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Old 03-08-2019, 11:57 AM
 
1 posts, read 833 times
Reputation: 10

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Hi,

My husband and I are considering a move to Naperville, we currently live in west Lincoln Park. We are getting tired of the city, high rent, the crime, and want to be in a town with its own vibe yet close to the city for my husband's commute (Merchandise Mart). I also will be commuting to Rush University 1x/ week, as well as to a clinic in Cicero. I plan on taking the BNSF for both. We would ideally like to be less than 2 miles from either route 59 metra or naperville metra station.

We would obviously work with a real estate agent but I wanted to see if any locals could chime in. I hope I hear from some of you!

1. Does anyone have any useful info or experiences regarding condo/townhome complexes near downtown Naperville, ideally around 200k, we would hope to buy. Which areas are safe, unsafe, etc.

2. Are there young people in some of these condo/townhouse complexes (we are in our late 20s)? I hate to say it, but some of them look like retirement homes...

3. What is the daily commute like from either of those stations to downtown? Is it doable on a daily basis? How about metra versus driving?

4. What is the area around route 59 really like? Would we feel isolated living there versus closer to downtown?

5. What do you think is the better option for resale value, buy a townhouse near route 59 versus an older, less updated townhouse closer to downtown?

Here are a few currently on the market:

townhouse close to downtown
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...-09368?view=qv


townhouse close to route 59
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...-02113?view=qv

condo close to downtown
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...-12742?view=qv
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Old 03-08-2019, 01:12 PM
 
2,561 posts, read 2,178,651 times
Reputation: 1672
Quote:
Originally Posted by chicitytoburbs112 View Post
Hi,

My husband and I are considering a move to Naperville, we currently live in west Lincoln Park. We are getting tired of the city, high rent, the crime, and want to be in a town with its own vibe yet close to the city for my husband's commute (Merchandise Mart). I also will be commuting to Rush University 1x/ week, as well as to a clinic in Cicero. I plan on taking the BNSF for both. We would ideally like to be less than 2 miles from either route 59 metra or naperville metra station.

We would obviously work with a real estate agent but I wanted to see if any locals could chime in. I hope I hear from some of you!

1. Does anyone have any useful info or experiences regarding condo/townhome complexes near downtown Naperville, ideally around 200k, we would hope to buy. Which areas are safe, unsafe, etc.
In general Naperville is safe, specifically near downtown, though $200k sounds low in general for Naperville. Occasionally I've read about crime in a couple subdivisions just north of North Aurora Rd by the Rt 59 station.
2. Are there young people in some of these condo/townhouse complexes (we are in our late 20s)? I hate to say it, but some of them look like retirement homes...
I know some younger people probably use them as a starter home, but don't know anyone personally.
3. What is the daily commute like from either of those stations to downtown? Is it doable on a daily basis? How about metra versus driving?
Probably a bit of a pain getting to Merchandise Mart than the Loop proper, but tolerable. That would be a huge pain to get to Rush via Metra. Driving sucks unless you leave before 5:30 a.m.I don't know about driving home. If I drive to work, usually I don't drive home during rush hour, but it's probably not enjoyable.
4. What is the area around route 59 really like? Would we feel isolated living there versus closer to downtown?
I'd advise you to drive up and down Rt. 59. There's nothing charming or interesting about it. It's almost like every chain retailer in America wanted to be on that strip of road and found a spot. Lots of parking lots and not interesting, though plenty of shopping options. It's tough to tell if you'll feel isolated. Are you social, able to make friends quickly and join groups or different things? Do you have friends in the area already? Living in one direction or the other likely won't impact that as much as whether you know people around you, just my opinion.
5. What do you think is the better option for resale value, buy a townhouse near route 59 versus an older, less updated townhouse closer to downtown?
It's probably property-dependent, though downtown is in general more desirable of a location
Here are a few currently on the market:

townhouse close to downtown
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...-09368?view=qv


townhouse close to route 59
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...-02113?view=qv

condo close to downtown
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...-12742?view=qv
See my comments above in red.

There's lots of condos/apartments near those two downtown locations. I don't know much about them other than that.
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Old 03-08-2019, 03:37 PM
 
28,455 posts, read 85,332,804 times
Reputation: 18728
I think fusillirob1983 is pretty close to spot on. I have some friends that have lived in the "Rt 59 corridor" and most wanted to GET OUT after a relatively short time. The reasons mostly revolve not around "lack of charm" but the hassle of dealing with TRAFFIC to get darned near anywhere at darned near any time of the day / night. Even though there have been improvements in the main traffic flows it still impossible to get to any of the stores or restaurants without driving and dealing LOTS of other vehicles.



In contrast if you live in other parts of Naperville (or the eastern most part of Aurora...) there at least the options of walking / bicycling and if you drive it is not so much "jumping into Fury Road" as just a normal-ish drive.


There have been lessons learned by Naperville and Aurora and they are both much more a-tuned to cooperation to have a less "frantic" corridor of mass development with no by-passes, but that won't really result in positive changes for the area anytime soon...


Depending on the stage of life the OP is in it very well makes sense to consider basically ANY town along the BNSF or perhaps the UP-W. There budget would go farther in Brookfield, which also has a very high "charm factor" and great access to local spots in Riverside & LaGrange. Schools have improved significantly and if technically not as shiny and new as those in D204 still very well performing.


Express metra service to Downer Grove is even faster than Naperville, and DG continues to have a very solid mix of walkable spots without the crushing crowds of Naperville's downtown. Towns like Westmont are a FANTASTIC value, as is Lombard along UP-W line.




Really, if one does not have any sort of family connection of work related reason to be as far west Rt 59 there are better places to look...
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Old 03-09-2019, 09:36 AM
 
Location: IL
529 posts, read 646,818 times
Reputation: 668
I'd add in taking the BNSF from Naperville to Cicero would involve taking a local train as most of the rush hour trains express from Naperville to downtown. Making every stop from Naperville to Cicero is a long ride, then I imagine you would have to get from the cicero stop to wherever the clinic is. It my make more sense to look at LaGrange or Elmhurst and drive to Cicero or Rush or Oak Park/Forest park and take the CTA.
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