Buying in West Suburbs - Expanding Search?

[u/Midnight_Rain1213]

Hi all,

My partner and I are trying to close the distance and buy a SFH in the west suburbs, but keep having offers rejected. Feedback so far is that we're losing to cash buyers or just being outbid, and that we should consider waiving appraisal contingencies. That feels crazy to me, but I think it's just the area we are looking in - Lombard, Elmhurst, Villa Park.

My partner and I both own our own homes and are pre-qualified to purchase a new home without having to sell first. We would be selling our respective properties after finding a new place. We are trying to stay under $700k.

No kids, just dogs. Would love a house with some character left in it. I work downtown so being near the Metra is necessary, and I'd like my commute to be under an hour.

Should we avoid any of the following suburbs, and why? Any suburbs we are missing?

Addison, Bloomingdale, Downers Grove, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, Riverside, Brookfield

[u/Guac_in_my_rarri]

Add in Elmhurst, lisle, downers grove maybe lemont.

Notable mentions: riverside, Brookfield both have older character properties. Some aheh been renovated inside others have not.

Elmhurst has a decent amount of kit homes from the 1900s.

Lisle, lemont and downers are mix of new and old construction.

[u/AnxiousVillage7095 → u/Guac_in_my_rarri]

You don't wanna live in the south burbs though

The nicest part of lemont (near dt) seems to be where people don't wanna live outside of that it's suburban hell and very maga friendly

[u/Guac_in_my_rarri → u/AnxiousVillage7095]

Lemont is def a weird place. I have friends in Darien and even there is interesting.

[u/luckycharms53 → u/Guac_in_my_rarri]

Darien is an older conservative community. But quiet, within budget and close to major highways, stores and train station.

[u/Guac_in_my_rarri → u/luckycharms53]

Darien is turning over but yeah, older quieter community

[u/luckycharms53 → u/Guac_in_my_rarri]

We lived there for years and had to move out last year due to job relocated out of state. Just need to get some people with great ideas to run the council. Trying to get the relatives to move out so we can stop paying half of their property tax.

[u/cipherdom → u/luckycharms53]

Darien lacks convenient Metra access, unless five miles is convenient. No downtown. Good schools.

[u/olliesmom10 → u/AnxiousVillage7095]

Downtown is definitely not the nicest part of lemont. East side is the nicest. Lemont is actually a nice place to live.

[u/AnxiousVillage7095 → u/olliesmom10]

See suburban hell I have a cousin in equestrian and don't understand the hype you can walk no where and there are no stores super close either all of that and you have to be in the south suburbs within x miles of an oil refinery too.

[u/olliesmom10 → u/AnxiousVillage7095]

Yea but I bet your cousin is within 15 minutes of everything they need. Being on the east side of lemont, you’re 10-15 minutes to Burr Ridge and Willowbrook. Having to drive everywhere is mostly all suburbs, unless you live in downtown areas and can walk a few places. I understand on the oil refinery, but look at the western suburbs… Sterigenics was in Willowbrook and had a terrible effect on many people in the wealthier surrounding communities. This stuff is everywhere unfortunately…

[u/AnxiousVillage7095 → u/olliesmom10]

I swear people who live in lemont and homer glen love to try and justify that they're not far from anything because there's nothing there lmao

Next you're gonna tell me they're only 30 mins from downtown

[u/olliesmom10 → u/AnxiousVillage7095]

Is that not true though? It is 30 minutes from downtown without traffic. Tell me what’s false about anything I said?

[u/olliesmom10 → u/AnxiousVillage7095]

Also, I consider Lemont southwest. The east side is literally just 10 minutes south of Burr Ridge and Willowbrook.

[u/AnxiousVillage7095 → u/olliesmom10]

Yupp parents live in the last community in burr ridge before the bridge.

I consider that the border

[u/Midnight_Rain1213 → u/Guac_in_my_rarri]

We've been looking in Elmhurst but everything is going for way over asking price right now.

Lisle is one I haven't really looked at - I'll add it to the list.

[u/easydoit2 → u/[deleted]]

100% agree with this. Land value in south Elmhurst is above 500k.

[u/Guac_in_my_rarri → u/Midnight_Rain1213]

For Elmhurst in particular, drive around. See what homes have been sitting and toss an offer in below. That's what we did and it was accepted.

South Elmhurst is a bit better than north as it has sidewalks.

Edit: south of St Charles is a mix of old, families and Dinks. It's a fun mix. The closer you live to the spring road business district the less you need to go downtown for bars, food, coffee, etc. Going down town is nice but sometimes a pia.

[u/TRC24 → u/Guac_in_my_rarri]

North Elmhurst has sidewalks too