Family friendly town (Chicago: mortgage, buying a house, buying)

[kel9798]

We are considering a move back to IL from AZ. We have had enough of this desert heat! We have two school age kids, so looking for a family friendly area in the central to southern part of the state. We are originally from Northern Illinois. Is the weather pretty much the same or is it warmer in central or southern IL?
What town would you suggest?
Just some more info of what we are looking for.... We want to sell our house here and pay cash for a house there. We will have about $130k. We are ok with a smaller, older home as long as it's in a nice area. I am on disability and if we have no mortgage, my husband can really just do any job. He isn't an office kind of guy. Honestly, he would like to get into the medical marijuana field.
So, where would you suggest we look?
Thank you for any advice!

[MSchemist80]

I'd go for TN or IN instead unless having a govt that sends out 5 figure property tax bills and is still nearing fiscal collapse appeals to you.

[jasperhobbs]

Originally Posted by MSchemist80

I'd go for TN or IN instead unless having a govt that sends out 5 figure property tax bills and is still nearing fiscal collapse appeals to you.

I don't understand why people don't take their own advice.

[kel9798]

TN is top on our list too. However, we have family and friends in IL

[MSchemist80]

The distance from N to S Illinois is about the same as the distance from IN-IL

[kel9798]

Originally Posted by MSchemist80

The distance from N to S Illinois is about the same as the distance from IN-IL

IN wasn't on our list of places, but I will have to look into there too. We are just starting to consider a move, so we are checking out all of our options right now.
Our biggest push to move is that houses here in A have sky rocketed! We can sell our house here and pay cash for a house somewhere else. It will be an older, smaller house, but we like the small country farming type communities and to have no mortgage sounds amazing to me! Plus no more 115 degree summers.

[MSchemist80]

Housing values in Illinois are depressed as a result of skyrocketing property taxes. You can get an affordable home but you may be paying >$10k/yr in property taxes. As can be seen on this chart, Illinois home values have not even recovered to their 2007 peak 14 years later and Chicago has been the second worst performing metro market (St. Louis is the worst). Buying a house in Illinois is likely not going to be a good investment.

[kel9798]

Originally Posted by MSchemist80

Housing values in Illinois are depressed as a result of skyrocketing property taxes. You can get an affordable home but you may be paying >$10k/yr in property taxes. As can be seen on this chart, Illinois home values have not even recovered to their 2007 peak 14 years later and Chicago has been the second worst performing metro market (St. Louis is the worst). Buying a house in Illinois is likely not going to be a good investment.

I know closer to Chicago has higher taxes. Are taxes that high in southern IL as well? When looking through Zillow, it looks way lower in central and southern IL.

[jasperhobbs]

Taxes are not over $10,000 in all of Illinois. Mostly Chicago area

[Sunbiz1]

Originally Posted by kel9798

Honestly, he would like to get into the medical marijuana field.
So, where would you suggest we look?

Are you referring to education, or employment?.