Recommendations for West suburbs (Chicago, Naperville: apartment complexes, rental, condos)

[f.cerberus]

Hey everyone,

Seems like I might be moving near Chicago - work location is Naperville but I will be flying to other locations most of the time (in the last year my "I'm going to move there" has changed from DC to Raleigh to now Chicago... joys of job search)

Three things are important to me, in this order of priority

1. School district - excellent schools is must - both elementary and middle. I wouldn't worry about high at this point.

2. Closer to IT hubs / tech companies - wife may be looking for a IT job so a place with higher concentration would be a plus.

3. Proximity to O'Hare - closer the better as I will have to fly a lot. But (1) and (2) trump this requirement.

4. We're ethnically Indian, so having some access to grocery etc. not too far away is helpful

Closer to the major freeways or trains is an advantage. The company's relocation package is excellent, so I will have the opportunity to come there and scout the areas.

It seems Naperville fits the bill for 1 and 3 but I wasn't so sure about 2.

We will be renting, so house budgets are not a consideration for now. My rent budget is up to $1900. I could go higher but then I'd need a really, really good reason!

Would be great to hear your recommendations. Also if some of you are living in these areas and know of some excellent apartments from your own experience, that'd be great to know as well.

Thank you very much!

[TempesT68]

Along I-88 and the winfield/59 exits is one of the biggest IT corridors in the chicagoland area.

I think naperville fits the bill perfectly for everything you are looking for besides close access to O'hare.

[Domino369]

Just live in Naperville. You can't get better schools without going to Hinsdale, but you'll regret not living close to your job, as the lower commute that you have, the more time you have to spend with your family. Downers Grove ain't too bad, but if you can afford Naperville, why not.

[f.cerberus]

Thank you.

Wow, that's two strong votes for Naperville! Guess my prospective employer chose the right place

Next thing is to look for good spacious apartments in Naperville...

[Vasily]

Another vote for Naperville ... as the others say, it fits all your criteria ... there are Asian food stores around, a pretty large Indian population, and there are always a few Indian films playing at the local cineplex. I've lived here for 25 years, by the way.

A lot of people commute to downtown Chicago via train ... I've been doing so for several years and enjoy it because I can work or listen to music or read the whole way; so your wife might not want to exclude IT jobs in the Loop from her search. There are two stations in Naperville: one just north of downtown, the other out by Route 59.

For under $1900, you should be able to get a nice 3BR apartment or maybe even a rental home in Naperville. I rent in one of the more upscale complexes and pay $1100 for a one bedroom, but that's on the high end. Here are the apartment complexes I like the most in Naperville copied from my spreadsheet ... you can see what others have said about them at apartmentratings.com:

Grand Reserve, 504 Chamberlain Lane, Naperville IL 60540
Brookdale Lakes, 1812 Gowdey Rd, Naperville IL 60563
Arbors of Brookdale, 1373 Ivy Lane, Naperville IL 60563
Lincoln at the Parks, 1995 Yellowstone Drive, Naperville, IL 60563
Bristol Station, 704 Greenwood Circle, Naperville IL 60563
McDowell Place, 1647 Westminster Drive, Naperville IL 60563
Amli at Naperville, 803 Corday Drive, Naperville IL 60540
Autumn Run, 1627 Country Lakes Drive, Naperville IL 60563

[f.cerberus]

Hi Vasily,

That was very helpful, thanks. Another vote for Naperville I see, this makes my life rather simple!

My approach to apartments is going to be

a) shortlist schools
b) find apartments that are served by those schools
c) finalize based on those that meet any other of my criteria

I feel more comfortable now that we should find something we need. We don't want a big house - both wife and I prefer a smaller (between 12 and 1500 sq.ft.) unit that's easier to manage.

Appreciate all the input!

[divakat]

Originally Posted by TempesT68

Along I-88 and the winfield/59 exits is one of the biggest IT corridors in the chicagoland area.

I think naperville fits the bill perfectly for everything you are looking for besides close access to O'hare.

If you live close to I-88 in Naperville it will take about 40 minutes. That's my commute every day to work.

[f.cerberus]

It seems like Hinsdale is a fantastic place - but I can't seem to find apartments / condos / townhomes at any reasonable rent.

[TempesT68]

Originally Posted by f.cerberus

It seems like Hinsdale is a fantastic place - but I can't seem to find apartments / condos / townhomes at any reasonable rent.

Hinsdale is one of the most upscale/expensive cities in the chicago area. With your current budget I don't you will find anything to rent. Expect to pay at least double, if not triple what you are currently working with.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Domino369

You can't get better schools without going to Hinsdale...

Why does everyone always over-state the quality of Naperville's schools? They are (mostly) good, but "second only to Hinsdale" isn't really accurate.