This is my experience at Poplar Grove .
I currently live here . I moved here because i fish alot . I also lived in an apartment that was turning into a condo , and this house i bought is much bigger , with a 2 car garage . It was at the same price as the condo . And at the time i could only get approved for $150,000 .
Living in the northwest suburbs of chicago , you will realize that prices of homes are very high . A small 3 bedroom ranch in elk grove on average is in the lower to mid 200k range . If you west travel towards rockford , prices drop . Drastically .
Poplar Grove is about and hour west of the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago .
Candlewick is all by itself on rt 76 . It really isn't part of Poplar Grove . If you look on a map . Poplar Grove township is east on 173 . It's kinda like a zone reason why we are considered part of Poplar grove .
Poplar grove is tiny . You do all your main shoppping in Belvidere or drive to Rockford . I'm not even sure if Poplar Grove has their own police . The police you see at Candlewick are security , and Boone County Sheriffs . The sheriffs don't patrol the area . They just drive thru once and awhile and stop at the gaurd shacks .
I bought my house for $135,000 in 2004 . been here since . 3 bedroom Split Ranch , english basement , two car garage full driveway , nice size backyard . Average house . 11 years old . Not the greatest . It needs some finishing like the laundry room walls . and inside the garage walls . Also the windows are not the greatest .
At the time , gas was $1.69 a gallon . I travel 120 miles a day to work and back . Many people do this at Candlewick . Get a low price house and take the hit on the commute to work . I have a honda civic and get 35mph . When gas was $1.69 , it wasn't really that bad for me to pay for the gas . But now at $4.12 a gallon , the amount of money i spend on gas to drive to work has more than doubled . Even when i am driving my honda at 35mpg , i still burn roughly 4 gallons of gas a day . That equals around $16 dollars a day . Times 5 days a week , that $80 per week x 4 @ $320 a month on gas . I hope you don't drive an SUV or a truck .
Plus you can't forget about the tolls . I drive thru 4 illinois tolls everyday on I-90 . Totalling $1.90 . Times 5 = $9.50 . So roughly $40 a month in tolls to drive to work and back .
Next up . The Sewer/Water bill . I live alone . My water bill is on average $120 a month . Completely outragous . Times 12 thats $1440 in water a year . For one person who takes a shower once a day , and the bathroom two or three times a day . Completely outragous !!!!!!!!! I can only imagine what a water bill would be for a family of 4 or 5 . Some people say it's high because of the sewer fee . The bill starts out at $70 a month minimum because of the sewer charge . That means they charge me $50 on top of that for a total of $120 .
Let me just say that living Elsewhere in a house , you pay about only $35-40 every two months . x 6 thats only $250 a year for water/sewer . Total !! DO you see the astronomical water bill price price Candlewick charges to live here . Simply crazy .
Next , the Association fee . $906 a year . Kind of alot . But you do have A few security patrol cars . And a few gaurd shacks in the entrance and you have to go thru a gate to get in . Non residents need to stop and sign in to enter . 24/7 365 days a year .
There is also clubhouse and ymca and restaurant . And a small beach with some volleyball nets . I'm single so i never use that stuff . But i guess if you had kids it could be useful . All the facilities are pretty nice . The security seems to be friendly also .
The roads in candlewick are somewhat narrower than regular suburb streets and there are no sidewalks . Alot of kids and bicyclists and runners are on the sides of the road , so speed limits are low at 25mph . And they should be . I personally have never recieved a speeding ticket . If you get a speeding ticket , you most likely were speeding and deserve it . Keep your lawn nice is also part of the deal . They will give you tickets for improper upkeep of you house . They can give you 14 day warnings letters though . It pretty much depends on the security guy driving by your house and how your yard looks . They are trying to keep the community nice . You also can not have fences around your house . I kinda like it this way , but if you had dogs i can see why that might be a hinderance .
During winter they use gravel here instead of salt on candlewick community roads . Also the plowing procedures aren't the greatest . But actually it's about the same as the rest of the towns around the area . It seems that out here , they wait till the snow stops , and then they start to plow . lol . You also have to remember the towns are not as big as a city suburb , so the amount of salt trucks that are available for plowing isn't alot .
There are many types of homes in Candlewick . Some are nice . People do come here and buy a lot and build a nice home . But the east side looks like the builders came in and built alot of light structured not so great , pre fab homes that could be sold quickly and for cheap . When that happens it becomes more of a lower middle class type of neighborhood . Like someone else said , look on the west side for the nicer houses or on candewick boulevard (the street that surrounds the lake) . Although you can find a nice house anywhere because people do buy lots all over and build their house to their specific liking .
The lake : 210 acres . Boat size limit is 20ft and 70hp (75hp if it's 4-stroke) . I don't have a boat , but fishing is very good . All types of fish , largemouth bass , smallmouth bass , walleye , pike , muskie , crappie , bluegill , catfish , carp (to be discarded if caught) . Note : There is not a problem with carp here . Also , all bass types are catch and release only , and every other fish has size limit or creel limit . I catch lots bass fishing on shore and pikes and walleyes are catchable too . There are about five parks to fish from and i believe each has a small boat launch . The main big boat launch/dock area is at the clubhouse . You can also rent dock spots for the season to leave your boat in the water . The water is clean .
I will say that crime isn't really a problem . At least not what i have seen . Many people leave things in their front yard like kids toys or bikes or a garage open , and really don't feel threatened by somebody stealing . But then again , it depends on your neighbors and immediate surroundings .
I don't have kids . If you do have kids , the schools seem ok . Somebody said that the school districts are split . Maybe the lower income people go to one or the other , i don't know .
Belvidere is a small but nice town . Super Walmart is pretty much the biggest store out here . lol
There is a somewhat large mexican population in belvidere . So be expected to see that in the town of belvidere , candlewick (somewhat but not really) , and aswell as in the schools .
Living here for me is expensive because of the distance i travel to work and back . It kind of backfired on me over the last 4 years because of the gas prices . And with the association fee and high water bill , it just makes it harder to keep money in the bank .
All i can say is i hope you have a good income , and choose a well built house when looking in candlewick on a good street . Also check out the street the house is on and see what kinds of people your neighbors are . That will help you in the desicion you make in if you want to purchase or not .
I now have carpal tunnel syndome from typing all of that , but i hope i helped someone out with some info
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