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Old 05-05-2015, 10:11 AM
 
28,455 posts, read 85,346,203 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trodgers View Post
350,000 will probably be our max.
IF you are willing to shop a bit and find a house that is probably not as new / updated as the most costly neighbors you absolutely can find a decent home in the area served by Hinsdale Central. While it is not a particularly "small" high school I will argue that because it does serve a very wide range of student AND it is well staffed / smaller than some of the other schools it is worth compromising on a house.

The range of classes offered is quite impressive. Excellent options from AP to honors to regular and special education, you will find some kids in each level of classes that are coming from very affluent backgrounds AS WELL AS a somewhat surprising range of kids that come from much more modest backgrounds. The reasons for this have to do with how the district attendance boundaries are laid out -- though a large part of the district includes feeder districts in Oak Brook and Hinsdale, there are also a fair swath of much more affordable homes in towns like Willowbrook or Westmont.

Lots of opportunity for kids with talent to participate in well run interscholastic athletics, as well as some intramurals and an impressive range of clubs, most of which are headed up by faculty that show enormous sensitivity to kids using these opportunities to enhance their overall high school experience.

Frankly the smaller schools (like Riverside-Brookfield) just do not have as wide a range of opportunity. And none of the bigger schools (like Lyons Township, York, or the schools serving Naperville in D203 or surrounding town in D204) have as good a reputation for academics or extracurriculars.

Downsides? Cost of housing is high -- the $350K ceiling means you will have a much more limited range of choices. Many of the homes in the nicer towns will be more desired as "value in the land", and even if the home is habitable you will likely not do well fixing it up too much as even after updates it will STILL be more desired by builders that want to tear it down and replace it with new construction. If you and the rest and the family are OK with having one of the more modest homes in a nicer town this is very good option. Similarly if you shop around and find a home in a slightly more affordable area that is still part of the Hinsdale Central attendance area it will likely remain a very good financial decision as well the best academic option.
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Old 05-05-2015, 10:22 AM
 
Location: Tri-Cities
720 posts, read 1,083,671 times
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Or you can get a really nice house in the Fox Valley, with schools that are just a tick under Hinsdale Central. It's not the end-all-be-all school. All of the schools that h-worth mentioned are excellent, and you should have no hesitations sending your children to any of them.
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Old 05-05-2015, 10:27 AM
 
1,517 posts, read 2,342,548 times
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This is an outstanding value in a walk-to-everything (including high school) location in a beautiful north Glen Ellyn neighborhood:

593 Prairie Avenue GLEN ELLYN, IL 60137 | Redfin
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Old 05-05-2015, 10:28 AM
 
11,975 posts, read 31,780,988 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chet everett View Post
IF you are willing to shop a bit and find a house that is probably not as new / updated as the most costly neighbors you absolutely can find a decent home in the area served by Hinsdale Central.
Any house at $350k within that district is probably not worth living in.
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Old 05-05-2015, 10:30 AM
 
11,975 posts, read 31,780,988 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by holl1ngsworth View Post
This is an outstanding value in a walk-to-everything (including high school) location in a beautiful north Glen Ellyn neighborhood:

593 Prairie Avenue GLEN ELLYN, IL 60137 | Redfin

This one will not be around long.
That house has languished on the market for two years now. It makes me wonder what's wrong with the place, other than being a bit of an ugly duckling (I drive past regularly, and the photos make it look better than it is).
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Old 05-05-2015, 10:32 AM
 
1,517 posts, read 2,342,548 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lookout Kid View Post
That house has languished on the market for two years now. It makes me wonder what's wrong with the place, other than being a bit of an ugly duckling (I drive past regularly, and the photos make it look better than it is).
Can't beat the location.
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Old 05-05-2015, 10:45 AM
 
11,975 posts, read 31,780,988 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by holl1ngsworth View Post
Can't beat the location.
It's great in terms of proximity to downtown, and it's a good elementary school. Hawthorn is pretty busy, though. I'd prefer to be more interior on that block.
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Old 05-05-2015, 10:47 AM
 
1,517 posts, read 2,342,548 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lookout Kid View Post
It's great in terms of proximity to downtown, and it's a good elementary school. Hawthorn is pretty busy, though. I'd prefer to be more interior on that block.
You would know better than I, but I'd overlook a thru-street for the sake of the proximity. I'm sure the boys would appreciate being able to walk/bike to school and downtown GE hangouts.
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Old 05-05-2015, 12:01 PM
 
28,455 posts, read 85,346,203 times
Reputation: 18728
Default How wrong you are!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lookout Kid View Post
Any house at $350k within that district is probably not worth living in.
I was just reviewing some of these as potential "summer projects" for a pal that I used for fixing my rental homes -- now he thinks he and his adult daughter might be a good "fix & flip" or father & daughter landlord team and they are focused on Hinsdale Central (which is a much larger than just D181!) --

Somebody already lost their shirt on this place, their loss could be your gain -- http://www.redfin.com/IL/Westmont/22.../home/14158344

Here is a nice example of an "after", would rent or sell much better if furnished /staged, CRAZY low taxes! -- http://www.redfin.com/IL/Clarendon-H.../home/17129626

Nice and clean but a bit bland -- http://www.redfin.com/IL/Westmont/11.../home/14176799

Classic "value in the land" (heart of Hinsdale!) but completely habitable -- http://www.redfin.com/IL/Hinsdale/72.../home/14062045

Great location (inside D181!) and mostly well cared for, just dated as the day is long -- http://www.redfin.com/IL/Burr-Ridge/.../home/18019582
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Old 05-05-2015, 12:14 PM
 
5 posts, read 7,579 times
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Thank you for all of the in put. Where we move will highly reflect the school district. I been looking at Waubonise HS which received good reviews, Oswego HS, I haven't looked at reviews for West Aurora HS or S Elgin HS. Does anyone know about the HS? We are looking for 4 bedrooms, decent size yard we have a dog, would like 3,000 square feet or more, would like 5 year old house or new build might be willing to pay more.
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