Being Relocated to Schaumburg, IL (Chicago, Arlington Heights: real estate, attorneys, homes)

[CFD777]

I am getting relocated with my job and live in Scottsdale, Az... where are the nice area's near Schaumburg, IL.... with having the ability to commute to downtown?

[OakBrookMom]

It all depends on your price range and your preferences. For example, Barrington just northwest of Schaumburg, is an area where many executives live, has a quaint downtown area with a train station that is serviced by a commuter line going into Chicago but the median home price is fairly high although the homes do typically sit on a good deal of land. Arlington Heights is Northeast of Schaumburg and has seen tremendous growth in the last 5 years. It has 2 commuter stations, the main one being downtown and the other located at the racetrack. The downtown area is vibrant with many new restaurants, shops, a theatre and a cinema. The prices in Arlington have gone up considerably in the same 5 year period.
Both Arlington and Barrington are about a 15 minute drive to Schaumburg. Schaumburg itself has some nice areas as does neighboring Hoffman Estates.
Schaumburg is located off of 2 expressways, I-90 providing access from areas like Huntley where the median home price is half of what it is in Barrington and I-355 which allows for a reasonable commute time from many areas such as Downers Grove which is probably in between as far as housing is concerned but has 3 train stations with express trains from the main street station that take only 26 minutes to get to downtown. I have many friends that live south along I-355 and commute to work as well as clients (I'm a realtor) that live off of I-90 and do the same. Most say their commute times are 30 to 40 minutes depending on location and traffic.
If you do not already have a realtor, I would be more than happy to help you. Good Luck with your move.

[japaul777]

CFD777,

Since you are from Scottsdale you will probably feel most at home in the Barrington area. The Barrington area includes Inverness, Barrington, North Barrington, South Barrington and Barrington Hills.

It really depends on your price range. We got out of Summerlin, Las Vegas and moved to the Barrington area. As you probably know, Summerlin is a lot like Scottsdale. Since we just went through what you are about to go through, we can help you out tremendously..... best of all.... you won't regret the move.

Just to warn you... the local agents around here are a little green when it comes to helping out buying real estate. The laws are not quite the same as the west coast and quite honestly, some of the issues that came up on our purchase would be major lawsuits on the west coast. Agents would prefer to pretend they don't know about any issues then disclosing them to potential buyers......

It seems as if every week we are coming up with issues where it appears items were hidden and not disclosed by the sellers and their agent.

[OakBrookMom]

I'm sorry to hear that japaul777 had such a bad experience. I agree that Barrington is a wonderful town and that is why I mentioned it first but again it will depend on your price range. I encourage you to get all the advice you can when making your move. I think it may help to hear from someone who can tell you how your experience here may be different. But I wouldn't try to conduct your search without a realtor so even if you don't want my help please seek the assistance of a realtor.
Real Estate Transactions are controlled by state and local laws and ordinances so it is wise to have the advice and counsel of local professionals. The purchase of a home is a huge investment. When dealing with a market where you have never invested before, it would be foolish not to seek the help and guidance of both an agent (preferably a realtor since we do go through ethics training) and an attorney who specializes in real estate (I am also a licensed attorney in Illinois but I cannot represent you because I would profit from the transaction and that would be a huge conflict of interest if I were to act as both agent and attorney). In Illinois the vast majority of real estate transactions are facilitated by attorneys representing each side, a title company typically selected by the seller, an inspector hired by the buyer (do hire a reputable inspector, preferably a former tradesman that has actually worked on homes) and real estate agents for both the buyer and the seller. If you decide to go it alone, be forewarned that the seller's agents, attorneys, etc., will be acting in the best interest of their client, not you. Illinois requires sellers to disclose certain aspects of the property and you will be asked to sign those disclosures if the transaction is conducted properly. Every property is unique so no two transactions are the same. Good luck with your search, please make sure you are well represented, and above all welcome to the Chicago area.