Hazel crest, IL. (South Holland, Homewood, Country Club Hills: buying a home, to buy, school districts)

[deechee]

Originally Posted by Chicagoland60426

Once again CCH is not all that bad, its a solid middle class suburb. And yes there are some white people there. You don't have to be black to live in a majority black area. Blacks move to majority white areas all the time risking being looked at as suspicious.

Thank you for your help

I was not able to get the info for you, but I do know that your child will get a good education in CCH schools. I know quite a few products of the schools (all 12 years) and they are in 4 yr college or trade school.

[deechee]

Originally Posted by MrsBradley

Deechee

I don't mean to ruffle any feathers but before you just jump in here know that I was born and raised in CCH. I KNOW about CCH, I'm not that person that left 30 years ago and hasn't been back. Nor am I the person that only visits once every 5 years and makes broad generalizations. The OP asked for specific examples of the problems in Hazel Crest and thats what I provided. The crimes I mentioned did in fact happen in Hazel Crest and I dare you to drive to the liquor store at 175th and Kedzie and see if there are any less than 4 men standing out there. If they aren't there, wait about 5 or 6 minutes. They'll be along! I'm talking about the one in the strip mall with the Aristons. As for the businesses other than Moo and Oink and Family Dollar and Enterprise Rental there is nothing but greasy spoons, and hair and nail salons. The Jewel and Shell and 7-11 are in Homewood, NOT Hazel Crest. Along 167th there are a few small companies but also more greasy spoons and hair and nail salons. Same is true for along 170th or 171st

The lower end of Hazel Crest, along 167th close to Markham is dreadful. The houses in Hazel Crest but especially that that area go for approximately 35 to 40k.

Hazel Crest real estate & Hazel Crest homes for sale | Single family homes,Condos,Townhomes,Co-ops - REALTOR.com® there are actually a LOT of homes for 10, 20, and 30K but for a safe estimate we can stick with the 30k price point. Yes the AVERAGE home price for now is going to be higher but thats due ONLY to the higher end Mc Mansions in Dynsaty Lakes (along pulaski from about 184th to 187th or so) that raise the average home prices. But thats about 30 homes in comparison to hundreds that range from 30k to 90 k.The problems that Harvey, Markham and Ford Heights have are the same problems that Hazel Crest and CCH have. Numbers wise. Poor schools. VERY low housing prices. Lack of REAL businesses in the area and rising CRIME. People HEAR the names Markham or Harvey and think that it's the worst of the worst. I'm not saying it is or isnt. What I AM saying is the same problems on paper that Harvey and Markham have are the same problems that CCH and Hazel Crest have on paper. If the problems are the same and the towns all share borders.... what protects CCH from the problems of the towns that border it when the numbers are the same statistics wise of poor schools, lack of businesses and very slum like housing prices? CCH is bordered on the North my Markham, the east by Hazel Crest Hazel Crest borders Markham which borders Harvey. Trouble can and does move. Especially when the conditions are ripe for it. Im not knocking CCH or Hazel Crest. I never said that the towns were cess pools filled with animals. I said I woudnt invest in a home there. And I wouldnt. I also said they are going the way of Harvey, which in my opinion BASED on the numbers they are. If you love CCH and are happy there then god bless! But I personally wouldn't invest in a home there and have my kids in the schools.

As for CCH I can tell you all you want to know. PM me because the OP wanted info about Hazel Crest so I don't want his/her thread getting off track.

So, I just went to look at these so called 10k homes...and I honestly could not find any. You know what they were? CONDOS. Condos that maybe Grandma or old Aunt Greta lived in. They were not burned out, ransacked, nasty/ugly looking places. I did see a few homes that were in thr 20k range, but they LOOKED like they needed to be priced that way because they almost didn't have a backyard! I don't need to PM you because I LIVE HERE! You don't!

I just cannot believe that this nonsense hype was thrown on this thread like this.

Originally Posted by MrsBradley

I'd also like to add I think the consensus is that Section 8 folks are what brings areas down. Certainly not every single person on the Section 8 program but certainly a decent enough portion of them. Low housing prices are Section 8 heaven. If I buy a 30k house and put a Section 8 family in there. I most likely have NO mortgage payment, only taxes and can rent the house out making 80 to 90% profit monthly. As a landlord what do I care about the tenants tearing up the community? As a landlord whether or not they set up drug houses or other such nonsense in the community? What motivation do I have to kick them out? Yes the city can fine me, but so what? Yes I can techincally lose the house to drug dealing and etc. BUt so what if it cost 30k to begin with what do I care? If it sits abandoned with no tenant and attracts undesriables who hang out inside or outside the property...again what do I care as the landlord? That breeds MAJOR problems in a community. I would like to state that I KNOW not all landlords are like that and YES I know not all Section 8 people are bad. But in general....Thats how an area starts to go down.

Haven't seen any of that around here, especially since Welch put a halt on Section 8. I know for CERTAIN there is no Section 8 in my neighborhood.

Originally Posted by MrsBradley

I KNOW CCH like I SAID. IF and I mean IF your neighbors are white then you are on the west side of town. I'm not sure what white people mean to my or your argument. So because A FEW whites are there it makes it safe? Worthy to invest in? Hmm...sounds kinda hypocritical. Defend your town all you want but please. what do white people still living there mean to anything? SECONDLY if realtor.com shows 15 houses for 30k do you NOT think the blocks and blocks of housses in that area go for 30K WHEN FOR SALE. Or that they are valued at or about that much. But if they are in smilar condition,size and on the same block with other 30K houses for sale are these occupied houses houses somehow worth quadruple just becaue they are occupied. Of course not THAT IS THE VALUE of homes in that particular area. ? I am speaking of houses in that area and the value. The realtor.com post was to butreess my claim. So what if there are only 10 for sale noww. There are MANY MANY MANY more that have that SAME value and will EVENTUALLY have to be sold. THAT MEANS THERE ARE A LOT of 30K houses in that area. I don't care of it's only ten available for sale now. That is the cost of the homes in that area. Do you really think that the homes next door to the 30K homes are magically worth 100K because they aren't featured on realtor.com? No that is the value of the houses in that part of Hazel Crest. I gave examples of ones for sale in that area. There iss no exaggeration in what I said. IF I said there are a thousand VACANT homes for 30k then you got me. WHAT I SAID WAS THE HOMES START AT 30K. And that there were a lot of them. I don't mean on realtor.com I mean in that area. Meaning a 30K home is not a forclosure or flood dammaged or a rarity. Its the value in that area as that little section is not small. That means there are a LOT OF HOMES starting at 30K.

As for you growing up in Roseland Dechee what does one thing have to do with another? That means I've probably lived in CCH longer than you have. That also means I watched the area change. You mentioned thugs, I didn't. So have at it. Not even going there with you. If there are some whites as you so proudly claim near you you're most likely on the west side of town or in OLD CCH. Again, not sure what that matters, but to you it really seems to so let's give it it's proper acknowledgement. There are plenty of reasons NOT to buy in CCH and Hazel Crest. To start with the schools are awful. CCH is going to be hit with a 44% property tax increase if it already hasn't. Even in a recession. Why an almost 50% tax hike with all your "new buisinesses" where you do "most of your shopping." So I wouldnt invest there because personally I can't afford a %44 tax hike. When was the last time a new school was built in CCH? Been a while I can tell you. So why the 44% tax hike? The schools make your house. People don't buy homes in areas with crappy schools. A few do, but with crappy schools you dimish your potential buyers most likely by about 80%. Even people without kids consider schools because SCHOOLS make the hood. Thats what determines your resallability. and NOW you can shop in CCH, but until that Wal Mart opened that large burb didn't have a grocery store. or anything, nothing but mom and pops, greasy spoons and the like. You had to go to HOMEWOOD because that MOO and OINK store sat vacant for a number of years before it became Shop and Save and later Moo and Oink. SO you had to go to Homewood or Matterson to get anything besides fried fish, ribs or liquor. So in 35+ years CCH got ONE major store and a bunch of smaller stores that seem to have trouble staying there. The beauty supply store will do well. But what about the other so called major stores? T MOBILE and Footlocker are not my idea of major stores. The MAJOR store is WAL MART. Thats not economic progress. Thats not growth for the city. Don't hold your breathe for that Outlet Mall either. Wal Mart was supposed to come in 1990. Not long after or before the one in Matteson opened. It came in 2006. Lol. 15-16 years after it was promised and written in the City Newsletter. Why do you think CCH is so late in getting in on the Mc Mansion band wagon? Cause the city watched all the money drive right past them into Matteson. Straight down Cicero into Matteson. After watching EVERYTHING from shopping, dining and home buyers by pass them for Matteson the they got smart. Threw up some MC Mansions along Cicero. Did you know that South Suburban Hospital in HAZEL CREST was supposed to be in CCH? Did you know that the people of CCH decided not to have REAL business in their city for the longest time INTENTIONALLY. THEN had to beg plead and sign away a thousand years worth of tax revenue just to lure the few businesses they have?? The movie theatre was supposed to be there in the late eighties. It came in 1996 or 1995. Lol. So theres your economic progress. 15 to 20 years per development. With four and five decades with ZERO economic growth. THATS why I wouldnt by there. LIKE I SAID. If you like CCH stay there. and God Bless.

It is impossible to hike property taxes 12%, let alone 44! Can you imagine the uproar of the citizens of Country Club Hills?!?!? I don't believe you even wasted your time posting craziness like that. Anyone with sense quickly dismisses those claims.

As for the "so few" whites, why do you care? Are you white? Black? Hispanic? And even if you are all or none, what difference does it make?

Country Club Hills is a middle class, democratic suburb. No BS about it. I live around retired bus drivers, teachers, doctors, nurses, some public workers, a few mailmen, There's a guy in this area who has a few Cadillacs and Mercedes. There's a lady who lives near me with a Ford, BMW and a Mercedes coupe.

So, where is the so called myth that we can't all live in harmony? I rarely have any problems living here, shopping here, riding my bike, driving etc.

Many people skate, ride bikes, walk, jog and everything else around here. I smile, wave back, and continue on to my destination.

[mddy372]

Hello My family moved to Hazel Crest in 1960 and lived there until 2004. I have two family members who reside in HC but plan to move. Old Hazel Crest homes have lost value and some boarded up. However, there is New Hazel Crest around Kedzie you may want to find a home.

We lived in Old Hazel Crest where homes are vandalized and I definitely know that robberies occur because of family members who live there. The police department is very good but crime still prevails. Crack houses are known in the old part of Hazel Crest between 170th and Page and Western.

I went online to Hazel Crest Illinois Population and found that 14 sex offenders live in Hazel Crest. I suggest you check online regarding this Village. and you will find other info regarding taxes as well.

Also, I suggest you look at homes further west such as Mokena which is an awesome suburb or Tinley Park. I feel you will not gain equity in a home bought in Hazel Crest.

Originally Posted by Abrazame

My and my husband have two kids, and currently live near the downtown area of chicago. We are planning to move to the south suburbs due to a job offer my husband has recieved. We were thinking about buying a house in Hazel Crest. can anyone tell me about the schools, shopping, etc?

Please, i do not want to hear anything like ''don't move there! There are BLACK PEOPLE! (gasp!).

I need honest ( non racist or biased ) opinions please.

Information on things like taxes will be good as well.



Thanks.

[Abrazame]

Thank you all who responded. I'm STILL unfortunately trying to make a decision. Right now, it's between homewood, hazel crest, and Glenwood. I have a family member that lives in glenwood, and she seems to like it pretty well.

[deechee]

Originally Posted by Abrazame

Thank you all who responded. I'm STILL unfortunately trying to make a decision. Right now, it's between homewood, hazel crest, and Glenwood. I have a family member that lives in glenwood, and she seems to like it pretty well.

Your best options are Homewood or Glenwood. Forget about Hazel Crest. And this is being for real.

[deechee]

So, what did the OP decide?

[edsg25]

Pottawatomie Hills used to be such a delightful neighborhood of small, starter like homes, but homes with character...no tract home look.

How is it today?

[deechee]

Originally Posted by edsg25

Pottawatomie Hills used to be such a delightful neighborhood of small, starter like homes, but homes with character...no tract home look.

How is it today?

Still not a bad place to live. I have never lived there, but my best friend did about four years ago. He loved it and actually recommended it to someone else. However, residency for a Chicago job made him move.

I drive through there sometimes. I have a cousin or two over there. That and the houses off 183rd near Pulaski and the ones near 183rd and Kedzie (behind Grande Prairie Library) are the few areas I would recommend in Hazel Crest. They have a Flossmoor feel to them, but they aren't expensive like Flossmoor.

[adodles]

I live in Hazel Crest accross the street from Advocate South Suburban Hospital which somehow got overlooked as a business in this thread. There are a number of medical and medical related business that have also been overlooked. For the record I am on the east side of CCH in Homewood Garden Estates. Some of my neighbors have lived here more than 60 years--there is very little turnover in our area--so you won't find many sales statistics. I will tell you that we have been offered substantial amounts of money for our property over the years. The last time we met as a group, there were 20 property owners, 1 African American and 1 multiracial, the rest white.

As for the crime statistics, any community can have an incident or a series of incidents. To have any real statistical value, the information has to be compared over time.

Finally, Mae Jemison school, which serves many CCH children, was built in 2000 and opened its doors in the fall of 2001.

[whitecollarboy]

Hazel Crest is actually pretty good. Like all middle class African American suburbs it always borders the "undesirable," african americans right next too it. They have two huge expressways and shopping centers that keep them divided. Hazel Crest and Country Club Hills are like the model family builds for the Cosby Families of America. However, they still have some families that are more like WHAT HAPPEN TO YOU? But for the most part its nurses, doctors, lawyers, preachers, construction business owners etc. Its a stable community.

Hazel Crest has gorgeous houses closer to 175th. They have creeks, streams, lakes, and gorgeous parks to take your children too. In the winter the children tend to ski and sledd on the "Big Apple." However, I tend to favor Homewood.