Moving in Chicago area (Arlington Heights, Park Ridge: apartment, to rent, condos)

[whiterabbit]

Hi, everybody!
I am considering to move in Park Ridge or Arlington Hights next year with my family. What can you tell me about those towns, can you give me an advise how to find an apartment/condo to rent? I will appresiate every answer or opinion.
Thank you in advance!Cheers!

[marcin25]

Park Ridge is beatiful, white, expensive, and safe. I live in Park Ridge myself which is the reason why I'm replying to your question. If you wanna live in a house here, you'd better be wealthy because the cheapest houses here sell for at least $600,000 and many of them go above $1.5 million. The taxes for houses are between $6000 - $15,000. Many of them are like "castles". Everything is close: shoppings, schools, 3 mostly used highways here, churches...you name it. Condos are not common in PR. I've seen some condos but 1 room was like $200,000 and 2 rooms were $270,000 and they were next to the highway... thanks. Rents in Park Ridge are about $700 - $800 for 1 room and about $900+ for 2 rooms. Schools here in PR are also great. Both Maine South and Maine East HS are in top 5% of best US high schools.
Arlington Heights is pretty much the same but the schools are not as "great" as ones in PR. They're still good though. Theres WAY MORE shoppings in AH cuz theres no shoppings almost at all in PR due to high taxes. 2 room condos sell for about $200,000 and taxes like $3000 because I've friends living there. I looked for houses in AH and they're in $400,000 - $700,000 range. Rents are just like in Park Ridge, they're the same throughout the northwestern chicago suburbs.
To be honset with you, I'd rahter live in Los Angeles, CA than in Park Ridge because the housing/rent/condo prices are almost the same.