Commuting to Loop - Deerfield, Northbrook, Lincolshire or Buffalo Grove? (Chicago: sales, real estate)

[CommutingToLoop]

I'm moving to the Chicago area and will have to commute to the Loop at least 3 days a week (but not necessarily during rush hour). For family reasons, I want to move to a northern Chicago suburb and am considering Deerfield or Northbrook (both on the Milwaukee District North line, which seems to run more often than the North Central Service, especially outside rush hours). But it seems that I can get a bit more for my money in Lincolnshire or Buffalo Grove. I'm hoping to not spend more than about $750,000 on a house. I realize that I might get even more for my money farther out but am trying to balance that against commuting times (plus trying to find a good high school).

My questions are:

How much more time will be added to my commute if I live in Buffalo Grove rather than Deerfield? On the map, it doesn't look far, but I've read about congestion especially on Route 22. When the expansion is done (is it done?), will those few miles still add a lot of time and uncertainty? Is Lake Cook Road also congested?

Does parking at the Deerfield, Lake-Cook, Northbrook and/or North Glenview stations fill up early in the morning? I can possibly leave as late as 9:30 or 10:00 on some days, hopefully missing the main crowds, but will I be able to park my car at the stations that late?

Any advice will be appreciated!

[reppin_the_847]

If you're looking to live near that particular train line (and be able to find parking), I'd probably look to find a house in the Lincolnshire, and then park & ride the Metra from the west Lake Forest Metra station off of Telegraph Road (it is the next stop north of Deerfield on the Milwaukee District North line). Their parking lot is never completely full, whereas the Deerfield & Lake-Cook ones fill up a lot quicker and much closer to capacity. North Glenview might have a little more space than the others, but still will be quite filled up. But North Glenview is also a quicker ride into the Loop also, being that it is more south & in Cook County. That's irrelevant though if you're going to be living in Lake County (ie. Lincolnshire).

This site will tell you just how congested the parking lots get at each particular Metra station in the Chicagoland area:

http://www.rtams.org/

Originally Posted by CommutingToLoop

I'm moving to the Chicago area and will have to commute to the Loop at least 3 days a week (but not necessarily during rush hour). For family reasons, I want to move to a northern Chicago suburb and am considering Deerfield or Northbrook (both on the Milwaukee District North line, which seems to run more often than the North Central Service, especially outside rush hours). But it seems that I can get a bit more for my money in Lincolnshire or Buffalo Grove. I'm hoping to not spend more than about $750,000 on a house. I realize that I might get even more for my money farther out but am trying to balance that against commuting times (plus trying to find a good high school).

My questions are:

How much more time will be added to my commute if I live in Buffalo Grove rather than Deerfield? On the map, it doesn't look far, but I've read about congestion especially on Route 22. When the expansion is done (is it done?), will those few miles still add a lot of time and uncertainty? Is Lake Cook Road also congested?

Does parking at the Deerfield, Lake-Cook, Northbrook and/or North Glenview stations fill up early in the morning? I can possibly leave as late as 9:30 or 10:00 on some days, hopefully missing the main crowds, but will I be able to park my car at the stations that late?

Any advice will be appreciated!

[CommutingToLoop]

Thanks, reppin_the_847, that's exactly what I wanted to know! I could tell from the train schedule which stops are closest but had no idea that there was a website that gave information on parking at the stations.

[reppin_the_847]

It appears that the North Glenview station does have some parking available as well (compared to many of the other stations), but I haven't personally used it all that much since right now I live way further north (Green Oaks, which is unincorporated Libertyville)....I am very familiar with the west Lake Forest station off of Telegraph Rd., the Libertyville station, and also some of the stations off the Union Pacific North Line (closer to Lake Michigan) such as Lake Bluff, Ft. Sheridan, Highland Park, Braeside, Wilmette, etc. My Garmin Nuvi navigation system has been a real lifesaver when I've needed to do some last minute park & rides (for getting to Chicago).

Originally Posted by CommutingToLoop

Thanks, reppin_the_847, that's exactly what I wanted to know! I could tell from the train schedule which stops are closest but had no idea that there was a website that gave information on parking at the stations.

[midwest1]

I would choose Northbrook as it is closer to the city, closer to the lake, closer to Ravinia/Botanic Gardens, closer to O'Hare and has some of the best schools in the country.

Also, because of all of the corporations, real estate taxes tend to be lower than in other areas.

[midwest1]

Glenbrook North students just won the National Debate/Speech competition...again...

Glenbrook North High School Students Win National Speech/Debate Competition


NORTHBROOK, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Matt Fisher and Stephanie Spies of Glenbrook North High School won the national championship in Policy Debate at the Lincoln Financial Group®/National Forensic League National Speech Tournament in Wichita, Kansas last week. Fisher and Spies each won a $5,000 college scholarship from Lincoln Financial Group of Philadelphia, Penn. for their accomplishment.

More than 3,000 students from across the nation competed in the week-long tournament from June 18 - 22 in Witchita, Kansas. Over 91,000 students from nearly 2,800 high schools nationwide competed throughout the 2006 - 2007 school year to qualify for the annual national tournament.

“Being able to effectively communicate is the key to success,” noted Garry Spence, vice president of Regional Broker and Consultant Sales of Lincoln Employer Markets, a division of Lincoln Financial Group. “Lincoln Financial supports National Forensic League because it teaches students like Matt and Stephanie the communications skills they will carry with them their entire lives.”

These stellar orators were treated to a piece of history during the competition. On Friday, June 22, Abraham Lincoln, portrayed by Richard “Fritz” Klein, one of the foremost Lincoln actors of today, gave the keynote speech and spoke on the importance of oratory skills and encouraged participants to use these skills to positively influence moral and social issues. He also delivered a rendition of the Gettysburg address.