Best inner-ring suburb for young family with a baby (Oak Lawn: short sale, foreclosure)

[tvida42]

Thanks for all the fabulous advice we got on this post. My husband and I have realized that, great though the Metra is, his early work schedule and location (he has to be to work by 7am at Lincoln Park Zoo) and that he has to be home by 5pm so I can work means we really need an inner ring suburb to make it with one car. I know about Blue Island, Evergreen Park, and Berwyn. Any others I'm overlooking? Any new thoughts about those three? We need to be able to get a reasonable house for under $200,000 (closer to $150,000 actually) with good transit and/or walkability to some places and a reasonable amount of safety (we live in Rogers Park and are comfortable with diversity and a good block/bad block environment). We also prefer to be south, if possible.

Thanks for all your help!

[chet everett]

$150K is going to be a challenge within a reasonable commuting distance of LP Zoo. The extra $50K might get you into Oak Lawn: 4117 91ST Pl, OAK LAWN, IL 60453 | MLS# 07205871

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by tvida42

Thanks for all the fabulous advice we got on this post. My husband and I have realized that, great though the Metra is, his early work schedule and location (he has to be to work by 7am at Lincoln Park Zoo) and that he has to be home by 5pm so I can work means we really need an inner ring suburb to make it with one car. I know about Blue Island, Evergreen Park, and Berwyn. Any others I'm overlooking? Any new thoughts about those three? We need to be able to get a reasonable house for under $200,000 (closer to $150,000 actually) with good transit and/or walkability to some places and a reasonable amount of safety (we live in Rogers Park and are comfortable with diversity and a good block/bad block environment). We also prefer to be south, if possible.

Thanks for all your help!

North Berwyn would have some properties available in this price range, and would be walkable to the Green Line L or a short bus ride to the Pink Line if you live closer to Cermak Rd. 150k is probably going to be a foreclosure or short sale, and these can need a lot of work. I'd probably try to get as decent a house as I could afford. You'll be ahead in the long run even if it costs a bit more now.

I'll second Chet on Oak Lawn. I think that's a decent community, as is Evergreen Park. But you may want to check transit times. I imagine it would be quite a haul from there to LP Zoo, which may not be fun for someone with a 7 a.m. start time!

[suzie9998]

Definitely Berwyn. It's incredibly affordable right now and is on an upswing.