Relocating - Looking for Maintenance-free Community (Chicago, Naperville: apartment, condo, townhome)

[youngemptynesters]

We will be relocating to the Chicago area in the late summer/fall of 2009. We would like to find an upscale single family unit or townhome (probably around 4,000 sq. ft. or so) in a maintenance-free community with a reasonable train commute to downtown (40 minutes or so). Our price range would probably be in the $800,000 - $1 million range. We would like something relatively new (within 10 years) that is not a teardown surrounded by older homes. We are empty-nesters in our upper 40s and would like to be surrounded by people of a similar age group. Some of the things we would like to find in the area would be running trails, golf, tennis, and plenty of restaurants and activity. Any suggestions you have would be much appreciated!! Thank you!

[Anthera]

Originally Posted by youngemptynesters

We will be relocating to the Chicago area in the late summer/fall of 2009. We would like to find an upscale single family unit or townhome (probably around 4,000 sq. ft. or so) in a maintenance-free community with a reasonable train commute to downtown (40 minutes or so). Our price range would probably be in the $800,000 - $1 million range. We would like something relatively new (within 10 years) that is not a teardown surrounded by older homes. We are empty-nesters in our upper 40s and would like to be surrounded by people of a similar age group. Some of the things we would like to find in the area would be running trails, golf, tennis, and plenty of restaurants and activity. Any suggestions you have would be much appreciated!! Thank you!

Suburban Chicago is a pretty big area. Are you looking in the northern suburbs(Royal Melbourne, Lake Barrington Shores, Hawthorn Woods CC, or Conway Farms(Lake Forest) come to mind), or western or southern?

[robinscott]

Hi,
I love St. Charles, it's close to a train station (Metra) to downtown Chicago and other outlying suburbs. It's got a great downtown with plenty of restaurants and night life and a beautiful historic downtown area with the Fox River. Your also close to Geneva which is an excellent town too. There are plenty of homes in your price range, you might want to take a look at the Fox Creek or Fox Mill subdivision in St. Charles. Good luck!

[youngemptynesters]

Thanks for your suggestions! We just started looking and are struggling with narrowing it down to any particular area. We looked at a couple units in Conway Farms, the Glen, several teardowns in the north shore, and the Timber Trails Development in Western Springs. Lake Forest was beautiful, but seemed a little remote. Not sure about The Glen. Timber Trails was very nice, but seemed to be plunked in the middle of an older community. Anthera, in which communities are the developments that you recommended? Are they maintenance free? We like the idea of a development where we can just lock the door when we travel and not have to worry about the upkeep (although we don't want an apartment-type unit). I guess the biggest thing is trying to keep the commute under 40 minutes. Thanks so much for your help, we appreciate it!

[Steve-o]

Did you look around downtown Naperville? They have several new condo projects there that are in your price range, but I dont know if theyre as large as what youre looking for. Youll love the downtown area, and the city is served by two Metra stations as well. Nightlife is great and the shopping is excellent, as is the cuisine.

[youngemptynesters]

Steve-o, how long is the commute from Naperville?

[sgresident]

There are two train stations in naperville, one downtown, one along rt 59. I think it is around your 40 minutes.