Commute to Northbrook - want small town feel (Chicago, Arlington Heights: rentals, amusement park)

[Melcap]

Moving to Illinois this summer from Northern Virginia (DC area). My husband will commute to Northbrook. He is willing to do an hour commute. We want what we have here - small town feel, walking trails, walk to restaurants, walk to schools, community pools, know our neighbors, excellent schools, cultural opportunities, recreation. Budget is only $300k so we want the most bang for our buck. Will have a 7th grader and 4th grader. Right now we are looking at Cary, Wauconda, Grayslake, Crystal Lake. Thoughts? Thanks for any input you can provide!

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Melcap

Moving to Illinois this summer from Northern Virginia (DC area). My husband will commute to Northbrook. He is willing to do an hour commute. We want what we have here - small town feel, walking trails, walk to restaurants, walk to schools, community pools, know our neighbors, excellent schools, cultural opportunities, recreation. Budget is only $300k so we want the most bang for our buck. Will have a 7th grader and 4th grader. Right now we are looking at Cary, Wauconda, Grayslake, Crystal Lake. Thoughts? Thanks for any input you can provide!

There are two problems I foresee. First of all, the towns you are looking at don't really have that walkable lifestyle you are looking for. And the second problem is that what you want will cost quite a bit more than $300k in northern/northwest Chicagoland (north shore like Wilmette, Winnetka, Highland Park, or NW burbs like Park Ridge, Arlington Heights, Downtown Barrington, Libertyville). You probably need to double your budget to get what you truly want within the general vicinity of Northbrook.

[Melcap]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

There are two problems I foresee. First of all, the towns you are looking at don't really have that walkable lifestyle you are looking for. And the second problem is that what you want will cost quite a bit more than $300k in northern/northwest Chicagoland (north shore like Wilmette, Winnetka, Highland Park, or NW burbs like Park Ridge, Arlington Heights, Downtown Barrington, Libertyville). You probably need to double your budget to get what you truly want within the general vicinity of Northbrook.

Thanks for replying. We don't necessarily need a walkable lifestyle. I would drive to do grocery shopping, get kids to activities, etc. I just want the option of walking trails and walk to friends houses, maybe to a coffee shop. What we don't want is to feel like we are out in the country with a 20 minute drive to the grocery store.

[ToriaT]

That is a difficult price point but if you look hard and make compromises you might find something. There are many nice communities with good schools there, such as Deerfield which is directly north. You might look at Mt. Prospect. It has good schools. You might find an older home that does not have all the bells and whistles. Look into the park districts, there are lots of parks and natural areas in the suburbs that are quite pretty. Shops and grocery stores in that area are probably a five or ten minute drive.

[mr roboto]

There's not a lot of really 'small town feel' places close to Northbrook. Those with walkable areas have small downtowns but 300k isn't a big enough budget in those areas.

You could look up around Grayslake. Palatine might do it as well.

[4122]

Originally Posted by Melcap

Moving to Illinois this summer from Northern Virginia (DC area). My husband will commute to Northbrook. He is willing to do an hour commute. We want what we have here - small town feel, walking trails, walk to restaurants, walk to schools, community pools, know our neighbors, excellent schools, cultural opportunities, recreation. Budget is only $300k so we want the most bang for our buck. Will have a 7th grader and 4th grader. Right now we are looking at Cary, Wauconda, Grayslake, Crystal Lake. Thoughts? Thanks for any input you can provide!

Some of these towns are more than an hour from Northbrook. Also, the commutes from all of them, but Grayslake are mainly east-west commutes which aren't good because there's no highways in that area going east and west,

Grayslake is a good option. It's a smallish town and schools are still good. It's also mainly a north-south commute from Northbrook. Rollins Savanna forest preserve is in Grayslake and it has a bike path.

East of Grayslake is Gages Lake which is a smaller town in the Gurnee school district which is also good. Gages Lake is not far from Rollins Savanna and close to Gurnee Mills (big shopping mall; not as big as Woodfield), Six Flags (a huge amusement park that people from all over the country go to), Independence Grove in Libertyvile (A bigger forest preserve with a lake where you can rent paddle boats, kayaks, etc.; also has a bike path and bike rentals are available). Gages Lake also has a lake called Gages Lake where you can boat, fish, and swim,etc. Grayslake also has a lake too called Grays Lake that can also be used for boating, fishing, swimming, etc. Gurnee also has almost every store, so whether you live in Grayslake, Gurnee, or Wadsworth, you're not going to have a far drive for errands.

Wadsworth is also another area to consider too. It's a small town in the Gurnee School district, but doesn't have a lake like Grayslake and Gages Lake do.

[Melcap]

Wow, 4122! Thank you so much! That's great info and the areas you mention sound like what we are looking for. I will look into Gages Lake and Wadsworth too!

[pvande55]

Grayslake is the only one mentioned with Metra service to Northbrook. Sure, you have to figure out transportation from the Northbrook or Lake Cook station the last few miles, but that's usually not that hard. You will be glad you did, especially when it snows and you are the only one who gets to the office on time.

[Melcap]

Good point about the metra and snow. In northern virginia when it snows, they shut everything down!

[calvin338]

Originally Posted by Melcap

Moving to Illinois this summer from Northern Virginia (DC area). My husband will commute to Northbrook. He is willing to do an hour commute. We want what we have here - small town feel, walking trails, walk to restaurants, walk to schools, community pools, know our neighbors, excellent schools, cultural opportunities, recreation. Budget is only $300k so we want the most bang for our buck. Will have a 7th grader and 4th grader. Right now we are looking at Cary, Wauconda, Grayslake, Crystal Lake. Thoughts? Thanks for any input you can provide!

If commute is what you value most, then, yes, I agree with the other posters about trying to find something north of Northbrook near the I-94 corridor.

However... if you're looking for a small town feel with all the things you mentioned above (minus the community pool, but where there are some options), I would encourage you to consider Wauconda. I've lived in Wauconda, in different areas, for the last 10 years while commuting to the Northbrook area. It's about 40 minutes in the morning, depending on what part of the area you're coming from, and a little longer going home. Not the best, but tolerable. East-west roads in Lake County are needed like rain in California.

We have a vibrant, smaller downtown with the best restaurants, bars, and recreation in the area, and an engaged and informed community (a quick google will show what we think of our new mayor). Wauconda has good schools, and an up-and-coming feeling with lots of younger families who, in my time here with children, seem to really value education and parental engagement.

While there's a lot to do, from boating to restaurants, sports, hiking on forest preserve trails, etc, you do need to drive to each of these things. For example, the millenium trail is fantastic but most people would have to drive and park to walk it.

Come to downtown Wauconda on a Saturday night for dinner at one of the restaurants (I'd recommend Slyce or Lindy's if you're coming with small children, or Bulldog's for a burger, Middleton's if you're not) and check it out. We also host Lake County's largest Memorial Day parade which is really something to be seen.

FWIW - We thought about moving away from Wauconda a couple of years ago as our oldest was about to enter kindergarten. What a mistake that would have been... our school has been a terrific experience, but then again we're also very involved.

Good luck!