Relocating to Elmhurst - better areas than others? (Glendale Heights, Willowbrook: house, neighborhood)

[nanannie]

I think Elmhurst is a good investment period. I went to IC grade and part of High School as did most family members. Its a nice school, great neighborhood , with a very strong family community. I still take mom to mass once in awhile and I see people I knew from making my first communion in that same church. I hope someone with experience there from today will add some recent scholastic finds and standings for you, (I was taught by nuns in big black habits.)

[chet everett]

The values in the north of North Ave. have been historically been considerably lower. It is my belief that is unlikely to change.

The tear downs that there have been are largely the doing of the "late comer" developers and have not been as successful as those undertaken in the more traditionally desirable areas. That said, it is not impossible for there to be some rise in values if there is a concerted effort on the the part of school parents...

Interestingly I do think that although using the parochial schools for your children may be a good option (and others in that area do the same...) there may be some negative implications for improving the area's desirability.

IC (as it is called) has a long tradition of being a good option for people that do want that faith based education as well people who may want on option other than the public schools.

[emmi605]

There is always and ongoing debate about the "downside" of Elmhurst's North side. I would pose things to you a different way I guess. If you live North of North Avenue near Berens Park, you are not far from downtown at all. You have easy access to highways and you will attend District 205 public schools unless you choose private (IC and Timothy Christian have great reputations). All schools follow the same curriculum and have quality teachers. What you have on the north side is more diversity and a more middle class group of people. You will get more airplane noise, but some homes on the south and east sides deal with noise from the highway also. Someone mentioned that Sandburg and Bryan schools seem to perform better. Actually the test scores are quite similar, especially when you take into account the more diverse population on the north side. Bryan and Sandburg middle schools are more homogeneous. The ELL population and the Title I funds are located at Churchville. Class size is also lower. The quality of all middle schools is excellent, however, and your children will be educated well at each school no matter where you live. I am a firm believer that the best teachers can teach to a wide variety of children with varying needs and backgrounds. The proximity to downtown and the prairie path on the south end make those areas more desirable and home values higher. You just have to decide what is more important to you....if you want a larger home for your money and more diverse schools, then the North side is probably what you want. If you will settle for a smaller home for the same money, want to be in town or along the prairie path, and if you want more homogeneous grade schools, then you'll probably want the central or south sides of Elmhurst. You won't loose either way. Best of Luck!

[InformedConsent]

Originally Posted by emmi605

The quality of all middle schools is excellent, however, and your children will be educated well at each school no matter where you live.

I disagree with the statement that Elmhurst's schools are 'excellent.' The regular posters know why, so I'm not going to go into that again.

Originally Posted by chet everett

That said, it is not impossible for there to be some rise in values if there is a concerted effort on the the part of school parents...

This absolutely has to happen if the parents in Elmhurst truly want their children to have excellent schools.

Elmhurst is a remarkable town that for whatever reason has let their schools slip below excellence, academically. Comparing the Elmhurst school district's student demographics to other districts' demographics... Elmhurst's schools should be performing much better than they are. It's going to take the whole town pulling together to bring the schools back up to excellence... but if any town can do it, Elmhurst can.

[gardener34]

IC rocks! I am an alum as all was all of my siblings. Can't say enough good things about it. For a small parochial school it is a great atmosphere with a very high "go on to college" ratio of like 98% or something like it.
Although because of the under 500 enrollment thing (this may have changed in the last couple years though), many Elmhurst residents are choosing to send their kids to Montini in Lombard. Not sure why, maybe someone else knows. Something to do with which athletic "class" (A, AA, etc) the schools are in? Is what I suspect.
South elmhurst parish is visitation. North is Immaculate conception. Good luck!

[gsebek]

Originally Posted by emmi605

There is always and ongoing debate about the "downside" of Elmhurst's North side. I would pose things to you a different way I guess. If you live North of North Avenue near Berens Park, you are not far from downtown at all. You have easy access to highways and you will attend District 205 public schools unless you choose private (IC and Timothy Christian have great reputations). All schools follow the same curriculum and have quality teachers. What you have on the north side is more diversity and a more middle class group of people. You will get more airplane noise, but some homes on the south and east sides deal with noise from the highway also. Someone mentioned that Sandburg and Bryan schools seem to perform better. Actually the test scores are quite similar, especially when you take into account the more diverse population on the north side. Bryan and Sandburg middle schools are more homogeneous. The ELL population and the Title I funds are located at Churchville. Class size is also lower. The quality of all middle schools is excellent, however, and your children will be educated well at each school no matter where you live. I am a firm believer that the best teachers can teach to a wide variety of children with varying needs and backgrounds. The proximity to downtown and the prairie path on the south end make those areas more desirable and home values higher. You just have to decide what is more important to you....if you want a larger home for your money and more diverse schools, then the North side is probably what you want. If you will settle for a smaller home for the same money, want to be in town or along the prairie path, and if you want more homogeneous grade schools, then you'll probably want the central or south sides of Elmhurst. You won't loose either way. Best of Luck!

Again - the candor of this thread is appreciated - being 1,000 miles away and making real estate decisions (in this market - ehhh...), is notably difficult.

Not to beat the subject again - but let me position this at one more angle -

If one can stomach the risk of future resale value as applicable to the "Berens Park", area (not North of Lake Street), and public schools (although I know they play part in value) are not the issue for us (as we will be likely using private (IC)), does anyone have opinions of the "area" of Berens Park (likely closer to Marjorie Davis Park - closer to York Rd and North Ave)?

Absent resale for a moment - and we get the facts as presented (lesser house / more homogeneous schools to the south of North Ave) - if one chose a larger, more reasonable priced house in the specifics of the area I just outlined - is the neighborhood as "safe" and "children friendly" as those south of North avenue?

In addition to the many positives of Elmhurst (community, trains, highways, airport, downtown, decent schools) - we are concerned equally about close knit neighborhoods, saftey for our children (we have a 2yr old and a 2 month old), community - as we are about value.

Thanks again for any feedback - sometimes there seems no easy or "right" decision, but in this case - just trying to make the "best" decision

[emmi605]

That area is safe, family-friendly, and many wonderful families that are very involved with the community. Mary Queen of Heaven Catholic Church is in that area and has a wonderful preschool. It does not have a grade-school, but it is a wonderful parish. Berens Park is a "hub" of activities including baseball, water sprinkler park, soccer fields, football fields, and the park district center which houses many of the preschool programs. You will find you are in walking distance to berens as well as Marjorie Davis. As for resale value, I think you have to realize that Elmhurst has not been as hit as hard with the drop in prices. The Chicago Tribune consistently shows that there is still an increase in average home value, although much smaller than in the past. Homes are selling slower for sure, but if you plan on staying for awhile, you will be making a good investment. As for resale, you may actually be in a great spot North of North avenue. It is becoming a more desirable area since some of the lots are so deep and large there (especially surrounding Marjorie Davis Park). Don't fret, you'll be fine.

[chet everett]

I will mostly agree with emmi, but having seen some houses in that area I do think that you need to be a bit more conscious of the others homes on the block -- if a developer tried to flip something, got stuck on the wrong side of a short term rate and it is now in jeopardy of being foreclosed that adds risk to whole area.

There seems to be less of this in the "core" part of town. I don't think this is unique to northern Elmhurst, similar situations exist in towns in DuPage Co. -- basically the further you are from the "core" downtown areas the more likely you are to be looking at a property that is for sale due to foreclosure problems and/or have more nearby properties facing similar situations.

And to be clear, DuPage Co is NOT particularly hard hit as far as foreclosures as many other regions.

Just trying to give you a little heads up to be on the look out for...

[TorontoMom]

We are also considering Elmhurst, and I was wondering if anyone has any feedback about Visitation Catholic School. Thanks!

[MayMove]

The issues we have in town regarding sale/resale N. of N. Ave are stimulated by rumors from residents. Can't tell you how many times I have been on the receiving end. Elmhurst is a very diverse community (from an income standpoint) Which is wonderful. But, I am not one to keep up with the Jones or explain my good fortune in which I work very hard for. Why there is such a negative stigma attached to the area North of North Ave is beyond my comprehension!

I have a beautiful (newer) home. Got in at just the right time. Doesn't everyone? Litteral stones throw N. of North Avenue. We are 1/2 block walking distance to a highly acclaimed grade school, town and train. My area is zoned for Sandburg Middle. Rank is the highest for 205 middle schools. Not a "choice area'" Formally zoned. There are areas "South" of North Ave that are in danger of being rezoned to the far north middle school. They will not have a choice. We are watching those values drop. If one thinks they are protected because they live "South "of North Ave.... Think again!

My location is close to center of town. For all intense purposes. Any location "North of the Metra tracks" is "North Elmhurst" I watch the folks that gave me a hard time last year because I am on the "wrong side of the street" Fight the same tracks day in and day out. I just chuckle. Because for a 1/2 block difference. My taxes are 2K lower.

Other side of 294 via Emory overpass. Prices have dropped and are historically lower. This is a "choice school area" that could be rezoned to the farthest north middle school. Again, rumor driven bashing about how bad Churchville Middle is. I guess if you are prejudice, that may be an issue for you.

Just wish others would have facts straight before bashing certain areas in Elmhurst. As we are "all in the same boat". North is north. Especially if you are heading south and on the other side of the tracks.