NYC to northern Chicagoland with three small boys (Evanston, Oak Park: cul-de-sac, real estate)

[Water 4 the Pool]

I am deep in the interview process with a big company in the northern suburbs and, if offered, I will likely accept the position. My wife and I are originally from the Midwest (me from MI and she from WI) but have lived in Manhattan for 14 years. Chicago has always been on our list of possible places to move but have no sense of what to expect when we get there.

We have three boys, ages 4 and under, so schools--public or private--are critical. Neither of us is fond of subdivisions with cul-de-sacs--we are seeking a real, established neighborhood, with sidewalks that people actually use, good schools, parks and stores/shops. Walkability is key, as is access to trains into the city.

A couple of questions:

1. I grew up on Lake Michigan, so water is important to me and I want to focus on lakefront communities.
2. Would it make sense to rent a loft/condo in the city for a year before buying a house? Our oldest hasn't started kindergarten yet, so we have some flexibility on this front.
3. I'm Swedish, so can I get lutefisk?!?!

I've heard Lake Forest is great, but I know it's quite pricey. Evanston? Any thoughts would be appreciated. My mom is from Chicago (relocated to southwest MI) but hasn't lived there in 40 years.

Please no NYC bashing! We really love Manhattan and the opportunities for our kids are incomparable, but the expense is so insane ($35k for our kindergarten of choice) that it's time for something new...and maybe this is it.

Cheers!

P.S.--I'm going to put this on the Chicago board, too, in case you're wondering if it looks familiar to you.

[chirack]

Consider Oakpark to the west. It is not near water but it is a short distance(say 30-40 min) drive to Chicago's beaches. It would meet a lot of your criteria. However which north burb do you need to commute to? It makes a big difference.

[oakparkdude]

Oak Park isn't really conveniently located near most north suburbs. (It may be a reasonable choice to commute to the northwest suburbs, however.)

Obviously housing budget info would be helpful in narrowing down possibilities.

[nana053]

Depending on which suburb you are working in, any of the north suburbs along the lake might work for you. Evanston, Wilmette, etc. If you locate near the metra station for access to the city, any of these may suit.

[Water 4 the Pool]

More data--likely working around Deerfield, IL. Housing budget is really flexible, so that may not be the primary determiner of where we live.

[PurposeInLife]

Astellas?

[cubssoxfan]

Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Highland Park would give put you close to the lake and close to reasonably close to Deerfield. All are walkable towns with small to medium sized downtown cores. All have very good to excellent schools. Now if you don't mind paying more for non-resident access to the beaches there are many more choices. I am biased to the suburban beaches and lifestyle.
Some city neighborhoods that I find nice are Lincoln Square, Andersonville, Ravenswood & Lincoln Park. Not sure about the quality of schools. The Chicago beaches are free versus fee based in the suburbs.

[Rlest8]

The North Shore, the suburbs mentioned in the post above, seem like a good fit for you and your family. All have their own downtown areas, train stops, good schools and are on the lake. From any of these areas you would have an easy commute to Deerfield. Personally, I see little value in renting in the city for a year, seems like a lot of moving around to me and your commute would be difficult.

Feel free to send me a private message if you would like more information on real estate and I can certainly tell you where to get the best lutefisk!

Good luck.

[chicagojlo]

You might look at Lake Bluff which is often a little cheaper than Lake Forest even though the two are practically one place.

I think you could probably get lutefisk quite easily over the WI state line which is very close to Lake Bluff/Lake Forest.

[Paige65]

Living along the lake was also an important criteria for my husband. We lived in Evanston for several years pre-children and then moved to Highland Park about fifteen years ago. I really think any of the North Shore communities would be what you want, from Evanston up through Lake Bluff. All of them have very good public schools systems, and there are good private options too (probably all less than $35,000). Personally, though I live in Highland Park, I would be comfortable in all of the towns along the North Shore (and many other Chicago suburbs as well, but trying to stay on point with what initial poster wants).

I would take the time to drive around the North Shore communities and see if one or another speaks to you more. Also, since your children are young, you may want to narrow it down to a handful of elementary schools in the towns that seem appealing and visit each of them. If you like Highland Park, I would recommend Ravinia and Braeside, because of my familiarity with each of them. They are also very highly rated in any ranking out there (Sun-Times, Tribune, Chicago mag, etc.).

Good luck to you and your family.