Inner Ring Suburbs - thoughts? (Skokie, Des Plaines: foreclosure, credit, house) - Chicago Suburbs - Illinois (IL) - City-Data Forum

sthornt1 · 02-24-2011, 04:05 PM

My wife and I (with 2 kids under 2) are looking into moving from the city to an inner ring suburb. I work in Skokie and she works around the intersection of Western & Roosevelt.

Based on geography and public schools alone, I've whittled it down to Oak Park, Forest Park, Harwood Heights/Norridge, Brookfield, and La Grange Park. I think Oak Park will get ruled out due to cost (once property taxes are considered), so my question is, am I missing anything in the general vicinity? We're probably looking to spend $300-$350k.

Haven't checked out any places in person yet - just want to make sure I'm not blatantly missing anything.

We'll be looking for a 4 bedroom SFH and public schools where I won't have any qualms about sending my kids. Safety is obviously important; as a reference point, Edgewater is safe enough for me.... most of the time. I'm also a firm believer in a short commute (especially with gas prices primed to shoot through the roof - plus I hate wasting away my day in the car). Walkability is a big plus, but not a deal breaker. But I'd prefer to avoid a cookie-cutter suburb filled with chains, superstores, 6 lane highways, etc.

Any thoughts are appreciated. Just want to make sure I don't miss something without giving it some consideration.

Thanks!

Sean

tonythetuna · 02-24-2011, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sthornt1

so my question is, am I missing anything in the general vicinity?

Park Ridge. Des Plaines. Rosemont.

BC60402 · 02-24-2011, 07:33 PM

Check out Berwyn, great infrastructure, great housing, great prices. Stick in D100 for schools, especially in Depot District area. You'll be pleasantly surprised. Economic revival is happening all over the business districts as well thanks to the BDC, even in these times.

chet everett · 02-24-2011, 08:21 PM

If I worked in Skokie I would lean heavily toward the north side burbs -- a couple of night of slogging through snow snarled rush hour traffic would make trips down past Roosevelt horrific...

Some of the burbs the OP lists have positive attributes, but some are "meh" at best...

The other thing that bothers me is the desire for a FOUR bedroom house which, will not impossible, will not be a "slam dunk" in any of decent town for UNDER $350k...

The nicest town on the OP's list is probably LaGrange Park, but honestly most of the stuff in the stated price range will be 3 bedroom ranches, with maybe some cape cods and if anything is a 4 bedroom it is gonna have some serious negatives. Of course, the other problem would be getting to work in Skokie -- yuck yuck yucky commute!

Commute would be as bad / worse ro parts of Brookfield, especially the. Ost desirable section near Riverside. Price is maybe a bit more do-able, but again FOUR bedrooms are not as common as there are out in the land of chain superstores on six lane highways...

Qualms about schools? BZZZT that'd make Forest Park a non-option for public high schools, and not exactly above reproach for elementary...

Norridge and Harwood Heights won't be attracting a whole lot of folks with it's school situation either. Again FOUR bedrooms ? not impossible, but not the norm in an area where most homes were built before jets landed at O'Hare... Commute is much better to Skokie and not too miserable to Westen & Roosevelt, but that is about only plus...

In Oak Park the trick would not just be price, but safety and "best attendance area" for school -- I think there are more four bedroom homes and probably some fairly values -- it would on my short list for commutes too.

I would try REALLY HARD to find SOMETHING in price range in Park Ridge as I agree it would far and away the nest combination of schools absolutely beyond reproach AND least unpleasant commute, but dunno if the FOUR bedroom is realistic -- heck not that long ago I was seeing TWO bedrooms changing hands for that amount and then getting torn down...

Speaking of which...while I ain't going to claim towns in eastern DuPage Co are "inner ring" I do know there are more a few lovely homes in Elmhurst, Hinsdale and Clarendon Hills that are under $350k, not at all "cookie cutter" not near any superstores or six lane roads. 'Course FOUR bedroom is not going to come without some other glaring negative (backs to rr tracks... Foreclosure where the former owner literally took kitchen sink with 'em... started renovation...) Same is true for Western Springs to the east of Hinsdale...

sthornt1 · 02-25-2011, 07:28 AM

Interesting. Sounds like a 3 bedroom is much more realistic. I'll compromise on that before moving farther out. I'd love to look into the northwest suburbs since I work in Skokie, but my wife needs a nice, easy, driveable commute to Western & Roosevelt.

Guys I know who are in much better financial shape than me seem to rule out Park Ridge based on price.

I thought Forest Park shared a HS with Oak Park? I know the elementary schools are questionable.

Berwyn seems to be an interesting wildcard. I'm not sure I've come across a suburb with such a divergence of opinion between posters on other threads. I think I at least owe it a look knowing that private schools would be a likely possibility in that case (at least HS).

Norridge and Harwood Heights have some decent school ratings on GreatSchools for what it's worth.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Mister Mappy · 02-25-2011, 08:04 AM

If LaGrange Park, and Brookfield are too far for a commute in Skokie, then Elmhurst, Hinsdale, and Clarendon Hills are DEFINITELY too far for a commute to Skokie. They, especially Clarendon Hills, do have their share of cookie cutter homes.

The parts of Norridge & Harwood Heights west of Harlem & north of Lawrence feed into Maine South high school in Park Ridge, which is rated very highly. Maybe you can narrow your search in these two towns to that area.

Forest Park feeds into Proviso East high school in Maywood, which is not exactly the best high school. I think you've confused it with River Forest to the north, they share the high school with Oak Park. River Forest is lovely, but quite expensive, so I doubt you'd find what you're looking for in your price range there.

Alacran · 02-25-2011, 09:17 AM

Ah yes. The forest park kids at proviso east.
Only a handful from forest park went to east.
The rest went to private school or had fake addresses to go elsewhere.

I give the forest park kids credit for sticking around

cubssoxfan · 02-25-2011, 09:20 AM

What about Skokie? East prairie district in S.E Skokie or Fairview district in SW section. Or Morton Grove? I don't understand going to Harwood Heights and Norwood and increasing BOTH of your commute times and I don't think Norwood HS is going to be appreciably better than Niles Twnshp.
Might find a 3 bedroom that has been remodeled to include a 4th bedroom and bath in the basement.

sthornt1 · 02-25-2011, 10:55 AM

Oops - yeah I confused Forest Park / River Forest in terms of high school, and River Forest is definitely way out of any price range I'd consider.

Didn't really consider Skokie - but if I can convince my wife that hopping on 94 @ Touhy and heading downtown isn't *too* bad, then that could work too.

Mister Mappy · 02-25-2011, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cubssoxfan

What about Skokie? East prairie district in S.E Skokie or Fairview district in SW section. Or Morton Grove? I don't understand going to Harwood Heights and Norwood and increasing BOTH of your commute times and I don't think Norwood HS is going to be appreciably better than Niles Twnshp.
Might find a 3 bedroom that has been remodeled to include a 4th bedroom and bath in the basement.

Maybe they want somewhere that's a fair commute for both, and not biased towards either one of them. Skokie to Roosevelt/Western is probably at least an hour during rush hour.