burr ridge, hinsdale and surrounding suburbs?? pls help! (Chicago, Evanston: real estate market, house)

[Chicago Chef]

Go with LaGrange.

[MayMove]

We love Elmhurst. Rated the #1 suburb by Chicago Magazine. Schools are excellent, town has a much to offer. Our library is amazing, brand new last year. We live 1/5 block from the grade school, park. Walking distance to town and train. Easy on and off highway. Can't beat the location!

Unfortunatley, we have to give it all up. Relocating.

All the best to you in your search.

[notmyname1956]

If you chose Burr Ridge, the schools are not as good as Hinsdale and will be driving all the time with kids. If you choose Hinsdale better schools, walk to everything BUT your kids will be dealing with a must keep up with jones' attitude. If you have small children I would click on watchdog.com before I purchased anywhere. All burbs have easy access to city of Chicago that's a non issue (Burr Ridge and Willowbrook are currently building a beautiful downtown area !!) If you value privacy Burr Ridge is a better option.

[gardener34]

"we really like Oak Park but it is too expensive" if you think oak park is expensive, then rule out hinsdale, clarendon hills and burr ridge.
Western springs and lagrange are great, I know many people who live there now and like it.
Elmhurst nice, but I think it is overpriced now for what you get.
Although all these are pricey as well. Don't know what your price range is... that determines everything.

[OakBrookMom]

If Oak Park is too expensive, as it was for me 10 years ago when I dragged my husband out of the city kicking and screaming (we wound up in Elmhurst), then Hinsdale, Burr Ridge, Western Springs, Oak Brook, Riverside and Elmhurst will also be too expensive, if you are looking at newer construction. You might be able to afford homes in these areas (I don't know what your price range is), they just won't be newer construction. These older towns have very high lot values so not only the new construction but also the newer (built in the last 10 years) construction is high because of what people paid for the lots. Downers Grove has a great metra schedule (25 minute express trains to the city) and the newer construction is much more affordable than the other towns that have been mentioned but still not cheap. My husband and I rehab older homes because we love their character but want to give people like us who want all the amenities of new construction an option. We just completed one that we added an addition to making it a 4BR 2.1BA home just a block from town and the train station that we now have on the market, in any of the aforementioned towns this home would be 100-200K more than Downers. I am constantly searching for our next project so I know these areas quite well plus we have lived in various areas with our three young children so I always invest places in districts where I would send my own kids. Lombard too has more options if you want newer with slightly lower prices than Downers however the school system if you go by test scores is not as good as Downers, especially North Downers. Plus Downers has school choice which most other burbs do not where if you are unhappy with a school you can opt out to another in the district as long as space is available. You just don't get transportation to that other school. Again, if I knew your price range and the size home you want I could give you a much better idea of your options as I am sure many other forum members could too. Most of the areas around here are beautiful with great schools and they all have their pros & cons but the driving factors are price and wish list which is different for every buyer.

[nanannie]

Once again,all this help and not a word from the OP since May..Dont you love it ? A simple "thanks for the info" is so nice..It would help so much if people would post a price range.That determines so much of what is appropriate

[My3Rats]

I agree with LaGrange as well. My husband is from there, and I grew up in Indian Head Park, right by Burr Ridge. Burr Ridge, Hinsdale, Claredon Hills are great areas, very pricey. We live in Lombard and love it.

[emmi605]

Many mention Elmhurst as being an expensive suburb. We have a best-kept secret in my opinion...the north side. People who do not like diversity tend to stay away, but I can tell you that the housing is more fairly price, yet you still get Elmhurst 205 schools. If you want your children raised with diversity, in a safe environment, and be able to attend incredible schools, then you would be very happy. One downside is a bit of airplane noise, but honestly you don't hear the noise after awhile.

[charlie123]

i live in western springs and its not always as nice as it seems, as a kid i had a smaller house and got picked on for it, and i got beat up after school by 8th graders, plus its extremely boring, nothing for the kids but 7-11 and the pool, which the latter of the 2 is much overpriced, cant anyone do something for cheap?

[gardener34]

"we sold our house after being robbed in "safe" WS...

Houses get robbed in every town, crime is everywhere - even in "safe" clean burbs. I know many people who got robbed in Elmhurst - the "safe" burb that it is.