospect, Streamwood, Hanover Park all are large NW burbs with significant Hispanic populations.

not really mount prospect. i think the west side of aurora is really good, or maybe if you live in the city, garfield ridge, or maybe like belmont cragin or lincoln square.

[knitgirl]

I live in Elgin which has a significant latino population, although my guess is that most are relatively poor, though I am sure there are professional latinos here as well. We bought here because we could afford it, and we bought a 3 unit to help with the mortgage. You mentioned a possible apt for a mother or mother in law. There are some nice 2 and 3 flats in the Gold Coast which is the northeast side. We have 3 Metra stops. You could get a gorgeous house here for $400,000 or much less. There is a Salsa Festival every year, several grocery stores. There's also a nice 4th of July parade, and several other festivals. There are people on this board that will tell you that Elgin is horrible, but I've lived here for 12 years, near downtown and never had any significant problems. Before I moved to Elgin I lived in Lincoln Square/Ravenswood before they were considered cool. I did have my car stereo stolen out of my unlocked car a while back, but I think that kind of thing can happen anywhere.

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by knitgirl

I live in Elgin which has a significant latino population, although my guess is that most are relatively poor, though I am sure there are professional latinos here as well. We bought here because we could afford it, and we bought a 3 unit to help with the mortgage. You mentioned a possible apt for a mother or mother in law. There are some nice 2 and 3 flats in the Gold Coast which is the northeast side. We have 3 Metra stops. You could get a gorgeous house here for $400,000 or much less. There is a Salsa Festival every year, several grocery stores. There's also a nice 4th of July parade, and several other festivals. There are people on this board that will tell you that Elgin is horrible, but I've lived here for 12 years, near downtown and never had any significant problems. Before I moved to Elgin I lived in Lincoln Square/Ravenswood before they were considered cool. I did have my car stereo stolen out of my unlocked car a while back, but I think that kind of thing can happen anywhere.

IMO the U-46 school system is mediocre at best.

[crbcrbrgv]

You should move to Riverside. It is currently 7 percent Hispanic and seems to be following the same pattern Pilsen, Cicero, Berwyn and Riverside once had. Back in the old days, Czechs and Bohemians started out poor, worked their way up to Cicero, then to Berwyn and the next generation lived in Riverside. This is clearly happening with Hispanics. If ever there were going to be an upscale suburb with more than 25 percent Hispanics, it is Riverside. It's a beautiful town, it has great schools and the city is an easy Metra ride.

[B2O2C]

we have family who are CPD and who have told us to stay away from Elgin, but thanks.

I'll look into Riverside though.

[Humboldt1]

Being Hispanic you will not have problems, unless you look or act ghetto. I am assuming you and your husband are professionals.

My girlfriend is Mexican and her family all lives out in Aurora. It is pretty far from the city and has some really bad as well as nice parts. You can buy foreclosures out there for 200K.

You should be looking more central. Itasca, Elmhurst, Park Ridge, Mount Prospect, Des Plaines and even Park Ridge (though more money) are all nice and have good access to Metra and expressways.

No one will care if you are Hispanic as long as you are professional. My contractor who does work for me on a building I have in Humboldt Park is Puerto Rican and has family in Park Ridge who "have made it."

Stay out of Elgin, Aurora, and some of the poorer inner suburbs. You should be able to find $400K house in nice suburb that sold for $550-600K in 2005-06.

[rockinrolla]

Rolling Meadows has alot of middle class latinos. I'm talking house owners here, not just apartment complex dwellers. It's a nice, quiet town, affordable, right by the 94 and 290/53, close to woodfield mall, has a sam's/wallmart on algonquin rd., a post office, blockbuster, jewel and a good library downtown over on kirchoff...quite livable town.

[B2O2C]

Booo... after a lot of talking and thinking we decided to put the move on hold for now :-( I'm in school and moving in the middle will create way too much hassle. Not to mention we're hoping the time will come when selling our home won't be impossible. Thanks so much for all your suggestions and it has really helped.