Urban Chicago Family Living Choices (Naperville, Evanston: for sale, real estate, daycare)

[ElGales]

I am moving to Chicago from New York with my family (wife and 14 month old daughter) in the next month or so.

Despite our initial intention of moving to the suburbs (Naperville/Evanston), we have decided that we need to cut down commute times. I will work in Elk Grove Village (and travel alot) and my wife in Downtown Chicago.

I have heard very good things about Oak Park. Are there any other options available to us? (Trying to keep the commute to downtown as quick and painless as possible).

Looking for a safe established neighborhood, really good daycare options, and single family house around the $450K mark.

Your help is hugely appreciated. Thanks.

[Paul Ott-Caruth]

I just moved from Chicago. We lived in "Ravenswood Manor" neighborhood (near the brown line just west of the river, south of Lawrence, north of Montrose). It was very residential, safe and a great place for kids - a very old established Chicago neighborhood. We loved it there and only left because my career took us out of state. $450k is perhaps a bit light for a single family home, but you can probably find something - its good to be a buyer these days.

[Drover]

A commute from Oak Park to Elk Grove can be a little painful during standard commute times. I'd suggest the Glen Ellyn/Lombard. From there it's a straight shot up I-355/290 to Elk Grove by car and there will be far less congestion to fight than from Oak Park; and there is a Metra train station in both Glen Ellyn/Lombard that will scoot your wife right into downtown in about 40 to 45 minutes. Schools are good quality in both communities for when the kid is ready to start -- and that day will come before you know it!

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by ElGales

I am moving to Chicago from New York with my family (wife and 14 month old daughter) in the next month or so.

Despite our initial intention of moving to the suburbs (Naperville/Evanston), we have decided that we need to cut down commute times. I will work in Elk Grove Village (and travel alot) and my wife in Downtown Chicago.

I have heard very good things about Oak Park. Are there any other options available to us? (Trying to keep the commute to downtown as quick and painless as possible).

Looking for a safe established neighborhood, really good daycare options, and single family house around the $450K mark.

Your help is hugely appreciated. Thanks.

If you are checking out Oak Park, don't forget to look at neighboring Forest Park and Berwyn too. They have the same access to I-290 and the Loop and you get more house for your money. $450k should get you a great townhome in FP or a huge Chicago bungalow in Berwyn. In OP, that sum will be a bit light for anything but a very modest home. And the taxes are considerably lower too.

That said, this is a great area all the way around. It can't be beat for access. I don't agree that the commute to Elk Grove would be horrible. I-290 is a little tight heading west but once you get by Harlem (which is right where you can get on from Oak Park), the traffic flows pretty easily. I worked in the western 'burbs while living in Oak Park and the commute was nothing.

[ElGales]

Originally Posted by Paul Ott-Caruth

I just moved from Chicago. We lived in "Ravenswood Manor" neighborhood (near the brown line just west of the river, south of Lawrence, north of Montrose). It was very residential, safe and a great place for kids - a very old established Chicago neighborhood. We loved it there and only left because my career took us out of state. $450k is perhaps a bit light for a single family home, but you can probably find something - its good to be a buyer these days.

Hi there, thanks for the recommendation of Ravenswood Manor. It looks close in to the city which is great for the commute into Downtown.
How is the neighbourhood for daycare?
Would it be safe for my wife around the train station at night?
Is there a nice downtown area with restaurants and bars?
Can you recommend any real estate sites for this area?
Many thanks.

[mohammed wong]

Originally Posted by ElGales

Hi there, thanks for the recommendation of Ravenswood Manor. It looks close in to the city which is great for the commute into Downtown.
How is the neighbourhood for daycare?
Would it be safe for my wife around the train station at night?
Is there a nice downtown area with restaurants and bars?
Can you recommend any real estate sites for this area?
Many thanks.

dude check out the place,
its a desperate houswives wet dream IMHO
the governor lives there, how bad could it be?

seriously i love this area, and the EL is on the ground, so its quieter,
there are few neigborhoods as kid friendly as this one IMHO
and i have seen kid watching places around,

this is a hidden shangrila that many natives dont even know about.

I dont think Safety is much an issue there, but people let me know if im wrong.

i personally would just drive around the area, see if you like it,
and look at places for sale and try to talk the person out of using a real estate agent,

dealing with just the buyer will save you some cash.

ravenswood manor is sandwiched inbetween lawrence and irving park road
there is plenty of bars/restaurants around,
on western and lincoln squares downtown is right there,
drive east on lawrence and just when you past western make a right on the first street which is the continuation of linconl avenue

its a freaking beautiful area,

its what people who aspire to lincoln park status move to now,
because IMHO its equivalent in many many ways

[Drover]

Originally Posted by mohammed wong

ravenswood manor is sandwiched inbetween lawrence and irving park road

The sandwich is really smaller than that; more like between Lawrence and Montrose.

[Lookout Kid]

Yes, the Manor is nice. But you'll need more like $750,000 for a decent house there. It's pretty safe, though it's part of Albany Park which still has a few active gangs. I really wouldn't worry too much about safety on the Brown Line, however. It's definitely the safest branch of the "L", though big city common sense is definitely a must! The same goes for Oak Park and Forest Park, for that matter.