robin1234

On fees, we are beginning to look at coops in the Bronx. OK, a coop is a different situation from a condo, but similar in some ways. The purchase is a reasonable price, but then fees are about $700 a month. Hard to compare with a single family home, but where we are now, in a house, we pay $6,000 a year to heat the place, plus about $5,000 a year in taxes. So fees of $700 a month which include everything, would leave us thousands a year better off, in relation to owning this house.

retzie

That looks a whole lot more like Rogers Park than Evanston. It's pretty scummy and fairly dangerous.

Rent when you arrive, then you can start sniffing around to buy once you're here and start to get a feel for the city. I doubt those prices are going anywhere in the next year.

Bob

True, but that would account for a few places...

Pulaski

That's what "title insurance" is for. When you buy you are supposed to get "clear title", and the title search is supposed to pick up things such as (potential) tax liens. When such issues crop up, title insurance is supposed to settle the debt leaving you with clear title.

Lbjen

This. This part of 'Evanston' is gang territory, your neighbors are going to be section 8 renters and foreign students.

Move to Chicago first, take a ride around on the El for a few weeks and then figure out what your comfort level is with these areas.

Lbjen

Also in Illinois you do need a lawyer but your realtor will be able to recommend one. You should only need to pay them about $250 assuming it's a simple transaction.

robin1234

Good advice for anyone moving anywhere new. Just doesn't make sense buying when you don't know an area, just because you think the prices look too good to miss ... in fact, if the prices look too good to miss, even more reason to scope out the city and neighborhoods for at least six months before thinking of buying!

Jerseygirl

As they say...if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Bob

Which is stuff you know if you've been here a while....not when you're fresh off the boat ex-pat, thinking you've found a bargain and pay cash directly for the place...

It weren't a Brit in this case, but the caution still applies.

e3geek

So what area of Evanston is safer? Because everyone I talked to recommended Evanston/Northern suburbs because they are the safest in Chicago land.

Lion in Winter

50K will not get you a condo in Evanston. Perhaps it's a down payment? Or a bankruptcy sale?

The school system in Evanston is pretty decent.

Michael

The following is a link to a map of crime in different areas. Evanston is "Average" but every area north and west is "Low".

http://www.city-data.com/crime/crime...-Illinois.html

Lion in Winter

Evanston is perfectly safe. There is a low-income area in the northwest, and part of its southern border, that is somewhat less safe due to some gang activity, but in real terms if you aren't hanging out on certain corners at 2am the place is as safe as houses. It is also a very easy commute to downtown Chicago.

Lion in Winter

Ah, now that I've looked at your link, I see where that building is - in the of the poorest part of Evanston that is almost in Chicago. Stay further away from Howard Street (ie go a few blocks further north).

Evanston schools are quite good. The population is mixed in terms of income and also has a substantial group of children who do not yet speak English , so when you take average stats from the schools, they look worse than they are. Children who are not low income do very well - including mine whose test scores from last spring put him in the 98th and 99th percentile nationally. The high school ranks in the top 2% in the country.

Evanston is a university town, and that makes it even more international and quite pleasant.

Michael

Trulia is generally reliable for prices so there must be something wrong with the condos/complex/area. Something doesn't make sense since the average price is about $300,000 in Evanston.