Affordable but nice areas near Evanston? (Chicago, Skokie: for sale, condos, townhouse)

[wec123]

Would it be possible to find a townhouse that's in a nice (or at least safe) area within about 20 minutes of Evanston, for around 200k? What areas might I want to look?

[damba]

Originally Posted by wec123

Would it be possible to find a townhouse that's in a nice (or at least safe) area within about 20 minutes of Evanston, for around 200k? What areas might I want to look?

There are a couple of dumpy ones for sale near Church St and Prairie in Evanston, but at that price range you are mostly going to find small condos AFAIK.

[asliarun]

You should look West of Evanston. Skokie would be your best bet. A bit further away, Niles and Morton Grove as well. All these neighborhoods are quite safe and still very close to Evanston and to downtown Chicago.

On the South side, there's Rogers Park and Devon - but safety wise, it is a mixed bag. There are certainly pockets of safe and reasonably affordable housing there, but many areas are also quite sketchy and not safe. If anything, I would say that Rogers Park is more behemian and eclectic and grungy - it will certainly appeal to some (the arts scene is quite strong in Rogers Park) but if safety is a primary concern, I would look elsewhere.

200k for a townhouse is always going to be a challenge, but Skokie does have some options in that price range. See this townhouse for example. Or this one that has really nice finishes. Or this. Or this. Or this. There are plenty of condos as well.

[BOBNCHI]

Some are available in Niles that are not in the unincorporated area.

[Larry Siegel]

Originally Posted by damba

There are a couple of dumpy ones for sale near Church St and Prairie in Evanston, but at that price range you are mostly going to find small condos AFAIK.

It's East Prairie, not Prairie (a posh street farther north), and the condos are in Skokie. The realtors have gotten the area rebranded as Evanston-Skokie, because you can send your kids to Evanston schools and use an Evanston postal code, but you vote for the mayor of Skokie.

[MillennialUrbanist]

Originally Posted by Larry Siegel

It's East Prairie, not Prairie (a posh street farther north), and the condos are in Skokie. The realtors have gotten the area rebranded as Evanston-Skokie, because you can send your kids to Evanston schools and use an Evanston postal code, but you vote for the mayor of Skokie.

Does not compute.

I'm having a hard time imagining the above scenario. Which suburb is the area really in? I thought the North Shore Channel was the border. Or is this area in some sort of unincorporated limbo, like the city blocks farther west, around Potter Rd., where you have no idea if you're in Niles, Park Ridge, or Des Plaines?

[damba]

Originally Posted by Larry Siegel

It's East Prairie, not Prairie (a posh street farther north), and the condos are in Skokie. The realtors have gotten the area rebranded as Evanston-Skokie, because you can send your kids to Evanston schools and use an Evanston postal code, but you vote for the mayor of Skokie.

Yes, good catch

I have friends who just moved from 'Skevanston' nearby. They were the ones who pointed out the relatively inexpensive townhomes around the corner.

[damba]

Originally Posted by MillennialUrbanist

Does not compute.

I'm having a hard time imagining the above scenario. Which suburb is the area really in? I thought the North Shore Channel was the border. Or is this area in some sort of unincorporated limbo, like the city blocks farther west, around Potter Rd., where you have no idea if you're in Niles, Park Ridge, or Des Plaines?

It's really not that difficult to comprehend if you are familiar with or have lived in Evanston, especially along the border with skokie. There will be people who want the services of one 'burb but also would like the address/zip code of another. Skokie and Evanston each has its strengths/drawbacks. YMMV.

[Larry Siegel]

Originally Posted by MillennialUrbanist

Does not compute.

I'm having a hard time imagining the above scenario. Which suburb is the area really in? I thought the North Shore Channel was the border. Or is this area in some sort of unincorporated limbo, like the city blocks farther west, around Potter Rd., where you have no idea if you're in Niles, Park Ridge, or Des Plaines?

It's in Skokie. Due to the amazing complexity of Cook County government, it's possible to be in one municipal corporation, a different school district, a third sanitation district, a fourth park district, and so forth.

[Hiruko]

Areas with zip code 60203 are within the municipal limits of the Village of Skokie. However, your children will be zoned to Evanston/Skokie School District 65 and Evanston Township High School District 202. A small part of 60076 is also within the Evanston school districts. The reason for this arrangement is because of the way that Skokie developed. The area within 60203 is a few decades older than most of Skokie to the south and west of the area. The center of Skokie is further away from the 60203 area than much of Evanston is. As a result, an agreement was reached long ago to provide postal service to the area and education. Beyond the postcode and the school district, the area has nothing to do with the City of Evanston. Your parks, water, sanitation, etc. will all be Skokie. You will also get your sidewalk plowed in the winter, something Evanstonians don't get! The arrangement has been maintained throughout the years, in part, because of the perceived prestige of an Evanston address and Evanston schools. The historical difference in religious demographics between most of Skokie and 60203 also played a role.