Originally Posted by
NFLUALNFL
A decent compromise between city for fun and 'burbs for schools/kids is being close to a Metra line. You might look at Geneva, Batavia or St Charles. All are less than an hour to the parking lot. Schools are almost all good, some are great, try to avoid U-46; it's an amalgam of Elgin, Bartlett, Wayne and a few other towns.
Be aware, annual property taxes will be about 2% of your house's purchase price. All of the collar counties are at or near this rate, Cook is lower.
Enjoy the honest, cheap, effective government !
The property taxes in IL are rediculous! I live in Shorewood...down by Joliet, and my wife and I are looking for a larger house in this area and a 3400-4000 SF house that we are looking at is $450,000. Not too bad of a price for the house but property taxes are $15K a year. So I have to plan an extra $1300 a month into the payment just for frickin taxes.