West / North suburbs ideas (Chicago: low crime, houses, neighborhoods)

[rjgamow]

Hi all.

We're a couple moving back to Chicagoland in about a year and a half to two years. We have rented in the city for a number of years, moved away to New York for work, and are now coming back. We are looking to move into a suburb and buy a house, and wanted to hear people's thoughts on what might be good areas. We are generally familiar with the location of various suburbs, but have never lived there.

Here are our criteria:

1) Husband is in the legal field and will likely work in the Loop. Wife is in the medical field and will work in a hospital (preferably a well-regarded one!) Husband is fine with a commute time of up to 35-40 min each way, wife would like <20-25. Both of us are happy driving, so being on a subway or Metra line is not a necessity.

2) We don't have kids yet, but are hoping to have our first right around the time we move. We are open to moving to a neighborhood with a less-well-regarded school district for now, and moving again in 5-7 years when the youngest one begins school (if that saves $ in purchase price and property taxes -- and would like to hear everyone's thought on that strategy, BTW.) Personal safety / low crime, however, is important.

3) In terms of housing stock, we have been dying to have a back yard in which we can entertain (larger is better, of course.) We also prefer neighborhoods where houses are spread a little farther apart than what you typically see in the very near suburbs.

4) We have a budget of about $375,000 (give or take), and would like a 3-bedroom (preferably a four) with nice curb appeal.

5) Being right next to a walkable downtown area is not necessary, but would like to be within a close distance of one.

Please share your thoughts!