Hines, IL area...best place to live (Chicago, Des Plaines: for sale, home builders) - Chicago Suburbs - Illinois - City-Data Forum

casandy · 08-20-2010, 08:58 AM

We may be relocating to the Hines, IL area, working at the VA center..We know nothing of the area. Can you recommend an area to live. Would like something non subdivision if there are any areas like that. Price range $250-$350. Would like a little acreage, privacy. Are there any farm/horse areas in the commuting area. I have heard the traffic is really bad, are their buses or trains that help with the commute? We are willing to live in the surrounding states if that would be possible commuting.

Thanks

pvande55 · 08-20-2010, 09:40 AM

Acreage is really tough to find in the area in that price range unless you don't mind commuting two hours each way. The closest Metra Station is Maywood, on the UP-West line and also connected by bus to Hines VA (be sure to add the plus-bus option to your monthly ticket). The line runs out to Elburn, presently out in the country.

casandy · 08-20-2010, 09:45 AM

Thank you... we wouldn't mind the 2 hour commute as long as it could be via bus or train. Is Elburn the area we should look? Are there any others that might be the two hour commute.

Thanks so much for your response

pvande55 · 08-20-2010, 09:52 AM

I can't speak as to what's available in Elburn itself, but you ought to be able to find something within half an hour of the Elburn station (which has plenty of parking). The ride from Elburn to Maywood is a little over an hour, check the schedules. Happy Hunting!

TempesT68 · 08-20-2010, 09:56 AM

for a big chunk of land, in that price range, and horse areas plus commute i'd also throw in elburn. If you are going far out, the train is a must have.

chet everett · 08-20-2010, 10:07 AM

The VA facility at Hines is in a pretty densely urbanized area. It is adjacent to several other healthcare facilities like Loyola Medical Center in Maywood Il and some State of Illinois mental health facilities.

It is NO WHERE NEAR anything that could be considered rural! While it is true in a technical sense that there are bus lines that connect to Metra commuter rail lines that concievably might also serve some towns to the extreme west of the whole region that might theorethically have a more rural feel , I do think that anyone would seriously advocate this as a reasonable option for what you wish to accomplish ought to know that having horses is not like having a house cat. If you need to be on a train at 5AM the horse might need an hour or more of your time. You would need to wake up at 3 AM. Getting home after 7PM would also require a pretty inhuman lack of contact with the animals... I suppose a spouse or kids could provide care, and if that what you hopre for then good luck.

Even if you had a purely administrative role and can work on a very 9-5 schedule, the commuter trains are NOT scheduled with a commute from Elburn to Maywood in mind. Thus it would likely take OVER TWO HOURS EACH WAY in even the BEST conditions. Should weather or construction or delays interrupt the regular schedule it may be flat out impossible to get in or out given that you would be such an outlier that buses and trains would not be geared to you. They would be prioritized to get folks to / from the downtown commute rail station... Any supervisor is unlikely to have sympathy for you attempting to work from home when it is may as well be another state that you would commuting from...

If you work a schedule like many at Hines, with shifts that run into the early morning / late night it is very likely that service is not available. Further, although the VA campus is quite well patrolled, parts of Maywood that you need to go through to get to/from train via bus are quiite notoriously unsafe.

In truth, if you currently have a home with acreage,/horses I would seriously avoid this location. Now before someone jumps on the thread and says "but the are equestrian properties in Palos or Plainfield or Lisle (which is true...) I would also caution that a) these areas would be far more costly, b) the commute would be no easier and would be 100% car only c) the likelihood of even finding such a property for sale, with zoning that is transferable (as opposed to being slated for new home builders...) is so remote as to be all but impossible...

AuDiBelle · 08-21-2010, 07:31 AM

Not to burst your bubble, but I think your list of desires are incompatible. Hines VA is located in a very densely populated area just outside the city, and you won't find rural horse farm type of properties within a sane commute time. If you really desire a more rural landscape, don't bother taking the VA job unless you want to spend 3-4 hours commuting each day.

I would heed Chet's advice. He's right on the money with everything he stated.

casandy · 08-25-2010, 11:25 AM

Thank you everyone for your advice/info.

Two people in management at the VA Hospital there say that as long as you live southwest of the hospital in Hines you will not run into too much traffic, since it is not in the downtown area. To expect an hour commute which we are fine with.They suggest Des Plaines, New Lenox area. Can anyone tell me if there are any rural-like areas southwest of Hines? And we don't want a "horse farm" just that type of living, no on top of each other subdivision. I would appreciate any help out there, we will need to make a decision if and when the job offer is made.

TempesT68 · 08-25-2010, 03:24 PM

Desplanes is north of hines and there is no way you could pull that off on your budget. For the southwest burbs, minooka, channahon, or morris you shouldn't have any problems, also you could go further north into yorkville, plano or plainfield. Though only the west line metra line will run by hines so living out in these areas are going to be a drive only deal, and come the snow, you'll be kicking yourself in the rear every day for the hell of the commute.. If you do plan on taking the train and bus, elburn still is your best shot.

chet everett · 08-25-2010, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by casandy

Thank you everyone for your advice/info.

Two people in management at the VA Hospital there say that as long as you live southwest of the hospital in Hines you will not run into too much traffic, since it is not in the downtown area. To expect an hour commute which we are fine with.They suggest Des Plaines, New Lenox area. Can anyone tell me if there are any rural-like areas southwest of Hines? And we don't want a "horse farm" just that type of living, no on top of each other subdivision. I would appreciate any help out there, we will need to make a decision if and when the job offer is made.

...bit you can easily see for yourself that travel times raw BRUTAL to anyplace could pass for "rural"!

While it is true that Hines is about 10 miles west of downtown Chicago any of the various sites from radio / tv / traffic servies will show solid walls of traffic 40 miles or more past the city.

If you want rural you need to rethink this location!

New Lenox is a mix of subdivisions with some largely "on top of each other" and others bigger but if you think you raw going to get any kind of "acreage" in New Lenox for the price range you are considering you are in for both a price shock and a HORRENDOUS commute!

DesPlaines is NW of Hines and is a older suburb with houses all on lots meaured in FEET not acres!

I would not be shocked if these "management people" are the types to see a bed pan overflowing with excrement and think that is " not so bad"...