La Grange or Park Ridge (or Wilmette)? (Chicago, Evanston: house, established neighborhood)

[jerryil]

Originally Posted by JJski

We live north of the tracks (between tracks and Ogden) yes we still get floods. But it’s not as bad ~ also in 8y our house and most of our neighbors houses have not had basement floods. One neighbor did have issues because of foundation drainage tile incorrectly done.

Thanks, basically I meant to ask whether basements flooded in the northern part of La Grange after reading about what some homeowners by the country club have experienced. Based on what my agent says and what else I can find, waterproofing the basement will likely do the trick for most houses in La Grange.

[jerryil]

Another question about La Grange: are the train tracks that run north-south across the metra tracks live? I'm referring to the tracks that abut Hazel Avenue north of Ogden and Tilden Avenue south of Ogden. I am only viewing this on Google Maps and not in person right now so I don't have a good look as to whether trains actually use those.

[ChiGuy2.5]

I know nothing of La Grange, I don't even know if I have been there before.

The only information I have to add is that I live in Park Ridge and it's a wonderful community for families! We are surrounded by neighbors with kids and the school district is VERY good. They just passed full day kindergarten too!

Many homes in the PR area have issues with flooding. Make sure whatever you buy has an overhead sewer and no flooding history. If there is anything I can help answer for you to help you consider, please let me know!

[jerryil]

Would a house such as this one get basement flooding generally? We are looking right around this area at homes (including this one).

https://www.redfin.com/IL/La-Grange/.../home/14063336

[jerryil]

Originally Posted by ChiGuy2.5

I know nothing of La Grange, I don't even know if I have been there before.

The only information I have to add is that I live in Park Ridge and it's a wonderful community for families! We are surrounded by neighbors with kids and the school district is VERY good. They just passed full day kindergarten too!

Many homes in the PR area have issues with flooding. Make sure whatever you buy has an overhead sewer and no flooding history. If there is anything I can help answer for you to help you consider, please let me know!

Thanks for the tips, we will look out for those things. We will be visiting Park Ridge soon.

[mwj119]

I really liked both PR and LG. We ended up focusing more on PR, in large part because it was closer to extended family.

I would say downtown LG feels a bit more buttoned down, in a good way. It also seems to be more of an epicenter of commerce in that belt vs. PR which borders some active north side Chicago neighborhoods. Downtown PR, to me, feels more like a North Shore town with it's tidiness and postcard-esque church and common. Uptown is a nice modern facelift across the tracks as well.

Overall, if you like the pre WWII architecture, old trees, gridded roads, and walkability.. Both are great. The nicest part of La Grange bleeds into Western Spring, west of 45 and north of 41. But if you live too far over that way, you lose most of the walkability in DT LG.

In Park Ridge, the neighborhoods north/west/south/southwest all look and feel a lot like those in the northwestern reach of LG. There's just more to choose from, in large part because PR is 2x the size. But again, live too far from the core, and you lose the walkability do DT (though the schools are dispersed nicely in the neighborhoods).

Schools are essentially a wash. Income levels are essentially a wash. Educational attainment is essentially a wash. Median listing price is a tad higher in Park Ridge, but in general, the "makeup" of the towns is similar. Park Ridge has the advantage of access to the North Side. La Grange has the advantage is less miles to the loop.

My best guess is both appreciate or depreciate similarly. Location agnostic buyers will look in PR and LG in the same search, much like you are. I don't see either becoming more desirable than the other by any real margin.

All said and done, I think you'll find more homes for sale in PR as it has more neighborhoods. So unless you visit both and have a very strong opinion, that might dictate your decision more than any.

Personally, I like almost all neighborhoods north of Devon and south of Touhy. And then to the northeast of DT PR, you have the Country Club/Historic area north of Touhy.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0034...7i16384!8i8192

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0029...7i16384!8i8192

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0167...7i16384!8i8192

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0061...7i16384!8i8192

[BURBStoCITYtoBURBS]

Originally Posted by jerryil

Would a house such as this one get basement flooding generally? We are looking right around this area at homes (including this one).

https://www.redfin.com/IL/La-Grange/.../home/14063336

We went to this open house; the basement did smell damp.

It was also a weird location, close to downtown, but a block away was SUPER industrial and not as tree lined as the rest of La Grange. I believe the house is under contract already, as well.

[JJski]

Its honestly hard to find a killer location (everything walkable) LG house even at 700. Check this one out - i think it will check all your boxes but price. https://www.atproperties.com/1129882...CMfbG1MLYo6IMY

[BURBStoCITYtoBURBS]

Originally Posted by JJski

Its honestly hard to find a killer location (everything walkable) LG house even at 700. Check this one out - i think it will check all your boxes but price. https://www.atproperties.com/1129882...CMfbG1MLYo6IMY

We have actually seen at least a dozen SFH in LG <700, within walking distance (1 mile) since last summer and most lasted 2+ weeks on the market.

[JJski]

For us walkable was .25 miles max. We live here and have noticed very few for sale signs - but thats awesome if you are catching them.