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Old 02-03-2014, 02:45 PM
 
Location: broke leftist craphole Illizuela
10,326 posts, read 17,420,544 times
Reputation: 20337

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Lake Geneva is a nice little upscale touristy area. Hebron is a small rural town bordering farms. They have that basketball water tower. Harvard is a larger town kind of a decaying industrial town nothing desirable. I usually go up into that area to bike ride a few times a summer. Arround lake Geneva is one of my favorite routes though the hills kick my rear.
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Old 02-03-2014, 03:33 PM
 
Location: Lake Arlington Heights, IL
5,479 posts, read 12,257,268 times
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Lake Geneva is a HIKE to and from Chicago. Harvard and Hebron are pretty far away as well. How important are schools? If Ok schools are Ok, look into Wauconda. If you want schools a step up, look into Cary or Crystal Lake. Even better, Lake Zurich. A nice balance between suburbs that are much closer to rural areas, a bit farther out to maximize house budget, but closer to keep the trips to Shriner's more manageable.
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Old 02-03-2014, 05:10 PM
 
Location: Chisago Lakes, Minnesota
3,816 posts, read 6,441,822 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cubssoxfan View Post
Lake Geneva is a HIKE to and from Chicago. Harvard and Hebron are pretty far away as well. How important are schools? If Ok schools are Ok, look into Wauconda. If you want schools a step up, look into Cary or Crystal Lake. Even better, Lake Zurich. A nice balance between suburbs that are much closer to rural areas, a bit farther out to maximize house budget, but closer to keep the trips to Shriner's more manageable.
Have to go where the job takes me. There's an opening in Lake Geneva, and the hours are exactly what we need. Even two hours from Chicago is worlds better than the 5 and a half now from up here. Besides, Crystal Lake and Lake Zurich are going to have the much higher property taxes that I'm trying to avoid, even though I'd love to live in one of those spots and be that much loser to Chicago.
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Old 02-03-2014, 09:48 PM
 
11,975 posts, read 31,776,941 times
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Good luck! Lake Geneva is a great town to visit... I don't know many who have lived there all year 'round, but I'm sure it's fine. Heck, you could easily be within 2 hours of Chicago in Southern Wisconsin if you choose to live around there. I've driven between Milwaukee and Chicago literally HUNDREDS of times, and it rarely takes more than two hours unless you get stuck in rush hour madness.
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Old 02-03-2014, 09:54 PM
 
11,975 posts, read 31,776,941 times
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Also, note that Shriner's Children's Hospital is not within the Village of Oak Park, but is instead just to the north of the village within the City of Chicago on Oak Park Avenue. It is technically IN the dreaded Austin neighborhood, but in a much safer sub-neighborhood called Galewood (it's well-kept brick homes, leafy parkways, green lawns, etc.). I wouldn't be too nervous about getting treatment there, and there are many routes that will get you there without traversing ghetto. But you will want to make sure that you know them and don't get lost. The more dangerous parts of Austin are further south and east, and I can't imagine any routes that would take you through there, however.
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Old 02-06-2014, 10:00 PM
 
150 posts, read 343,621 times
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We just moved from northern IL to Pleasant Prairie, WI. The property taxes are lower then Kenosha, it is a little more country, with all the amenities of a city very close. It is very close to the highway, as I still work in IL. I recommend you look at this area. Our real estate taxes went from $4000 on a $120,000 home to $3600 on a $200,000 home that is over twice the size and almost 2 acres of land. Family in Kenosha pays $5000 on a city lot for same square footage. But WI taxes on other things like labor that IL doesn't, so it does balance somewhat.
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Old 02-07-2014, 08:26 AM
 
Location: Chisago Lakes, Minnesota
3,816 posts, read 6,441,822 times
Reputation: 6567
Quote:
Originally Posted by jasmom87 View Post
We just moved from northern IL to Pleasant Prairie, WI. The property taxes are lower then Kenosha, it is a little more country, with all the amenities of a city very close. It is very close to the highway, as I still work in IL. I recommend you look at this area. Our real estate taxes went from $4000 on a $120,000 home to $3600 on a $200,000 home that is over twice the size and almost 2 acres of land. Family in Kenosha pays $5000 on a city lot for same square footage. But WI taxes on other things like labor that IL doesn't, so it does balance somewhat.
Doing an initial phone interview with Lake Geneva Monday morning. Would like to live as close to there as possible, but still be able to get into Chicago within 90 minutes. May choose to rent in LG, Twin Lakes, or just across the border in IL just to get things rolling if they hire me.
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Old 02-09-2014, 02:35 PM
 
Location: Chisago Lakes, Minnesota
3,816 posts, read 6,441,822 times
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Hope you guys don't me going on about Lake Geneva in here. The Wisconsin forum is not very active. Anyway.....excited to get down there tomorrow. My research indicates that LG is basically a playground for Chicago - in the summer, at least. That's kind of how the town I live in now is in correlation with Detroit, Grand Rapids......and even Chicago as well. Populations are about the same as well......around 7K or so.
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Old 02-09-2014, 04:40 PM
 
Location: Not where you ever lived
11,535 posts, read 30,250,015 times
Reputation: 6426
I am excited for you! Good luck on your interview.
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Old 02-11-2014, 11:11 AM
 
4,152 posts, read 7,934,805 times
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The area around Shriners is safe. Its technically in Chicago but not bad, its not in the bad part of Austin. ITs more Elmwood Parkish. Lake Geneva is lovely but don't know if there are many good jobs there. Resort towns usually suck for job prospects, lots of lower paying service jobs. If you want to live near but not in Chicago, look into Geneva IL, Batavia, Warrenville, Winfield, they are nice places to live. True high property taxes but millions are paying it myself included. We pay to live in beautiful communities with parks, good schools, wonderful libraries and good city services. I live in Wheaton myself and do pay high taxes but just suck it up.
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