Country living in the suburbs (St. Charles, Geneva: houses, schools, costs)

[s1a2h3]

I am looking to move somewhere in the South-West suburbs that have affordable homes but one factor is very important!

I'm looking for a house that is in wooded areas, almost make you feel like you're in the country. I like a lot of forest preserves and want a large backyard with space between my house and my neighbors. I don't have any children so schools aren't that important to me, but I would like somewhere safe and within a 15 minute drive to civilization.

I LOVE Palos Park, but it's out of my price-range.

Any ideas??

[chet everett]

Willow Springs is more affordable and parts have similar land configuration, though you might have to deal with different challenges from the DesPlaines River or the Sanity & Ship Channel...

There are also some unincorporated areas in southern DuPage and near Homer Glen that have a similar feel.

[ajolotl]

What is your price range? I agree Palos Park is beautiful and exactly what you want, thought there were some good deals down there now. Tinley has some rustic sections that are cheaper though not as impressive.

[s1a2h3]

My price range is under $200,000. That's why you can see I am not able to afford Palos Park. There has got to be some less expensive areas that still have a nice setting!

[ajolotl]

wow. I don't know of anything anywhere that cheap. Good luck.

[Chicagoland60426]

Originally Posted by ajolotl

wow. I don't know of anything anywhere that cheap. Good luck.

Maybe he can try Will County. There are still houses around 200k and the economy is down. So some houses are cheaper than what they suppose to be.

[Steve-o]

Check out Elburn, out in the rolling hills, lots of farmland and horse property, nice forest preserves (ie Johnsons Mound), 10 minutes to charming burbs like St. Charles and Geneva.

[sgresident]

you won't find anything in your price range in Elburn or Sugar Grove. You will definitely have to go further west. try Waterman, Shabonna or Paw Paw!

[ToriaT]

You might try an obsure place like Warrenville. There are places like that there.

[chet everett]

I don't think I'd call Warrenville 'obscure', but if I gather what you are saying the OP may just need to cast a wide net. There are always a few homes in most towns that were developed long before the others by individuals that wanted a secluded spot. Sometimes they are sort of 'hold outs' and end up surrounded by Forest Preserves or on the far side of an office park. Generally these properties are hard to come by, but they tend not to be terribly expensive because they are both hard to market and have limited appeal. I doubt even an older secluded property would list for $200K in the most hard to descibe portion of Warrenville these days, unless it had some major negatives. I suppose if the place sorta backed up to the tollway and had antiquated systems it might be listed for a low price, but such a property might be too big a risk for the OP. I would hate for them to find out the place needs new well & septic and that would increase their costs by tens of thousands...

Any how, sometimes you can find an "out of the way" place in the "Homes, Land & Farms" type marketing magazine, but you REALLY have to be careful with the older places that may have been built well before the County had standard for 'homesteads'...