Any Chicago/Naperville experts? Relo advice wanted

[cg]

Looking at a possible opportunity in the area. Need to find a great neighborhood and school for the family. 2 young kids. Would appreciate any suggestions.

[Ultron]

Looking at a possible opportunity in the area. Need to find a great neighborhood and school for the family. 2 young kids. Would appreciate any suggestions.


Avoid Naperville....ridiculously shallow people, and they live in a vacuum there, plus it's way overcongested. Plenty of nice towns within DuPage County.....all depends on your pricepoint, and what type of town/people you're looking for.

[hclapp219]

North Shore has great schools, but is very pricey. Winnetka, Wilmette, Lake Forest, Highland Park, etc...

[Luke]

Here is independent school rankings:

http://www.psk12.com/rating/USindexphp/STATE_IL.html

[toneranger58]

Carol Steam, Wheaton area is very nice, Dupage County and very good schools. Have 2 homes down the street from us for sale, 15 years old, 4 bedrooms I believe and probaly around 390K. Far enough west of the city, but close enough to take the train in 55 Minutes.

[Mike Fleming]

Yeah how much do you want to spend? You don't have to live that far out there. Housing prices have come down pretty good. You could get a nice Oak Park house for low to mid 4s.

Of course if your job is out in DuPage then it makes sense to live out there. I'd probably lean toward Glen Ellyn or Elmhurst or something if i had to live in that area. Or go further out, like St. Charles if you like it a little more country.

[cg]

North Shore has great schools, but is very pricey. Winnetka, Wilmette, Lake Forest, Highland Park, etc...

Would love it, but the logistics wouldn't work.

[metropolis74]

Avoid Naperville....ridiculously shallow people, and they live in a vacuum there.....

HA! So true! I guess things haven't changed.
From 2000 to 2002 I lived right on the border between Naperville and Aurora, but my address was technically Aurora. Napervillians would snub their noses at me like I'm on the 'wrong side of the tracks' even though I'm almost literally right across the street from them. It was the same neighborhood! It wasn't like the bad part of Aurora.

Once on a flight coming into O'Hare I was chatting with the guy sitting next to me for a long while having a good ol' time. I ask where he is from and he says "Naperville". I say "well I'm right next door in Aurora". He than sarcastically says "I am sorry" in a Thurston Howell voice then gives me the cold shoulder the rest of the flight. Sorry for the rant, but F- Naperville.:mad:

[drgonzoguitar]

I went to school at NIU in DeKalb. My wife and I lived in Chicago for five years. Will you be working in the loop or in Naperville? St. Charles is a cool town with Metra access if you need to work in the loop.

[AmplifyMe]

Send an email I will be more than happy to talk about it.
Elmhurst has exceptional schools, great down to earth people, neat community, homes from 330K to 2M, great athletics and centrally located.
Naperville has one nice old established neighborhood surrounded by unattractive, over populated and a less than desirable vibe.
I would not want my kids growing up Northshore and I have many family members there.

[AnthonyL]

St. Charles, Geneva, Elburn, Sugar Grove are all very nice with good school systems...

[auralfeast]

Where would you be working? In that area, I'd much rather live in Glen Ellyn or Wheaton.

Closer to Chicago, you have a lot of nice, older options, like Elmhurst or Oak Park, and if you have mega bucks, places like Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Western Springs, Riverside or River Forest.

Illinois school report cards: http://webprod.isbe.net/ereportcard/publicsite/getsearchcriteria.aspx. (http://webprod.isbe.net/ereportcard/publicsite/getsearchcriteria.aspx)

[pickaguitar]

Anyone from Naperville here to speak up? You're getting slammed :)

[Badfinger]

Eh, screw the 'burbs and live in the city! In my 'hood, kids growing up have the choice of The Latin Kings or the Two Sixers! Nothing like having a million dollar house next to an abandoned crack house, surrounded by every cross-section of society. And hey, I'm not complaining!:boxer

[Ultron]

It all depends on where your job is. Towns like St. Charles are very nice, but if you ever need to get into the city (Chicago), forget it. There are no major highways near there...it takes forever to get to that area. I could not sit on a train for over an hour each way to Chicago....brutal.

Wheaton is a nice town, but a little too conservative and whitebread for me....plus, it's full of Stepford Wives there. Glen Ellyn is ridiculously expensive (homes and taxes). SouthEast DuPage (Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, BurrRidge) is big money too.

[dumbell78]

I love St Charles, and Geneva if you are looking in that area. Nice small town feel that is close enough to the city when you want it. Schools, parks, etc. great for family living! Im an appraiser so Ive seen them all, and recommend those two towns as a great starting point for you.

[Cpt. Picard]

Anyone from Naperville here to speak up? You're getting slammed :)

I'll not debase myself to conversation with such ruffians, even on the internet!

;)

[Ultron]

I love St Charles, and Geneva if you are looking in that area. Nice small town feel that is close enough to the city when you want it. Schools, parks, etc. great for family living! Im an appraiser so Ive seen them all, and recommend those two towns as a great starting point for you.


I love Geneva, its a pretty town, and it has one of my favorite taco joints ever (Bien Trucha)....but there is no way I'd work in downtown Chicago and make that commute in every day.....no way.

Not to mention there is a serious teen heroin problem growing in the St.Charles/Geneva area.

[wurs]

Check out the South west part of Chicago. 12 miles from downtown but still part of the city. Schools...Well private is the way to go here. Plus you don't have the parking probles of the north side.

[Ted Witcher]

Grew up there. Nothing wrong with it, but it's suburban in all senses. Public schools are good, though.

[YoungAmerican]

If you're looking to move to the 'burbs, try Downers Grove instead. A little cheaper, and a little less shallow than Naperthrill.

[drgonzoguitar]

It all depends on where your job is. Towns like St. Charles are very nice, but if you ever need to get into the city (Chicago), forget it. There are no major highways near there...it takes forever to get to that area. I could not sit on a train for over an hour each way to Chicago....brutal.

Wheaton is a nice town, but a little too conservative and whitebread for me....plus, it's full of Stepford Wives there. Glen Ellyn is ridiculously expensive (homes and taxes). SouthEast DuPage (Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, BurrRidge) is big money too.

I actually commuted from Chicago (Edgewater & Lincoln Square neighborhoods) to DeKalb for year (school...then work at the College of Liberal Arts). Yes, I was absolutely insane (the things you do for love). I would have killed for a hour on the Metra.

No matter where you go, you will miss the property taxes of St. Paul. My sister-in-law just moved back to the area. They are buying a house in Libertyville. Cool community with fairly priced houses.

[jetsnation]

I love Geneva, its a pretty town, and it has one of my favorite taco joints ever (Bien Trucha)....but there is no way I'd work in downtown Chicago and make that commute in every day.....no way.

Not to mention there is a serious teen heroin problem growing in the St.Charles/Geneva area.

I lived in Geneva from 94 to 04, was darn happy to get out. St. Charles and Geneva are pretty towns, but once the suburbs caught up, both main streets and Randall Road became complete gridlock. New construction west of Randall Road just killed the area.

I moved to Geneva in May 1994. Ironically, the Venture store on Randall Road opened the weekend I moved in and it was the only store on Randall Road between Geneva and Batavia. Now there are probably 200.

I know it's cool not to like Naperville, but I see very little difference between Naperville and Geneva/St. Charles these days. Same snob factor as well.

I'd choose Napervile just because there are great, short, express trains into the city. Geneva train took an hour and six minutes, I took it every day and it was a drag. Geneva and St. Charles are also located pretty far from the expressways. I'd also consider Elmhurst for the shorter train ride.

As for the drugs, all wealthy suburbs have them. Some just try to sweep it under the rug and not talk about them.

[cg]

Thanks for the advice! May be happening soon....

[Ultron]

Thanks for the advice! May be happening soon....


find a town?

[cg]

find a town?

Still looking at options.

[Trout]

St. Charles, Geneva, Elburn, Sugar Grove are all very nice with good school systems...

Blackberry Creek, Elburn

End of the Metra Line, a mile to the train station, 6 miles to I88 and tons of 5-6 year old homes that have dropped well below original build cost.

Lots of short sells, foreclosures, = Bargain prices.

The guy next door to me spent $300.000+ on his house 5.5 years ago, has kept it maintained perfectly, for sale right this second for $240.000
http://www.bairdwarner.com/real-estate/il/elburn/07448116.cfm

4 Bedroom 2 bath 5 years old $195.000
http://www.kw.com/homes-for-sale/60119/IL/ELBURN/815-KINDBERG-Court/3yd-MREDIL-07554058.html

[dohootowl]

Yeah how much do you want to spend? You don't have to live that far out there. Housing prices have come down pretty good. You could get a nice Oak Park house for low to mid 4s.

Of course if your job is out in DuPage then it makes sense to live out there. I'd probably lean toward Glen Ellyn or Elmhurst or something if i had to live in that area. Or go further out, like St. Charles if you like it a little more country.

I LOVE St. Charles and Geneva. That would be my recommendation, but it is out there and I don't know of much live music around the area. I stayed in Schaumburg for 5 months and couldn't find any there, either. That's the only downside.

[Sandy]

Where would you be working? In that area, I'd much rather live in Glen Ellyn or Wheaton.

Closer to Chicago, you have a lot of nice, older options, like Elmhurst or Oak Park, and if you have mega bucks, places like Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Western Springs, Riverside or River Forest.

Illinois school report cards: http://webprod.isbe.net/ereportcard/publicsite/getsearchcriteria.aspx. (http://webprod.isbe.net/ereportcard/publicsite/getsearchcriteria.aspx)

I lived out in Western Springs for 9 years and loved it. It's a great little village right on the Burlington Northern train line. Hinsdale is the next town over, a tad pricier, La Grange wasn't as expensive, but I left in 1996. IIRC taxes in Cook are cheaper than DuPage.

[pedalcr8z]

Give Mark Baier from Victoria amps a call at the factory I'm sure he'd be glad to assist you as the factory is in Naperville and he lives there also.

[harryjmic]

I feel for all you hicks, out there in the boonies. :D When I was looking I liked Glen Ellyn, but decided on Chicago instead, I am much happier, but also don't have kids. I love my neighborhood as it's a hidden gem, sorry I'm not telling anything more. :hide2