Batavia/Lombard resale potential for a starter home? (Chicago, Aurora: hardwood floors, apartment)

[Mid America Mom]

My husband landed a job near Fox Valley Mall in Aurora. Debating if doing the long distance thing or moving. Part of the ... what about moving up in 5 years?

I have been leaning toward Batavia and Lombard for buying a single family starter home.
Which do you think is a better investment? They are quite different.
This is what I have formulated:

Lombard is appealing due to being closer to the city and highways and metra. 1920's on up housing stock. Schools are OK.

Batavia has more charm, better schools, a wide range of housing stock age (1800 to newer), and basically on the fringe of the metropolitan area.


Thanks!

*Those who follow the forum will find that a few months back I was starting to look for a place (job in DG that did not materialize). At that time I concluded that being North or east is best for us (family in the far NW).

[chet everett]

I hope things work out for you!

Homes in Batavia are likely to be approximately equal in midterm resale appeal to those in Lombard. There are fair number of newer and undated homes in Lombard and employment prospects nearby is mostly solid -- Oak Brook, Downers Grove, Lombard itself all have good mix of office oriented developments as well as wide range of retail centers. Batavia has some home with charming older features (it was once the Kane Co seat...) as well as homes developed when Fermilab was booming and homes from the early 2000 run-up in housing. Employment at the lab is down but not completely gone and the general health of many employers around Batavia is pretty good. Retailing is not as solid as other areas but the trade off is a little more of "country feel" which does appeal to many buyers...

Of course if you need access to Chicago the direct Metra service is a plus for Lombard over Batavia but folks I have known have relied on UP-W line service from West Chicago so that is possibility.

[Mid America Mom]

Thank You!

[NCbound?]

I grew up in Lombard and now have lived in Batavia. If you don't mind being a bit further out of the metro area I would go with Batavia. The schools are very good, that is why we moved here. You have the charm of the fox river for biking, running, etc. It's a bit more charming than Lombard. Less congested. Good shopping along Randall road. Hop the train in neigboring Geneva and you are on your way to the city. The city is safe. It's a small town feel. You cannot go wrong buying a starter home here...because the lower price range homes generally don't stay on the market long. Good luck to you.

[yousah]

Both are nice, but Batavia has newer housing and there are still some open areas to the west that allow for new construction to be built which helps maintain values. No need on fighting traffic driving from Lombard every day.

[Mid America Mom]

Update! Batavia is it. Looking into what they had to offer and the location to 88/ fox valley mall we really wanted to live there. We were drawn to the river of course and : fox river bike / hike trail, swimming at the Quarry Park in the summer, skate on the pond near the batavia depot museum, Water Street Studios for artists / art education and Albight theatre , the funway indoor/outdoor amusement area, and this fall they won their class in the state football championships and we found that the town really rallied around these kids.

As for housing we wanted a starter home and were thrilled to find an old home (probably from the 20/30's) in great condition. Been watching Nicole Curtis on the Rehab Addict tv show for ideas! We have unpainted woodwork, clapboard siding and original windows, plaster, and hardwood floors. We had to sacrifice on kitchen and bath but they are serviceable and we will eventually work on them leaning toward something new but looking old and true to the home.

The town seems to be a mix of economics, new and old buildings, small town like and I find most that live here are unpretentious. Great place for us.

If anyone out there is moving to or interested in living here and has questions feel free to message! Mid America Mom

[yousah]

Just beware of lead paint (for certain in that age) and asbestos flooring and siding which is common in that age range.

[chet everett]

Sounds great! I'm sure you'll love Batavia.

No doubt any competent home inspector will be able to recommend appropriate tests for an older house to ensure it us safe; many homes built when things like lead based paint pigmentation were still in use have changed hands in more recent era when other owners have remedied any such things.

[yousah]

She mentioned the clapboard siding which is not of recent vintage. Almost every old house that I've appraised in Batavia that had old siding was of asbestos composition.

[Mid America Mom]

Ah- we were homeowners of an old place before so aware of what we could face. This siding is not asbestos (these days I can spot that a mile away). Most walls have wallpaper. Boiler with unwrapped pipes. We did have some knob and tube wiring that had to be replaced before closing. What I wished for was copper pipe but that was not to be.

I love plaster. This will be our third place with it. Sound deadening and gives texture to a room (and one apartment we had with boiler heat and plaster walls and 70's windows- I swear the rooms were warmer than drywall in the winter).

Later everyone!