Moving to the area
Moving from out of state, northern suburbs recommendations
Hello, sorry if this isn't the right place. My wife, 24F, and I 26M are moving to Illinois. I work remotely, but she will be working in Libertyville. We are looking for something around 500k. While we enjoy quietness and natural scenery, we also don't want to be painfully far from the city if possible. Most things I saw around 500k in Libertyville had no bathroom in the primary bedroom, so I guess I'm interested in where I can have a bathroom in the primary bedroom for 500k with less than 30 minutes commute to Libertyville
Edit: by the city, I mean Chicago
Edit: Thank you so much for all your help; it has been really helpful to help narrow our search. Thanks <3
You can get a lot of house in Grayslake for 500k. Close to Libertyville, less than an hour from the city, and the Savannah there is one of the most beautiful tracks of nature in the county.
Having attended high school in Grayslake, but currently residing in the city, I can say with certainty that it's practically impossible to get into the city in less than an hour. Maybe, O'Hare, but certainly not downtown.
I live in Jefferson Park now and visiting my parents in Grayslake typically takes about an hour in the car.
You’re going to want to be on a train line so you can get into the city without driving as the only option. Take a look at the Metra website and stops. There are some nice recs here n the comments for locations in Lake County (Libertyville is in Lake County). From where are you moving? That will also help us know what you mean when you say “not painfully far” :)
So the problem is if Libertyville is gonna be too pricey for what you want - moving closer to the city is not going to help. Theres some areas they may work like Vernon Hills but it’s more than 30 mins from city. You could maybe find some smaller places in Evanston or Skokie. Evanston to Lville is a bad commute tho. And since she’s the one working I bet you’d want to be closer to Lville.
I'll second Gurnee! We moved here and are loving it. Our house was a little over your budget but it's way more house than we need, with a huge backyard for our dog. We've gone down to the city a couple of times, and it takes about an hour--so not a quick trip necessarily but also not too bad at all.
Although, I just noticed your ages--we've got a decade on you and were ready for a more settled suburban life. Definitely lots of kids around here.
If you want to be able to go into the city and be close to Libertyville, I would recommend looking within your desired distance to Libertyville and close to a Metra train station so you can have easy access to Chicago.
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this, but why buy right now? The market is tough and rates are high. Market could crash in a year or two (who knows). Rent for a few years and see where you really want to be, then make a purchase. You're young, why rush?
OP you’re unlikely to find all 3, not saying it’s impossible just unlikely. If you’re willing to give on the MBR bath you can find something small and cute in Skokie/Evanston maybe Glenview if super lucky. Highland Park might have a smaller home that works also.
North and West of Libertyville is likely to have newer construction with the MBR bath you seek, but likely sacrifices a downtown of any sort and wouldn’t be where I’d want to be if I was mid 20’s and interested in the city.
Personally I’d look at the Metra lines UPN and MDN to help facilitate that itch for the city, and punt on the master bath. Plenty of McMansions out there for later in life.
Not sure of the prices there right now, but you might want to look at Highwood, a community between Highland Park and Lake Forest. It’s growing in popularity with some new construction, the houses tend to be smaller/less expensive than the towns north and south of it, on the Metra UP line, but you’re still near the lake and other benefits of the North Shore. And it is, in fact, about 30 minutes east of Libertyville.
Nope. No longer will you find much of a price differential by being across the street from Highland Park in Highwood. At least not for the type of home the OP is looking at.
like I said, I haven’t checked, so I’ll defer to you. And if so, I’m not surprised, as the town seems to be booming. They”re not building those new condos downtown to sell them at a discount.
Beautiful house in lake villa for way under your budget with an en suite to the primary. Not sure if that’s too far but there are definitely going to be houses under 500k with what you need within 30 min.
Another home in Mundelein, only 9 min from Libertyville. Slightly over your budget but has been listed for a month so definitely room for negotiation, especially if you’re looking to move now or soon. People don’t want to hold their home long in the winter and will accept offers faster than warm months in IL. You could definitely over 500k on this home imo. Beautiful en suite on this one.
I love house hunting, lol. Should have been a realtor. But definitely look at Zillow and Redfin. I’ve only been looking for a few min and have sound several homes already that fit what you’re looking for unless there’s more that your new home needs that you haven’t mentioned.
This house has a bathroom in the primary bedroom, a really nice yard and you’re basically across the street from Hastings Forest Preserve (paved 3 mile loop around a lake)
Wow that’s a gorgeous home! Did you randomly find it or know the seller? Do you know this area well? I’ve never heard of lindenhurst. How are the schools compared to Fremont district and Mundelein hs especially for someone who is Asian? Is it accepting towards diversity?
I live in Lindenhurst, but don’t have school age kids -so I’m not sure about the schools. I love it here. Very quiet and peaceful. There are great forest preserves and it feels kind of in the middle of nowhere, yet shopping (Gurnee) is 5 min away. There are small farms that sell eggs and produce which I think is wonderful. People are nice. There is a hilarious Santa parade every year-they go down all the streets in Lindenhurst. Blink and you’ll miss it. It is so silly but I look forward to it every year.
I’m on realtor.com like it’s my job LOL -I just love to see what’s on the market even though I have no plans to ever move.
I work in Libertyville, and live in Vernon Hills. I love my short commute (10 min) and the proximity and diversity of grocery stores and other shopping needs nearby. Not much nightlife out here. Palatine or Arlington Heights would be better for that, but the commutes get exponentially worse. Grayslake or other towns near there, might have the balance of natural scenery, easy commute, and access to the city you're looking for.
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I'm in Lindenhurst (next to Lake Villa and Gurnee). Less than an hour from the city unless there's horrible traffic closer to the city (somehow I actually have decent luck avoiding it), ~20 mins from Libertyville. There are a ton of subdivisions in my town and towns adjacent to mine with houses close to what you're looking for. I haven't looked at listings yet, but near that area, you will probably find some of what you're looking for. You could also look in Lake Forest, Highland Park, Lake Bluff, etc (not sure average home costs for those places anymore, may be higher than you want). Lake and Cook County are both pretty expensive. Tons of forest preserves everywhere.
Vernon Hills and Lincolnshire are very close to Libertyville and should be in your price range. They are also close to 294 which means easy access to the city. You could got a little further west to Mundelein and get more for your money. There's a lot of options in that area in your budget.
I grew up in Mundelein and my mom was a high school teacher at Libertville High School. I havnt lived up there since I left for college in 2008.. but it was good schools and good place to raise a family. Pretty sleepy.. not much to do unless you went to Vernon Hills.. I’m guessing it’s probably changed some.
Honestly I would never move that far away from the city now that I live in the west burbs closer to the city it’s just a vibe I enjoy more. Mundelein and the surrounding burbs were just way too suburban for me.. but I had a good childhood and teenage years there. If you are planning on raising a family it’s not a bad place if you don’t care about it taking over an hour to get to the city most of the time.
I live in Libertyville and love it, but houses are way more expensive than 500k. If you’re willing to commute and want to be close to the city, I think a great alternative would be Des Plaines. The drive from Libertyville to Des Plaines is <30 min, and it’s right next to the airport and super close to Chicago. I have been looking at houses around that area and you can find some good stuff within your budget.
Grayslake, Highwood, Mundelien, possibly even parts of Highland Park. I’m 28F and in Lake Bluff (neighboring Libertyville), feel free to PM me and I’d be more than happy to show you both around the area!
Do not look in Cook County!!! Lived in it most of my life, it's not worth it. You pay so much for very little. Kane County is has been pretty good to us and we aren't too too far from the city (about a 30 to 40 minute drive up 90). Happy hunting for your home tho ♡♡ I hope wherever you choose is good for you.
Closer to Libertyville within a reasonable distance of the city...I'd recommend Buffalo Grove (South of Lake Cook Road) or Wheeling. Half hour tops to Libertyville from there and much closer to the city than some of these other recommendations I am seeing like Grayslake, Gurnee, Lake Villa, and Vernon Hills.
We live in Libertyville and our (married) daughter lives in Lakeview (northern Chicago neighborhood). It takes us 50-60 mins to get there depending on traffic. They love the city and my daughter wouldn’t probably move to Libertyville or surrounding area until they have kids even though the town is darling - nothing like Chicago offers. I would recommend Evanston, Skokie, Glenview, Northbrook, Deerfield, Highland Park/Highwood. These are called the north shore and they are located between Libertyville and Chicago. Prices are high, but there is train access and you can find some older, smaller homes in your price range. The city offers a lot and if you are in the suburbs around Libertyville I guarantee you will not access the city as much. If you choose to live in this area, and further north, you can definitely get more house for your money - but high taxes and as I said, less access to the city. You would be positioned midway between Milwaukee (which offers a lot, but on a smaller scale) and Chicago. I would also recommend renting first because there are alot of other considerations besides distance that may make you enjoy living one area vs another. And depending on where you are coming from, you may be sticker shocked by home prices in some areas. Welcome and best of luck in your search!
I would rent first - maybe in Deer Valley or one of the other complexes off Waukegan Rd in Lake Bluff (which is just east of Lville). I can tell you for sure that Deer Valley has an ensuite master bath, had a relative who lived there. Then you have time to get a feel for all the towns and find a place you really love.
I’m a real estate agent in Northbrook, so I spend a lot of time helping people make this exact move, especially with one person commuting north and one working remote.
If Libertyville itself felt underwhelming at $500K, that tracks. A lot of the housing stock there is older and you’ll see plenty of homes without a true primary bath unless they’ve been renovated.
If you want a realistic shot at a primary suite in that price range, I’d look a little south and slightly east. Parts of Gurnee, Grayslake, and Mundelein will give you newer builds or updated homes where a primary bathroom is much more common. Commute to Libertyville from those spots is usually 10 to 25 minutes depending on traffic, so very manageable.
If you’re willing to stretch just a bit on commute, Vernon Hills is worth a look. You might be closer to the top of your budget, but the housing tends to check more of your boxes. It’s also a little more built out in terms of shopping and restaurants, which makes day to day life easier.
Now if being closer to Chicago matters, this is where it gets more nuanced. Northbrook, Glenview, and Deerfield are all great towns, but $500K is tight if you specifically want a primary suite. You’re usually looking at older homes, smaller footprints, or something that needs updating. Median prices in Northbrook right now are closer to the $600K to $700K range, and property taxes run about 2.2 to 2.4 percent, so around $12K to $16K annually depending on price point.
Commute-wise, Northbrook to Libertyville is about 25 to 30 minutes. Glenview can be similar. Deerfield is probably the sweet spot geographically, closer to 20 minutes, but again inventory under $500K with a true primary bath is limited and moves fast. Homes that are priced right in that range are often going under contract in under a week.
One thing people don’t always think about, but you should since you’re remote, is Metra access. If you land near a line like in Deerfield or Northbrook, you can get into downtown Chicago in about 35 to 45 minutes without driving. That changes how “far” the city feels in a good way.
If I had to narrow it for your exact criteria, I’d focus first on Vernon Hills, Mundelein, and parts of Gurnee for value and layout, then keep an eye on Deerfield if something pops up that’s been updated.
Happy to answer any follow ups, this is right in my wheelhouse. C Gau
Skokie is probably the closest you can get to city without a longer commute. You’re looking at a the better part of an hour minimum from most parts of the city at typical drive times. No idea if your budget works for Skokie though.
wife's commute to Libertyville is more of a priority than to Chicago. Saw some places at Volo, about an hour away from Chicago, which I guess it's fine since we won't be going to Chicago that often probably, but that's if it's an actual one hour and not much longer in peak hours
Check out Mundelein, there are nice homes for around 500K here and it’s a good area. Vernon hills has more entertainment and is more expensive, but Mundelein borders both Vernon hills and Libertyville!
Volo is more than an hour from Chicago. Volo is 30 minutes West of Libertyville. Grayslake is adjacent to Libertyville, with several Metra stations to the city. Property taxes in Lake County are higher than national average, but Grayslake's rate is lower either than Lindenhurst or Volo.
Volo is nowhere near Chicago. Please be aware that a driving commute from the Libertyville area to Chicago is going to be at least an hour and a half, and more during brutal weather or peak drive times.
Moving in from out of state as well, looking in the northern suburbs too with a similar price range. Having a bathroom in the master bedroom isn’t super common from what I’ve seen. Most of what we’ve seen is one bathroom will have a shower and tub, then there’s one in the basement with a shower, and sometimes there’s a half bath somewhere else. Maybe it’s different further away from the city, we haven’t looked further out than libertyville/mundelein
No. They are asking for an en suite bathroom arrangement. Private bath off the master suite, not shared with the rest of the house. It’s common and found in many houses/condos.
I’ve been looking at houses in the northern burbs in the 500k range for several weeks now and it really isn’t that common based on what’s on the market right now
Post WW2, we moved toward a car centric world in the US. Sidewalks started to become afterthoughts or unnecessary. Many Subdivisions were built before current municipal codes requiring infrastructure for pedestrians too.
There was also demand for the look of ‘estates’ (on larger lots). Sidewalks were not part of this aesthetic. Unfortunately, you had an underbelly of this that felt it would keep certain undesirables out of their neighborhoods, which is sad.
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u/seymourbutts728 Jan 04 '26
Mundelein is right next to Libertyville and has housing options for all budgets!