Planning to move to Northwest suburb - need help (Chicago: real estate, condo)

[sranugraha]

Hi

I am new to this site, but have learnt a lot wading through all the information posted. need your help in making a decision.

I am presently living in one of the Milwaukee suburbs but thinking of relocating to IL and settle into a suburb like Lincolnshire, keeping in mind the following assumptions/priorities in that order:

1. Wanted one of my kids to get into the Daniel Wright Middle school if possible
2. Looking for a home under 250k with 3BR if possible, willing to compromise on property features as long as #1 and the price point is satisfied.
3. I do not want my choices to be constrained by my job or commute at this point; willing to live with the pain of a longer commute until i can settle down in a permanent job within a 20-30 radius of this suburb.

DO you think that the above requirements are reasonable? i want to make a decision before the next school year begins. Appreciate your help and suggestions, thanks!!

[chet everett]

That is the only JR High / Middle School in Lincolshire-Praireview SD103. You can have a real estate agent look for homes in that district. There is not a whole lot of inventory currently matching your criteria...

22959 N PRAIRIE Ln, PRAIRIE VIEW, IL 60069 | MLS# 07992246

[Orangeish]

Just to focus on the employment side of things, Lincolnshire is a very busy corporate area, as are parts of deerfield, vernon hills and other burbs near by. There are lots of employment ops in this area with just about any type of professional experience.

[SBD]

a $250k home in Lincolnshire is going to be tough to come by. You may be avle to find a distressed home or one in serious need of TLC. Great school district so I can appreciate why you want your children there. You may be able to find a townhome or condo in the area that feeds in to the district...I believe a sliver of Vernon Hills does. But yes, as mentioned by another poster, I would work with an agent who specializes in the area. Good luck with your move!

[sranugraha]

Thanks all! I used to live in Naperville 5 years ago in an apt before the recession hit; The school districts between Lincolnshire and Naperville seem comparable with some great blue ribbon schools From a real estate perspective, i see that the average rate/sq ft and the property taxes in naperville are lower in comparison, however from a employment POV, i do agree with Orangiesh there are a lot of corporates around this northern and northwest corridor accessible within a 45 min commute;

will check with an agent to try my luck :-)

[cubssoxfan]

Target a job that keeps you within a reasonable commute of Lincolnshire. It could be in a nearby suburb or a job in downtown Chicago that allows you to commute via Metra. GET THE JOB FIRST. If you end up with an awesome job in Oak Brook, living in Lincolnshire may not be the best choice. IMO, there are enough quality school districts that limiting yourself to Lincolnshire regardless of where employment is, is not wise. Neither is limiting yourself to employment in Lincolnshire area.

[sranugraha]

Thanks Cubsoxfan, will keep that mind.
With respect to the homes around Lincolnshire and Buffalo Grove, i do understand from the forum that overall property taxes are pretty high here in Chicago relative to other states. However i find that the association fees for the townhome properties are steep as well; As i am looking through redfin with my parameters, some of the homes have them as high as $450!! There are others in the same area going for $250 a month for association dues; Can some one on the forum help me with understanding this? How are these fees set? Do they rise with inflation? any room for negotiating this down?

Thanks for your help!!