Moving FROM Indiana TO Chicago suburbs--HEEELLLPPP (Des Plaines, Oak Park: real estate, rental, limo)

[hellothereIN]

I really don't care where I live as long as it is safe and flood free.

My daughter works downtown and would like something she could take a train to. She drives from NW IN to downtown (the company has their own parking), but it is a nightmare of course. The recent flooding had her on the BishFord for over two hours while the three lanes merged into one.

So...I suggested Oak Park. I loved Oak Park when visiting. Just looked at houses.

We are torn between actually outright buying a single family house which we live in now -- or look for a decent sized Town home. ($190,000 or less?) It would be HER home. She is the one with the steady income. I would supply the down payment. I need to go back to school

My 3 bdrm brick ranch (taxes are $1700 a year) is going to 'soon to be' exhusband. Our little Town has changed quite a bit since 1988 - when we first moved in. Time to go, I guess. It seems everyone on the block has their home alarms on...glass block windows on basement level...many neighbors have more than one large dog. No one even says hello to each other. It is sad.

But where? She was looking at Romeoville. I say small home. She says town home. But the TAXES and Home Owner Association fees for town homes - wo!

Also, many associations don't like the idea of three little dogs.

The divorce papers are being drawn up -- I could be unmarried Mid-May. And out of a house.

Help?

Thanks so much.

[urza216]

Your daughter can't drive to the South Shore line or possibly the Metra Electric line to commute downtown? NWI has plenty of people who commute downtown.. Hammond, Indiana touches the southeast side of Chicago. Hammond, Indiana is an inner ring suburb.

Moving to Romeoville isn't gonna help your daughter's commute unless you guys are living in an extremely southern or eastern part of NWI. Romeoville is further away from downtown than most of Lake County, Indiana.

Oak Park is a good choice. Although you can always stay in NWI and move somewhere closer to the South Shore line..

http://mysouthshoreline.com/

[linicx]

The reality is Illinois real estate taxes stay local to support local schools, local parks, local hospitals, local libraries, county services such as sheriff and courthouse and jail, your local township, etc. The city portion of the taxes does the same for the city. Illinois does not have a personal property tax to further burden residents as some states do. One cannot do much about real estate taxes before age 62.

Oak Park is convenient to downtown with train, bus, taxi and limo service available, as well as Zipcar. There are rental units in Oak Park that are very nice, plus OP has some nice amenities.

About the floods. I don't know about Chicago, but downstate the floods are the worst it has been in 70 years.

[mattywo85]

Originally Posted by urza216

Your daughter can't drive to the South Shore line or possibly the Metra Electric line to commute downtown? NWI has plenty of people who commute downtown.. Hammond, Indiana touches the southeast side of Chicago. Hammond, Indiana is an inner ring suburb.

Moving to Romeoville isn't gonna help your daughter's commute unless you guys are living in an extremely southern or eastern part of NWI. Romeoville is further away from downtown than most of Lake County, Indiana.

Oak Park is a good choice. Although you can always stay in NWI and move somewhere closer to the South Shore line..

Ride the South Shore to Chicago, Enter to Win a Chicago Fun Package

Yeah I would agree, Romeoville will definitely not help your commute.

[cubssoxfan]

The reality of the recent floods is that almost every area was affected by them. One local traffic reporter said the traffic that Thursday AM was the worst she had seen since the blizzard of 2-11. Parts of the Edens, Kennedy, 290 extension were closed. Traffic on normally free flowing 355 south was backed up due to traffic signals being out off the exit ramps to Butterfield Rd. Metra had delays. So be careful not to view commuting in the narrow prism of an unusual traffic day.
I agree completely that if you move to Romeoville or some other far out suburb with no Metra or distant Metra service, you may not improve your situation.

[Plainswalker]

Don't live anywhere near the Des Plaines river. Grew up in the area, and my church sandbagged every few years during heavy rains. I can't imagine the damage this year did already. If you do buy a house, avoid any with basements open to the outdoors (sliding glass doors etc.). Check if there are leaks in the basement walls, get them filled.

Well, I was 90% kidding. It was just amusing that she described wanting a place so similar to mine, and we are planning to list soon. And, yes, I understand that if you are not dealing with realtors that there would be different kinds of negotiating.

[cubssoxfan]

What is the commute time from Tinley to downtown via car, via train?

My husband works downtown and drives. It's about an hour (give or take). The rock island takes 50 minutes I think? He drives because the building he works at is pretty far from the LaSalle station (which is where the RI line arrives).

[urza216]

Originally Posted by Rae4732

My husband works downtown and drives. It's about an hour (give or take). The rock island takes 50 minutes I think? He drives because the building he works at is pretty far from the LaSalle station (which is where the RI line arrives).

Metra Electric is signicantly closer to Indiana than the Rock Island line..