Safe but cheap area near Chicago (Des Plaines, Berwyn: rent, condo, how much)

[DaGreg]

Originally Posted by MSchemist80

I live in Niles it is a decent area but the property taxes are pretty bad. Even with Senior discount we pay 7800 a year on a $300k house (assessor says $360k which is bull excrement). Schools are meh not outstanding but not ghetto. A lot of old people and tradesmen live in the neighbourhood no crime issues.

My cousins go to Notre Dame High school. I have definitely heard it isn't cheap to live there. I even think without a mortgage it'll be tough to live there. Which neighboring town would you suggest?

[MSchemist80]

Not sure. Eventually I am considering leaving the state over tax and government issues especially if things don't start changing for the better after the next election.

[DaGreg]

Originally Posted by MSchemist80

Not sure. Eventually I am considering leaving the state over tax and government issues especially if things don't start changing for the better after the next election.

I am hearing a lot of that; in Niles, they pay around double the amount on property tax than I do down here in Orlando. The huge difference though, there is double the amount of parks in Chicago (I am not joking) and the roads have to be repaired much more often than down here due to the snow.

[MSchemist80]

The parks and Forest preserves aren't that great. Not compared to Lake or even Dupage county. There is not one decent dog park in the area, the parks are kind of basic slides and sand box, and the forest preserves are run down with rotted benches and rusty picnic benches with outhouse bathrooms. Try Lake Co on the other hand it is a world of difference. They have awesome dog exercise areas, fully sheltered bathrooms with plumbing, beautiful picnic shelters etc. Just right the Desplaines River trail from Cook into Lake Co and you will see the difference is night and day.

The high tax dollars go the paying far above market salaries and pensions for state and municipal employees many of whom are cronies.

[DaGreg]

Originally Posted by MSchemist80

The parks and Forest preserves aren't that great. Not compared to Lake or even Dupage county. There is not one decent dog park in the area, the parks are kind of basic slides and sand box, and the forest preserves are run down with rotted benches and rusty picnic benches with outhouse bathrooms. Try Lake Co on the other hand it is a world of difference. They have awesome dog exercise areas, fully sheltered bathrooms with plumbing, beautiful picnic shelters etc. Just right the Desplaines River trail from Cook into Lake Co and you will see the difference is night and day.

The high tax dollars go the paying far above market salaries and pensions for state and municipal employees many of whom are cronies.

I see a ton of parks all around Chicago but I've only been to two of them. But parks here are the same when it comes to quality, except there aren't that many dog parks. It may just be me, but it almost seems like there is a park every few miles in Chicago though.

[holl1ngsworth]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

I don't disagree with you that this is the smartest real estate strategy. But the OP asked for "safe but cheap", and Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, La Grange, etc. are anything but cheap. It may be technically possible to snag a $200,000 house in Wheaton, but it's not going to be a house that most people will want to live in... And most people want more selection than five or six houses when they are home shopping.

There are plenty of suburban areas in Chicagoland that are safe and inexpensive, especially in the sort of "cookie cutter" areas between Metra lines. Most of them don't have the greatest schools and don't offer much character. But they are out there.

Cheap is a subjective term. In this case, the OP has defined cheap as $200k for a 2-bedroom home. A 1000 square foot, 2-bedroom home listed for $200k is asking $200/sqft. That $/sqft is more typical of desirable towns like Downers Grove and Naperville than sprawly towns like Carol Stream and Bolingbrook. And the price gap between 'nice' and 'ok' towns is a lot narrower for a two bedroom home than most folks realize. In desirable towns, such homes are typically marketed as 'tear-downs' and carry only a small premium over the lot value. There might not be as many choices in any one desirable town, but taken together, there are more than enough to choose from.

Regardless, it sounds like the OP has zeroed in on the Niles area. And again, even quite desirable towns in that area will have livable homes in the OP's price range. Here's a 'halfway there' example in Glenview:

2012 Central Rd GLENVIEW, IL 60025 | Redfin

And another in Park Ridge:

1021 N Dee Rd PARK RIDGE, IL 60068 | Redfin

And here is an amazing home near downtown Highland Park, being sold by an affordable housing non-profit:

637 Glenview Ave HIGHLAND PARK, IL 60035

Slim pickings, yes, but if the OP is patient and smart, there will be options in almost any town.

[DaGreg]

Originally Posted by holl1ngsworth

Cheap is a subjective term. In this case, the OP has defined cheap as $200k for a 2-bedroom home. A 1000 square foot, 2-bedroom home listed for $200k is asking $200/sqft. That $/sqft is more typical of desirable towns like Downers Grove and Naperville than sprawly towns like Carol Stream and Bolingbrook. And the price gap between 'nice' and 'ok' towns is a lot narrower for a two bedroom home than most folks realize. In desirable towns, such homes are typically marketed as 'tear-downs' and carry only a small premium over the lot value. There might not be as many choices in any one desirable town, but taken together, there are more than enough to choose from.

Regardless, it sounds like the OP has zeroed in on the Niles area. And again, even quite desirable towns in that area will have livable homes in the OP's price range. Here's a 'halfway there' example in Glenview:

2012 Central Rd GLENVIEW, IL 60025 | Redfin

And another in Park Ridge:

1021 N Dee Rd PARK RIDGE, IL 60068 | Redfin

And here is an amazing home near downtown Highland Park, being sold by an affordable housing non-profit:

637 Glenview Ave HIGHLAND PARK, IL 60035

Slim pickings, yes, but if the OP is patient and smart, there will be options in almost any town.

I am becoming a little skittish of Niles now due to hearing they have a very high property tax. Property tax wont necessarily be a deal breaker due to not having a mortgage payment but I would still rather not pay a arm and a leg for it. Paying $6,000+ on property tax is something I am looking to avoid with the possibility of it rising in the future. I would still like to live in one of the neighboring towns due to a job I am currently pursuing in Niles; it is also a nice, safe area that is affordable as well. I am hearing Elk Grove Village's property tax is slightly cheaper, it also seems like a nice area and only around 30 minutes from Niles. What are your thoughts on this?

[MSchemist80]

I'm not sure any of the surrounding areas are any better other than Chicago itself in terms of property taxes. Property taxes are just insane all over the Chicago metro area and only seem to be getting worse. I'd personally never purchase a house in Illinois as I don't want to get trapped here with a bunch of Dummycrap politicians who don't see a problem taxing people into bankruptcy even though I sort of already am stuck. I have a good job which is insanely hard to get in my profession and am taking care of an ailing parent with a house she is stuck with. Otherwise if the opportunity presented itself I'd be out of here like a bat out of you know where and let all the morons in Chicago deal with the mess they made with their votes.

[DaGreg]

Originally Posted by MSchemist80

I'm not sure any of the surrounding areas are any better other than Chicago itself in terms of property taxes. Property taxes are just insane all over the Chicago metro area and only seem to be getting worse. I'd personally never purchase a house in Illinois as I don't want to get trapped here with a bunch of Dummycrap politicians who don't see a problem taxing people into bankruptcy even though I sort of already am stuck. I have a good job which is insanely hard to get in my profession and am taking care of an ailing parent with a house she is stuck with. Otherwise if the opportunity presented itself I'd be out of here like a bat out of you know where and let all the morons in Chicago deal with the mess they made with their votes.

That is weighing on my mind heavily, yet I really want to be around my family in Chicago. I am being told to look into the northwest part of Indiana which is where I will more then likely end up at. Although having to go through the heart of Chicago every time I want to see my family will be quite bothersome, especially during the winter time. There will always be some down falls, it will of course depend on the house, area, and job situation that comes with it.

[PrairieGirl]

You mentioned working at a restaurant, if you are depending on mostly tips for income I would stick to north and northwest downtown neighborhoods. I'm sure others here have more experience with fine dining than I, but that seems like a safe bet. Then your family can stop by your place of employment to enjoy a night out or whatever. More going on for singles than out in the burbs, aka the dead zone. LOL

NW Indiana is reachable within an hour of downtown Chi-town, Valpo (Valparaiso) has a very cute downtown, family-oriented college town. You might like that scene if you are used to more rural surroundings. Nice combo of city and country, if you live in the downtown, close to beach too.