[eli_p]

Just got back from ANOTHER great weekend in New Buffalo. Absolutely fell in love with this little beach community.

I work on the far South Side of Chicago, family has a nice combined income of ($120k+), and we are looking to purchase a home within the next year.

Driving back from New Buffalo it took me 45 minutes to get from Exit 1 in Michigan (New Buffalo exit) to the Cicero Ave exit where I work.

Is it a completely nutty idea to think that I could commute daily from New Buffalo to the south suburbs? I'd be willing to choke down an hour commute to live the lifestyle I want to live in New Buffalo. I think it would be a worthy trade off.

I live in the western burbs now and the home prices in New Buffalo are quite reasonable in comparison.

Thoughts? Have you ever heard of anyone making this commute?

[notdeconcentrate]

How long is your commute now? It doesn't SEEM that bad an idea, but when you add traffic & snow in the winter, it could get old quickly. If you could work from home a day or so a week, that would definitely be a bonus. Not sure if it's feasible to take the South Shore train from Michigan City to the L to your work, or how much longer that would take than driving, but it could be an option.

[notdeconcentrate]

Amtrak as another option:

Train makes New Buffalo-to-Chicago commute possible
Harbor Country News > Archives > News > Train makes New Buffalo-to-Chicago commute possible

Also, I'd check into a carpool, not that I'd want to waste that much of my life driving back and forth to work. However, I'd never have imagined that there are like 3 carpools from Grand Rapids to where I work in St. Joe, and it only cost each person in a 7 passenger van (rented from The Rapid public transit) $100 a month.

[darstar]

In Years past, many people from all over Chicago land have had a connection with New Buffalo. Personally back in the 70s I kept my sailboat in New Buffalo and worked /lived in western burbs ( Lisle). We spent mostly Friday PM until ether Sun.PM or Mon. AM on the boat. It was a great way to relax , I looked forward to the week-ends in New Buffalo and in those days it was much less commercial than it is now. The Monday AM return was the best, much less traffic always.
There were many of us doing this due to the unavailability of boat slips on the Chicago side. Cost was also a factor as the Marina was nice and laid back those days in New Buffalo...... However, I did not or would not live the entire week in SW Mi.It would get old fast, same as today. You loose the charm, the get a way feel by spending too much time there, always the case. I would discourage your idea for these reasons. I know, it was long ago the 80s , but little has changed, including the traffic. Note: many years later I DID buy a home in South Haven area, lived there 5 years, and hated it ! I feel I wasted 5 years of my life ( senior) doing this. It was way too rural for me. Just too much of some things and too little of the rest. I moved to Upper Michigan ( Marquette) 4 years ago, I love it here ,best place I have ever lived, but, that's another story.

[runner-guy]

Probably not totally out of the question, but you would want to consider lake effect snow in the winter. I'm sure it could get pretty nasty along that route. Michigan's income tax and sales tax rates are lower than Illinois, so that is a benefit.

[darstar]

Originally Posted by runner-guy

Probably not totally out of the question, but you would want to consider lake effect snow in the winter. I'm sure it could get pretty nasty along that route. Michigan's income tax and sales tax rates are lower than Illinois, so that is a benefit.

Not so much for property tax....as a comparison to Indiana. Yes the snows of 1-194 & 1-94 are famous for their severity and plenty of accidents. Not so much of that in New Buffalo other than the immediate area also shares the wrath of Lake effect as does La Porte County in Indiana.

[Michigantown]

I remember when New buffalo got 3 ft of random lake effect snow.

[Softballfan]

Just remember New Buffalo is great RIGHT NOW, in the middle of summer. But like all beach communities its a ghost town in the winter. Its just another place. And the drive would get monotonous for you I would imagine.

The 45 minute commute you mentioned, was that on a Sunday or during a weekday rush hour? Trafffic is always lighter on Sundays.

Still its your decision, Im just not a fan of commutes longer than 20-30 minutes to work.

[darstar]

The train must be a great way to go from NewBuffalo . Am track only stops in Kazoo. If you work in Chicago loop, the north shore rail commuter would be the best way to go. There is also hydrofoil water taxi , but it departs further north and so far only lands in Milwaukee.
On another note, owning a home in SW Mi. Can be quite expensive tax wise, unless you can qualify for homestead. I know people who have a summer place in Mi. And claim homestead as they declare their sessional home as a principal residence. You can not claim Homestead in two places, legally .

[notdeconcentrate]

Originally Posted by darstar

The train must be a great way to go from NewBuffalo . Am track only stops in Kazoo. If you work in Chicago loop, the north shore rail commuter would be the best way to go. There is also hydrofoil water taxi , but it departs further north and so far only lands in Milwaukee.
On another note, owning a home in SW Mi. Can be quite expensive tax wise, unless you can qualify for homestead. I know people who have a summer place in Mi. And claim homestead as they declare their sessional home as a principal residence. You can not claim Homestead in two places, legally .

There are Amtrak "stations" in New Buffalo, St. Joe, and Bangor, but according to the website the NB to Chicago trip doesn't have an early train. I know South Shore does, and it's only $8 each way. Amtrak is saying $14 each way.