What about Darien for a young family? (Chicago, Naperville: real estate, custom home)

[Nikoman]

I'm originally from Darien, so please be 'easy' on the west suburb with no downtown area. It seems like a good value overall (schools, home prices, cost of living) moving from Chicago to the west suburbs and not wanting to be as far west as Naperville. Decent house for a fair price in a wild market. We're moving from a trendy area of Chicago and looking for a suburb for a starter home aka re-learn the suburbs and plan our forever home.

Is Darien a good place to start; in other words, a good value?

[RJA29]

Originally Posted by Nikoman

I'm originally from Darien, so please be 'easy' on the west suburb with no downtown area. It seems like a good value overall (schools, home prices, cost of living) moving from Chicago to the west suburbs and not wanting to be as far west as Naperville. Decent house for a fair price in a wild market. We're moving from a trendy area of Chicago and looking for a suburb for a starter home aka re-learn the suburbs and plan our forever home.

Is Darien a good place to start; in other words, a good value?

There are *so* many things that we'd need to know about your situation to properly answer this question. What is are the needs for transit? What is your budget? Are schools important now, or later?

Some people will say "no" - and point to other Western suburbs, for value, in the area including: Willowbrook, Downers Grove, and Lisle. Yet, I have friends in Darien, and they do like it.

What I don't understand from your post is "looking for a suburb for a starter home aka re-learn the suburbs and plan our forever home." Are you wanting a starter home or a forever home? Are you hoping for a starter home now and then your forever home later?

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by Nikoman

I'm originally from Darien, so please be 'easy' on the west suburb with no downtown area. It seems like a good value overall (schools, home prices, cost of living) moving from Chicago to the west suburbs and not wanting to be as far west as Naperville. Decent house for a fair price in a wild market. We're moving from a trendy area of Chicago and looking for a suburb for a starter home aka re-learn the suburbs and plan our forever home.

Is Darien a good place to start; in other words, a good value?

Darien is mostly a nice place to live. The homes available are mostly well priced and conveniently located to parks and other good local amenities including Indian Prairie Library, well liked schools, good range of shopping, etc.

Prices have mostly been stable and though town is mostly the opposite of trendy, with lots subdivisions that are heavy on split levels and such, construction quality is quite good. Similar to areas like Willowbrook and Woodridge the town is divided into several different school districts / attendance areas and that means that folks who have a strong preference for a particular school tend to look within that area. That tends to be controlling factor in pricing.

Depending on where your employer is located the relative commute from Darien is also something to think about -- with more jobs located in the Loop and some challenges to utilize Metra Darien is not ideally located for that sort of situation. There have been shifts in employment in the suburbs too with places like Oak Brook facing some big changes when McDonalds leaves, that might impact many suburbs...

Things like median home price don't tell the whole story of Darien, as folks that don't to relocate out of the area when they have kids in school probably look at move-up properties that give them the flexibility to remain "in-district" in adjacent towns -- that might include parts of already mentioned Willowbrook or Woodridge as well even pricier towns including Clarendon Hills and Burr Ridge. There are also a significant number of upscale homes in unincorporated areas that might have Hinsdale mailing addresses that stretch quite a ways south to where DuPage Co ends.

It might make sense to plot out the school district boundaries and decide if you are concerned about being in an area served by D86 vs D99. The relative strengths of each district are not easy to count on if you do not have high school aged kids but if you grew up in the area you should at least have a sense for the historic differences; while some of these things probably fall more into "stereotype" category the fact is those things do influence real estate prices...

As part of the decision it almost certainly makes sense to talk to extended family to find out if they look forward to remaining in the area as uncles / aunts / grandparents {all potential childcare savings } or whether relocation is something that is in their plans...

The degree to which Darien relies on home owners to foot the bills through property taxes is not insignificant but the relative tax burden has also been managed pretty well by folks who understand that "government funds" are coming out of working people's pockets. There are many nice homes that have property taxes still well below 2% of the home's value which is a bargain compared to areas that have been less fiscally prudent. Those values extend into the areas served by both D99 and D86 -- https://www.redfin.com/IL/Darien/292.../home/18001518
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Darien/710.../home/18006118

[damba]

Originally Posted by Nikoman

I'm originally from Darien, so please be 'easy' on the west suburb with no downtown area. It seems like a good value overall (schools, home prices, cost of living) moving from Chicago to the west suburbs and not wanting to be as far west as Naperville. Decent house for a fair price in a wild market. We're moving from a trendy area of Chicago and looking for a suburb for a starter home aka re-learn the suburbs and plan our forever home.

Is Darien a good place to start; in other words, a good value?

In the winter you planned on building a custom home. What happened??

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by damba

In the winter you planned on building a custom home. What happened??

From that earlier thread:

Originally Posted by chet everett

Doubtful there are lots that will support a home of 3800sq ft & 3 car garage for $250k or even $350k.

Even more doubtful that a build cost around $200/sq ft is at all feasible.

Originally Posted by damba

Exactly, and his home (not land) budget seems to be at least $200K too low

Originally Posted by chet everett

You could afford an existing home with a three car garage and your total budget would leave room for renovation either minor or more involved -- 223 Woodstock Ave, Clarendon Hills, IL 60514 - realtor.com®

Originally Posted by damba

Yeah, my thoughts too, but someone coming from a custom home in the city and desiring custom again will probably balk at that idea unless they absolutely cannot budge on their top end provided in this thread.

Damba's post prompted me to revisit the OP's prior post and the homes referenced. That 4br home in CH that was originally listed did eventually sell for $570k. The buyer is an experienced local builder that is updating it. It will soon be back on the market, perhaps the OP and others will see what sorts of things are possible with renovation vs new construction...

The OP's original "target towns" in eastern DuPage Co included Elmhurst, Downers Grove, and Clarendon Hills -- all have inventory that could work better for RENOVATION than tear down. There are even some homes in Hinsdale that would also make sense to consider.

I do believe that the OP is not alone in misjudging what it costs to buy a lot / teardown and then do a custom build, higher costs are associated with that route. If the OP still has a max budget of about $900k they really should consider existing homes even above $800k and factor the rest of their "spend" on renovation / customization.

I would further caution that if they are giving thought to either existing homes above $600k or a "tear down" around $350k in Darien they will be on the wrong side of the "value equation" -- overspending will result in not just something that no buyer will ever pay for but even if the OP is thinking in terms of a so-called "forever home" the associated TAXES and maintenance costs in town that has a significantly lower median price will work against them every year...

[RJA29]

If the OP wants to renovate, then I agree that Elmhurst, DG, and CH are great options. There are plenty of big homes on large lots that need updating. Take, for example, this beauty: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1.../4563905_zpid/

60-60K in cosmetic updates, and this is a wonderful home, on a quiet dead-end street near a park and not too far from the train.

[damba]

Originally Posted by RJA29

If the OP wants to renovate, then I agree that Elmhurst, DG, and CH are great options. There are plenty of big homes on large lots that need updating. Take, for example, this beauty: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1.../4563905_zpid/

60-60K in cosmetic updates, and this is a wonderful home, on a quiet dead-end street near a park and not too far from the train.

It's a very nice home, but the OP is coming from a custom home in the city. I suspect he might want to knock down a wall or two besides throw up paint and floor

Cheers