Clarendon Hills vs. Downers Grove (Oak Park, Normal: sale, condo, houses)

[Yankee BBQ Boy]

I have lived in Clarendon Hills for over 20 years and it has changed ALOT during that time. There use to me a mix of white color and blue collar workers but the land values and teardowns has now resulted in a town that is definitely white collar and professional class. I have 2 girls in the school and I'm also a teacher and the school district is excellent (although you pay for it in taxes). Downers Grove though has very good school and a much more diverse mix of people and socioeconomic classes and the taxes are more reasonable. There is alot of money in Clarendon Hills which can be a problem if you are not at the same economic level as the neighbors.

I f diversity, both racial and economic is important to you, I would suggest Downers Grove. if you want the best possible schools and want a little higher appreciation of your home (although you will pay a higher price,) than I would look at Clarendon Hills.

[deechee]

Originally Posted by Yankee BBQ Boy

I have lived in Clarendon Hills for over 20 years and it has changed ALOT during that time. There use to me a mix of white color and blue collar workers but the land values and teardowns has now resulted in a town that is definitely white collar and professional class. I have 2 girls in the school and I'm also a teacher and the school district is excellent (although you pay for it in taxes). Downers Grove though has very good school and a much more diverse mix of people and socioeconomic classes and the taxes are more reasonable. There is alot of money in Clarendon Hills which can be a problem if you are not at the same economic level as the neighbors.

I f diversity, both racial and economic is important to you, I would suggest Downers Grove. if you want the best possible schools and want a little higher appreciation of your home (although you will pay a higher price,) than I would look at Clarendon Hills.

Exactly why I suggested DG. The racial diversity is lacking in CH. Both school systems are acceptable, and fit for any child to attend, but if I had a choice personally, I'd go for Downer's Grove. I wouldn't mind teaching in either district.

[chet everett]

HUGE difference between D181, where each and every school in the district ranked in the TOP 50 statewide and they all feed into D86 Hinsdale Central, a US News Silver ranked high school, and the other nearby districts. Prices reflect the demand for those top rankings. http://www.suntimes.com/images/cds/pdf/top50elem-2008.pdf (broken link)

The D58 schools have much more variation and neither of the D99 high schools made even Bronze.
Best High Schools Search - US News and World Report

I respect that some people choose to live in areas with different qualities but to term a district that has tremendous drawing power "acceptable" suggests that someone really is very unfamiliar with both towns...

I most also disagree with Yankee BBQ B that taxes are more affordable in DG. Quite the opposite. Tax rates are lower in CH. For equally assessed homes (and there is no funny business as both communities are entirely within Downers Township...) the property in DG is going to pay more in taxes. Despite the fact that it is a bigger Village that has some good sales tax sources, DG has a MUCH larger Village staff, an enormous Park District, an every expanding Library, great debt from parking decks and other "Central Business District Improvement" as well as school districts that have more facilities and staff. Overall there is just more government spending in DG.

[deechee]

Originally Posted by chet everett

HUGE difference between D181, where each and every school in the district ranked in the TOP 50 statewide and they all feed into D86 Hinsdale Central, a US News Silver ranked high school, and the other nearby districts. Prices reflect the demand for those top rankings. http://www.suntimes.com/images/cds/pdf/top50elem-2008.pdf (broken link)

The D58 schools have much more variation and neither of the D99 high schools made even Bronze.
Best High Schools Search - US News and World Report

I respect that some people choose to live in areas with different qualities but to term a district that has tremendous drawing power "acceptable" suggests that someone really is very unfamiliar with both towns...

I most also disagree with Yankee BBQ B that taxes are more affordable in DG. Quite the opposite. Tax rates are lower in CH. For equally assessed homes (and there is no funny business as both communities are entirely within Downers Township...) the property in DG is going to pay more in taxes. Despite the fact that it is a bigger Village that has some good sales tax sources, DG has a MUCH larger Village staff, an enormous Park District, an every expanding Library, great debt from parking decks and other "Central Business District Improvement" as well as school districts that have more facilities and staff. Overall there is just more government spending in DG.

You are kinda sad. I guess it's beyond you that the school ratings by US News are so biased. It's one of the reasons I chose a state college over the many private schools I could have chosen. I worry for the future...I'll never keep a job as a teacher if I have to keep moving around because parents constantly change their minds about their location based simply on the schools.I guess the days of kids just going to school and doing the best they can have been replaced with yuppies who feel their prized children have special rights...btw, I'm very familiar with both areas, thank you very much.

[Yankee BBQ Boy]

There is a difference between Downers schools and the Hinsdale Schools but that certainly doesn't mean that you can't get a quality education in Downers Grove. The priority for high educational achievement in the communities of Hinsdale/Clarendon Hills has resulted in excellent schools in these communities. Because of the diversity of Downers Grove. the value for a stellar education is not at the same level as it is in Hinsdale/Clarendon Hills. That is not to say though that the schools are weak - good students will do well in college at both schools. I would also be careful about the rankings that the news magazines give. Some of the high schools that are among the top schools are there because their administration pushes AP tests for all students whether they are ready for them or not. We have parents here that get all worked up if their elementary schools goes down in ranking from 2nd in the district to 5th (from a 95.5% to a 95.2%) on the ISAT's even though the difference is statistically irrelevant. There is alot more to quality schools than test scores and magazine ratings.

Also, while the tax rate might be higher in Downers, the homes in Clarendon Hills bring in more tax revenue on average because of their valuation. While people complain about taxes here (I know I do) they see it as the cost of living in the area and having excellent schools. Both areas are struggling with their tax base and the need to raise additional revenue so they have that in common.

Both towns have their advantages and disadvantages - prospective buyers are going to have to examine their values and what is important to them. Do they want excellent schools and a small town atmosphere at the cost of some social and economic diversity or do they want above average schools in a larger, more diverse village setting.

Originally Posted by chet everett

HUGE difference between D181, where each and every school in the district ranked in the TOP 50 statewide and they all feed into D86 Hinsdale Central, a US News Silver ranked high school, and the other nearby districts. Prices reflect the demand for those top rankings. http://www.suntimes.com/images/cds/pdf/top50elem-2008.pdf (broken link)

The D58 schools have much more variation and neither of the D99 high schools made even Bronze.
Best High Schools Search - US News and World Report

I respect that some people choose to live in areas with different qualities but to term a district that has tremendous drawing power "acceptable" suggests that someone really is very unfamiliar with both towns...

I most also disagree with Yankee BBQ B that taxes are more affordable in DG. Quite the opposite. Tax rates are lower in CH. For equally assessed homes (and there is no funny business as both communities are entirely within Downers Township...) the property in DG is going to pay more in taxes. Despite the fact that it is a bigger Village that has some good sales tax sources, DG has a MUCH larger Village staff, an enormous Park District, an every expanding Library, great debt from parking decks and other "Central Business District Improvement" as well as school districts that have more facilities and staff. Overall there is just more government spending in DG.

[chet everett]

While I agree that no area is immune from falling prices, and I have cautioned that rapid appreciation in unlikely to be the norm in any real estate markets for the foreseeable future, the fact is that in areas with limited inventory you are better protected against any significant downside.

The whole rent vs buy equation can be done mathematically, but that does not factor in the good that comes from ownership, nor is it always possible to find an exact replacement rental for a purchase.

[chet everett]

Respectfully, the entry level pricing of a sub-$250K TH is going to behave in a far different fashion than some $600K luxury unit.

I have done this for many years and I have never seen so many distressed properties in so many areas, but the price stability of entry level properties is still outstanding. The higher the quality the community the stronger the demand for entry level options.

[BriGuy23]

From doing our research (and from the CMA done by our relator) I think we kind of have the same mindset as Chet.

I don't want to get into too much detail but from where our price point is we are going to offer around the 2005-2006 price (the CMA shows that the difference between now and then is negligable...I think it may be that case for our price point).

Even if it sold for the mid 100K's in 2002 I would highly doubt that levels in Clarendon would capitulate back to that level over the next year or two. Yes, we could rent a townhome for the time being (hoping for more of a drop) but percentage-wise even a 10% drop is 20K on 200K. If that happens we take the hit, turn the office into a nursery and wait it out.

[BriGuy23]

This for the link........

Will definitly check it out!

p.s.- Could it be any more humid and muggy out side today? eek

[chet everett]

Since all of CH is in DuPage Co he'd better use the links to the DG Assessor and the DuPage Recorder, or just rely on the same info as in available through NIMLS to his buyers agent...