Buying or Selling a Home in the Chicagoland Area
I have worked in many communities in the metropolitan Chicago including:
Algonquin, Antioch, Arlington Heights, Barrington, Barrington Hills, Bartlett, Batavia, Bensenville, Bloomingdale, Buffalo Grove, Bull Valley, Burr Ridge, Campton Hills, Carol Stream, Carpentersville, Cary, Chicago, Clarendon Hills, Cortland, Crystal Lake, Darien, Deer Park, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Downers Grove, Dundee, East Dundee, Elburn, Elgin, Elk Grove Village, Elmhurst, Fox Lake, Fox River Grove, Frankfort, Gages Lake, Geneva, Gilberts, Glen Ellyn, Glendale Heights, Glenview, Grayslake, Gurnee, Hampshire, Hanover Park, Hawthorn Woods, Hinsdale, Hoffman Estates, Huntley, Inverness, Itasca, Johnsburg, Keeneyville, Kildeer, La Grange, Lake Barrington, Lake Barrington Shores, Lake in the Hills, Lake Zurich, Lakemoor, Lakewood, Lemont, Libertyville, Lincolnshire, Lindenhurst, Lisle, Lombard, Long Grove, McHenry, Medinah, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Mundelein, Naperville, North Aurora, North Barrington, Northbrook, Oak Brook, Oakbrook Terrace, Palatine, Pingree Grove, Prairie Grove, Prospect Heights, Riverwoods, Rolling Meadows, Roselle, Rosemont, Round Lake, Saint Charles, Schaumburg, Sleepy Hollow, South Barrington, South Elgin, Streamwood, Sugar Grove, Trout Valley, Vernon Hills, Warrenville, Wauconda, West Chicago, West Dundee, Western Springs, Westmont, Wheaton, Wheeling, Willow Springs, Winfield, Wood Dale, Woodridge, Woodstock, Yorkville.
I will go where my clients need me. My clients trust me to do a great job and look out for their best interest no matter what community they are going to sell or buy. A home is part of a neighborhood, a community and a school district. Those are key attributes when you sell a home, and important considerations when you are buying a home.
If you are selling a home, our marketing plan combines the unique attributes of your home with the best that the area has to offer. This combination will attract buyers who are truly excited about moving into your neighborhood.
If you are buying a home, let me help you find the perfect match. I will focus your time on the best properties that match your needs and your lifestyle. Keep reading to learn more about what makes this area very special.
About The Area
The City of Chicago is located in Cook County Illinois. The five ‘collar’ counties surrounding Cook County are DuPage, McHenry, Will, Kane and Lake. After Cook County, they are the next five most populous counties in the state. The five counties around Chicago contain 276 unique towns presenting the most diverse opportunities to match your lifestyle. The area feels like one continuous expanse. My specialty is helping you find your match.
Schools
Families with school aged children will focus on areas within a preferred school district, or even a specific school. School boundaries are not intuitive, may span several towns, but may not fall within the entire town. In Illinois, local property taxes are the primary funding source for schools in that district. Homes within a strong school district may have a higher tax rate to pay for the schools, and may also maintain a higher property value because those homes are highly regarded.
Towns
Each town has its own identity and personality. Some towns have a rich heritage and strong historical story. Some homes found in these towns may be over 100 years old, offering many architectural styles. Some towns have a historic downtown center with boutiques, shops, and cafés. Other amenities include commuter trains to the city, expansive shopping districts, easy access to interstate highways, popular entertainment venues, and are the headquarters of internationally known companies. The median price of a home will vary by town and can range from $350,000 to $1,000,000 between towns within 30 miles of each other.
Urban versus Rural
The standard lot size in the City of Chicago is 25 feet wide by 125 feet deep. Standing between two homes, you could stretch your arms and touch both homes. As you move out toward the suburbs, the lot size grows to about one-quarter acre offering more privacy between your neighbors. Multi-acre estates are more common in the more distant suburbs. As you drift further from the city, small and large acreage farms are available within commuting distance from the city.
Commute
As you might expect in any large metropolitan area, commuting time is a big deal. The average commute in the Chicago area is about 32 minutes. Buses and city trains are popular in the city, 11 regional ‘Metra’ commuter train lines extend out into the suburbs in every direction. The regional highway and interstate systems through the area are exceptional. There are many great housing options no matter where you work and where you live.
Rich Gerber – RE/MAX Suburban – 2311 W Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg Illinois 60194