Close areas to buy a lakehouse/rural property in Illinois? (Chicago: hotels, vacation home)

[doodlemagic]

This past weekend was up in the upper peninsula in Michigan camping and hiking. Just out of curiosity started looking into properties and was shocked to see you can get acres with lake superior frontage for under 100k. Got me thinking it would be nice to have a lakehouse or even a rural wooded lot as a weekend getaway. As tempting as that is it's just too far to keep an eye on things and makeit out there often enough to enjoy.

I was curious in some areas within say 3 hour max ideally a bit closer drive from Chicago to have ideally a lakehouse but maybe even just a wooded property. SW Michigan is awesome but expensive, I'm not really familiar with much of Indiana, Northern Illinois seems like mostly farmland.

Ideally looking for something less than 3 hours from Chicago and say under 150k if that's even doable.

[westcoastforme]

Only lake I know of is Lake Carrol about 90 minutes from aurora. Not too many trees but there are some. More of a community, but the lake is really nice.

[Maintainschaos]

Chain-o-Lakes region in the far-flug NW burbs could work, but not sure about that price range.

[chet everett]

Lake Schafer near Monticello IN has some good affordable vacation homes and is withing 3 hrs (time change though...)

Ottawa IL has a combination of rural and vacation-oriented parcels near the State Parks close to the Illinois River... https://www.yellowpages.com/ottawa-il/state-parks

[doodlemagic]

Originally Posted by Maintainschaos

Chain-o-Lakes region in the far-flug NW burbs could work, but not sure about that price range.

Not a bad area, I have cousins with a lake house up there, prices are pretty reasonable as well 100k to 150k for a pretty decent house on a channel.

[doodlemagic]

Originally Posted by chet everett

Lake Schafer near Monticello IN has some good affordable vacation homes and is withing 3 hrs (time change though...)

Ottawa IL has a combination of rural and vacation-oriented parcels near the State Parks close to the Illinois River... https://www.yellowpages.com/ottawa-il/state-parks

Funny you meniton Shafer Lake, used to go there as a kid. We loved going there but always joked it was a dump the hotels used to be really run down and you could literally brush your teeth at the sink from your bed at many. I've heard its improved alot. We were thinking about taking a nostolgic family trip back there next summer

[chup04]

Originally Posted by doodlemagic

Ideally looking for something less than 3 hours from Chicago and say under 150k if that's even doable.

Galena, Illinois and the "driftless area" in Illinois and Wisconsin are right around your 2-3 hour mark, depending on exactlly where you are in Chicagoland. Plenty of affordable homes on wooded lots throughout the area. A few lakefront too, but those are more expensive. Either way, a beautiful area.

[Liledgy]

Frankfort, Manhatten, Wilmington and minooka (far s/w burbs)all have waterski lakes (slalom courses and jumps). Near Morris il is goose lake (Lincoln lake) a larger lake with lots of channels for skiing, fishing etc. Near Gardner/South Wilmington (il) area is Lake Greenfield it's an old strip mine lake (extremely clean water) lots are a minimum of 5 acres up to maybe 15 acres. They also have fishing and skiing (slalom course too). All are private low (boat) traffic lakes with the exception of Goose lake which is private but allow off the lake properties (still part of Goose lake association) access to the lake(s), their are 3, goose ,Lincoln and beaver.

[DougStark]

I'd look in Wisconsin if I were you (except ultra expensive Lake Geneva.) Wisconsin is a lot prettier than IL and in better financial shape.