Can someone tell me more about Oak Brook? (Chicago, Skokie: apartments, condos)

[mtj8nau]

Hi Everyone. My parents (mid 50s) might move out here to be closer to my wife and I (we live in Edgewater). My dad might have a job offer in Oak Brook. I've searched the posts and didn't find a ton of info on this suburb. Can people tell me a little more about it? Is it worth living in or would they probably be better off in a neighboring suburb (I've always liked Downers Grove). They don't need a huge place as they move closer to retirement age. Probably a condo, 2 bedroom type place. 200-300k would be about what they'd be looking to spend. My parents are from Phoenix so the public trans out there is a joke. From Google Maps it appears Oak Brook is only about a 15 min drive to the Park 'n' Ride at Forest Park/Blue Line. That would be a BIG sell to my dad as he loves the idea of Public Transportation, having lived without it is whole life. Any info on Oak Brook would be much appreciated.

[Lookout Kid]

Oak Brook is still quite upscale even if parts of it feel very 20th Century, but is more a collection of car-oriented subdivisions than a town with a real center or identity. It's not on the train lines, but it has quite a bit of employment on it's own. The schools are good, the park district is nice, and the taxes are low due to the large commercial tax base.

There are plenty of other nice suburbs close to Oak Brook if they are looking for something with more of a traditional town feel (Hinsdale, Western Springs, La Grange, Elmhurst, Downers Grove, Glen Ellyn).

[chet everett]

Forest Park is not a bad option for somebody with no concerns about the public schools. There are both some newer condos close to the end of the Blue Line as well as more traditional bungalows and apartments. A 15 minute drive to Oak Brook is probably realistic.

The Forest Park branch of the Blue Line is not the greatest way to get to Edgewater, and frankly even weekend jaunts to State St are probably two times faster in a personal vehicle... That said, given a desire to find an affordable option with good transit options to the Loop I would also suggest towns like Berwyn and Brookfield as well as probably Oak Park and LaGrange which both offer far more interesting range of options for about the same cost when focused on condos. Even Park Ridge, Elmhurst, Clarendon Hills or Downers Grove are probably affordable for condos. The single family homes in those areas have a significant premium as families strongly prefer detached living.

[ToriaT]

Oak Brook is mostly a collection of subdivisions with large houses and no real core "town" area. There are a few aging condo complex along 31st street. I would skip Oak Brook and look into neighboring suburbs such as Downers Grove, La Grange, Elmhurst, etc. They all have nice small town centers and in town condos as well as other suitable places to live.


The places Chet mentions might be good but they are farther away, have older housing stock generally and are more urbanized. I think they should come out and visit and have a look at the area to see what suits them.

[JJski]

I like both torias and chets suggestion also LKs tradionals - oakbrook is no fun...

My parents (retired early 60s) visit us all the time and love walking around and taking train to further explore. Sounds like public transportation is high on the list - so try to land station walkable on top of a charming americana town. They will thank you later...

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by JJski

I like both torias and chets suggestion also LKs tradionals - oakbrook is no fun...

My parents (retired early 60s) visit us all the time and love walking around and taking train to further explore. Sounds like public transportation is high on the list - so try to land station walkable on top of a charming americana town. They will thank you later...

I know quite a few nice people in the same age category mentioned. Some do indeed live in Oak Brook and enjoy it very much. Depending on where they live in Oak Brook they might in fact be able to walk to Oak Brook's excellent Park District that includes a very well equipped aquatic / fitness facility, top notch indoor and outdoor tennis, extensive nature areas. The proximity of Oak Brook's excellent library, community golf course, and polo fields are also within a reasonable walking / biking distance of several condos. There are some condos tucked in behind the mall too... Housing options, especially for condos / townhouses include remarkable affordable property taxes.

[Lookout Kid]

Chet is always really positive about Oak Brook, and the park district amenities he mentions are indeed quite nice. The mall and other commercial property base ensures that Oak Brook will always have lower taxes than many neighboring towns, and that is a nice thing for seniors on a fixed income as well.

But Oak Brook's luster has faded since the 1980's as tastes of the affluent have changed, and I have never met a younger family (and I use this term loosely to mean people UNDER 50), who aspires to live in Oak Brook, or who even considered it when shopping for houses. I know there are indeed many young families that live there, but the desirability has faded in relative terms against places like Hinsdale, which has a more traditional town layout.

That said, it is still a nice place to live with many positives, including great schools. It's certainly in no danger of becoming a low-income community any time soon, and you can certainly get a larger house on a larger lot for less money than you can in Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, or Western Springs.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Chet is always really positive about Oak Brook, and the park district amenities he mentions are indeed quite nice. The mall and other commercial property base ensures that Oak Brook will always have lower taxes than many neighboring towns, and that is a nice thing for seniors on a fixed income as well.

But Oak Brook's luster has faded since the 1980's as tastes of the affluent have changed, and I have never met a younger family (and I use this term loosely to mean people UNDER 50), who aspires to live in Oak Brook, or who even considered it when shopping for houses. I know there are indeed many young families that live there, but the desirability has faded in relative terms against places like Hinsdale, which has a more traditional town layout.

That said, it is still a nice place to live with many positives, including great schools. It's certainly in no danger of becoming a low-income community any time soon, and you can certainly get a larger house on a larger lot for less money than you can in Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, or Western Springs.

I completely agree that it is not likely to meet too many folks under 50 that would aspire to live in Oak Brook but the OP is talking about his parents; in that context it may be an option. It really can be a good financial move.

The contrast I have seen towns like Lincolnwood really fall off the map in terms of desirability and quite a few neighborhoods inside Chicago too. Even the spots that are not the least bit threatened by violence like Edgebrook / Forest Glen that have some homes that people would be in salivating over in towns like Glen Ellyn or Park Ridge --

https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/57.../home/13509576

https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/67.../home/13592678

https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/67.../home/13592840

https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/62.../home/13513350

The fall off in not just not tolerating crummy CPS but also no longer having "grudging acceptance" of the need for increasingly costly private (largely parochial ...) schools is a huge culprit. Schools are a key to Lincolnwood's lack of appeal as well. Though it is served by Niles West, which is still better than all but the selective admissions high schools of CPS, that school has a very different mix of families than Maine South in Park Ridge. I do think that Skokie and Lincolnwood show affluent suburban commuters really do strongly prefer Metra and prefer a town with amenities at the core / rail hub.

Though Oak Brook lacks Metra or a core, it is still attractive to families (now largely with roots in Asia / eastern countries) that value large homes (sometimes for part time multi-generation living...) and top notch schools.

[bigsmoke3238]

Oakbrook is still a a very prestigious suburb

[RJA29]

Originally Posted by bigsmoke3238

Oakbrook is still a a very prestigious suburb

Relatively, yes. I agree that the question for the OP comes down to what the parents want out of their pre-retirement years. To be fair, I'm the under 50 and looking for a SFH and Oak Brook is in no way on my radar.