Relocating to Westchester/Hillside area? (Berwyn, Orland Park: apartment, renting, crime)

[Nothingcreative123]

Hello,

I've lived in the south west suburbs my whole life (Orland Park/Lockport/Homer Glen), currently reside in Lemont.

I work in Hillside/Westchester and it's nearly a 45 minute drive. I'd like to relocate somewhere closer. I'm looking at places like Hillside, Westchester, Bellwood, Broadview, Berkeley, Villa Park, Elmhurst, etc.

We are considering buying versus renting. The bf and I are 22 and have a big dog (but she's used to apartment life). Not considering kids for at least another 8+ years. Budget 150-220k. I've found houses in the Bellwood/Melrose Park/Maywood area in that price range that have been completely rehabbed and I'm very tempted to go that route versus buying a house sub 150k that's going to need major renovations and updating.

I'm also concerned with safety and crime in the area. Where I'm from it's pretty non-existent. I don't want to be living in a very bad area where I'll be paranoid 24/7, that's why Melrose Park/Maywood and bordering towns are scaring me off a bit.

[deeman7]

If you're buying, try looking at North Riverside too. If you're renting, without having to worry about schools, Westchester may be the safest compared to Bellwood, Broadview and Melrose Park. If you're buying in the Proviso school district, resale value will be an issue.

[ToriaT]

I'd stick with Westchester. You might also want to look at North Riverside, Berwyn, Forest Park, etc. not that far away from where you work. Better than Maywood or Melrose Park.

[chet everett]

If you have the ability at this stage in your life to DIY some of the things it absolutely makes sense to get a fixer-up in a nicer town like Elmhurst. The odds of places in the other towns doing other than being, at best, stagnant would be a losing proposition. Even for folks w/o kids the downside of having neighbors whose kids go to horrible schools are enormous.

If the options in Elmhurst are too pricey / require more than DIY type fix-ups the next logical town to consider would be Villa Park. Brookfield is a pretty solid option too. That is still a much better commute to Westchester than OP's current location in Lemont.

I'd rate towns like Lombard over Westchester. Lombard has pretty good housing now and the general trend is upward; in contrast the negatives of Proviso West are not improving, pulling down prospects in Hillside and Westchester. Bellwood, Broadview, and Berkley are dying towns that despite some flipper activity are unlikely to do anything other than follow the decline of towns like Worth, Alsip, Crestwood, Midlothian, Posen, Thornton and other areas with decimated industrial base...

Any foolish folks who can set aside their biases about what constitutes "upscale" communities and objectively looks at the concentration of folks with decent income in towns with nicer amenities should realize there is a stark contrast with communities that are largely segregated by those with no prospects for good jobs...

[nikitakolata]

I second what Chet is saying. Go for a good town, even if you have to do some fixing. That's just a better investment. What about something like this:

https://www.redfin.com/IL/Elmhurst/8.../home/18096177