hi

My husband has just been offered a job in chicago, and we are looking to move to the U.S later this year, can anyone suggest a good area for myself my husband and 3 children aged 7, 3 and 2 weeks old. Schooling being a high priority.

Thanks for any help

Where will he work? Chicago is big. working in the south but living in the north could mean a 2 hour commute per way...

I'd suggest a neighbourhood near his work. In general: the more far from Downtown, the cheaper the rent

I myself prefer the north, northwest or west suburbs

The schooling question makes me nervous for you. I hope you know what you'll be getting into regarding that. "Culture shock" comes to mind.

Children can adapt to new situations better than many adults...they even learn the language easier...it schouldn't be a problem for the kids, especially not, when they are still young. The younger, the better

thanks ivonne,

its nice too here someone possitive, my husband job offer is downtown chicagos financial district but have been told that nice areas to live would be naperville or arlington heights have you any suggestions to add to these.

debs

I don't know about Naperville, but Arlington Heights is a very good Place to live. So is the area around Wheaton, Carol stream (in the west) or Buffalo Grove, Palatine, Schaumburg, Lincolnshire, Vernon Hills, Deerfield, Wilmette, Winetka (all north or northwest from Downtown)

Hi

Naperville is where I will be living when I get to the US, so I found out some stuff about it! (I Have kids age 7,5 & 3) It has had plenty of awards for being the most child friendly city in the US. It is a realy nice pleasant place to be, I found it so clean and 'wholesome' if thats the right word. And Also the school district 203 is exceptional, always getting top grades etc. I read somewhere that in district 203 for science they are in the top 5% in the world? Something like that! Anyway we visited the school where my kids will be going, one of many in the district, and it was very nice, and very well equiped. (here is a link to the website for 203 http://www.ncusd203.org/ ) But I am very happy to be moving there, as it looks wonderfull for my kids to grow up there. I am not sure on comuting times, all I know is my future husband lives in Naperville and works in Elk grove, at United airlines HQ and it takes about 30 mins, but I think it takes about 45 mins to get downtown? I could be wrong!

Helen

aaa

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...chool_hazing_2


Chicago High School, Police Probe Hazing
Wed May 7, 3:40 PM ET Add U.S. National - AP to My Yahoo!



CHICAGO - A touch football game between suburban Chicago high school girls turned into a brutal hazing in which players were slapped, punched, doused with paint and splattered in the face with mud and feces.


AP Photo
Slideshow: Ill. High School Hazing Incident

Girl-on-Girl Hazing
(Platinum - fee)



Police and school officials in the well-to-do community of Northbrook are investigating.


Officials at Glenbrook North High in Northbrook were examining videotapes taken by students who had gone to a park Sunday to watch the annual "powder puff" football game between junior and senior girls.


Five girls ended up in the hospital, one with a broken ankle and another who needed 10 stitches in her head.


School officials stressed that the game was not sanctioned and occurred off-campus without their knowledge.


"I guess there was some football involved, but then it was pushing, punching, hitting, putting buckets on heads ... showering people with debris and, according to one report, human excrement," said Northfield Township District 225 Superintendent Dave Hales. "It was hazing."


Officials said up to 100 students were involved in the incident in the suburb about 20 miles north of Chicago.


Videotapes played on television show girls in yellow jerseys punching, slapping and dumping paint on other girls kneeling on the ground. Some spectators hoist cups of beer.


School officials were looking at tapes and photographs to identify students for possible discipline, spokeswoman Diane Freeman said. Students involved in athletics or other extracurricular activities must sign a code of conduct that requires them to behave both on and off campus.


"There's nothing else we can do," Freeman said. "It's out of our jurisdiction. The courts and the parents will mete out punishment."


Glenbrook North Principal Michael Riggle said alcohol contributed to the violence.


The district used to sponsor a powder puff football game during homecoming but discontinued the event in 1977 after it became too rough.

I used to live in Arlington Heights and other cities in the Northwest Suburban area. Arlington Heights is good, housing can be expensive...but the commuter train that heads to downtown Chicago is located right in downtown Arlington Heights. (Cities of Palatine, Barrington, Des Plaines and Mount Prospect, also have commuter train available) A good thing if your husband does not want to commute by car. Sometimes the commute by car can be brutal.

If you are looking to "buy" a house in that area, I can't imagine that you'd find anything under $200,000. Maybe for condo's or townhouses (semi-detached) you might find a lower rate. Housing really varies, my sister lived a couple blocks from the train station in Arlington and sold her house about 6 years ago for over $300,000. Maybe good idea to get in contact with a real estate broker to help you get ideas for what is available for housing in the areas you are interested.

Generally speaking ( and I don't mean to be snobbish by anymeans) but, housing in Northwest suburbs and North Shore area is very desirable compared to way south of Chicago. And after saying that, really it all depends on your needs and how long you are willing to travel to get to job.

Best of luck....

I've two sisters in Chicago (youngest lives downtown and will be moving to Boston area with hubby so he can get his masters degree). I would suggest trying to get a home further out, as the closer you get to the city, the less desirable the neighbors.

The elder lives in Cary although Barrington is a nice area as well. It all depends on what you are willing to spend on housing or rent. My sister lives in Cary in a development that requires one to have at least an acre with their home, many newer developments are requiring 2 acres. Her home is in the $400,000+ range but the schools are better than most in the chitown area. Barrington the homes are more expensive than Cary, but again better schools.

Hoffman Estates and Hanover Park are where my sis use to live and the homes are more reasonable there. Friends of mine lived in Wheaton which was not too bad an area either.

If you live further out you can catch a train into the city or drive, but you will have to get use to a long drive as the traffic in quite bad.

All in All Chicago is a great place with much to offer. You have Lake Michigan, loads of nightlife, theatre, museums, The Aquarium, Navy Pier, even an amusement park close by. The sales tax there is very high though along with the cost of housing being higher.

Something else that you and your family should like about Chicago is that it's a big city with much diversity. It was the first place I took my English husband to that he wasn't stared at due to his accent, they are so use to being a melting pot he just blended in. (Unlike Ohio where bumpkins abound.)

As you can tell I'm a huge fan of Chicago, love to go there and my elder sis has lived there since 1984 so I've been there often.

Good Luck to you and your family.

My husband lives in Cary, near Barrington and I will be joining him there as soon as my K3 visa is issued. Very quiet, nice area with good schools.

There is a very good property website called: realtor.com

You just put in the state, city etc and a whole load of properties come up.

Good luck.

Maggie