potentially working in niles...where to live?

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by annesg

We're looking at a job in Niles, IL; we live in NC and have lived almost all our lives on the East coast (though hubby is originally from MO). I just wondered if, in the interest of doing initial research, some folks might suggest some areas near by there that meet our basic criteria: we'd be hoping for a house with 4 bedrooms and a basement in the $350k range; top schools; a nice, safe neighborhood with a good community feel and loads of kids.

What towns/districts/areas would you recommend? What advice would you offer?

I grew up in Skokie, now live in Arlington Hts. Skokie is still OK, but there are neighborhoods with large number of apartment buildings that can bring in a more transient and sometimes trouble-making population. I have had 2 Skokie cops tell me they wouldn't live there. Yet I have some friends from school who still live there and like it. Stay in the single family home oriented neighborhoods. Niles township high schools are decent, but not as excellent as it was back in the 70's & 80's. Morton Grove is a nice town I really like that feeds into Niles HS. NIles is also decent. What I don't like about all 3 are the small lots and small yards in many sections. So in summary- schools decent, homes built mainly 50's-early 70's primarily on grid layout, convenient to Chicago with good park districts and good to excellent libraries. Father NW you have Mt. Prospect, Arlington Heights and Prospect Hts. IMO, better schools than Skokie, Niles and Morton Grove primarily because of the high schools. All but one of the HS's in the district made US News & World Report list of best HS's. Homes built in 50's to late 80's. Some sections with denser, smaller lots but most areas have larger lots. Prospect Hts has truly large lots and a little bit of a rural feel to it since they do not have sidewalks and primarily use well water vs. city water(Lake Michigan). AH & Mt. Prosp have excellent park districts and libraries. Prosp Hts is smaller in both but still good. Glenview, Park Ridge, Northfield, Northbrook and Wilmette would offer even better schools than AH, Mt P and Prosp. Hts., but VERY hard to find large home for 350K in these towns.
Des Plaines has some nice sections, not familiar with schools and I don't think Maine West is as good a high school.
Come visit a few days and spend 1-2 days driving around Skokie, Niles and Morton Grove and 1-2 days driving around Mt. Prospect, AH and Prospect Heights. PM if you want more details.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by annesg

I didn't mean to annoy you, Avengerfire. I don't live in IL or even NEAR IL and wanted to get a good idea of the various options around a possible job relocation. Is that not what this board is, partly, for? I just wanted help from the locals. Not really looking for a snide attitude, but good to know that's what I'll get if I come here looking for information.

You did not annoy me nor was I intending to be snide.

[annesg]

thanks, cubssoxfan...that helps a lot. I'll start looking around those areas to see what I can see--and now I know where to send my husband when he comes out for the next round of interviews!