You get what you pay for...

The two that got thumbs up had very good points and well thought out answers. Gurnee would have the best to offer in that price range, and Cook County does have much lower taxes. I know when i ask a question i just want a straight answer, not someone plugging their website, or the town they specialize in. And if someone gave you a thumbs down it wasn't a personal attack, it was just that they didn't like your answer, try not to take the general public so seriously.

Elvis: This system invites anomonus critics to make arbitray decisions without listing any justification. We all know that human nature is much quicker to condem vs. commend. I have grown used to totally disregard this part of Trulia and suggest you do the same. We are not the butterball hotline here. Nobody is paying us for our sage advice. We are all looking for business and using this format to demonstrate we know what we are doing. The compilation of your replies is very solid - I have read many of them. Ignore the critis, continue increasing your sphere of influence on this and similar websites and laugh all the way to the bank! Isn't that what Liberachi (another entertainer) once said?

I know several people living in Highland Park including an attorney I use frequently. I can give you his name and you can decide if you want to use him for your closing if you wish. Your purchase offer will be more effective with a pre-approval letter attached. Consider using my free prequal calculator to estimate what you are likely to be approved for here. http://www.gregzaccagni.com/RequiredIncomeCalc

I suggest the Barrington area. North Barrington, Lake Barrington, and Lake Zurich have nice homes in your price range. The schools are great and the commute to Highland Park would not be bad. We're west of Highland Park. The homes in this area have character and decent lot sizes. You can email me if you would like to find out more or you can check out my local area blog, below. Thanks!
lauracannon@kw.com

Where you want to look depends on what you expect to get for the $350,000-$450,000 price range and how long of a commute do you wish to make. There are so many areas that it will seem very confusing at first. Try to work with a Realtor who is knowledgable about a number of areas. They will save you a lot of time and effort. I'd be happy to help. Good luck with your move.

Al Aronow
RE/MAX Suburban
Libertyville, IL

There are some great areas in and around Highland Park. In general the farther from Chicago and west of the tollway the bigger the home or priced less. Commute times will depend on the time you are traveling and also the roads to the area. Some areas only have two lane roads and can be congested during the rush hours. When you speak with an agent let them know what kind of travel time would be acceptable to you and then go from there.
Cook county usually has lower taxes than Lake County - you may also consider a home that is unincorporated (lower taxes).

You'll need to go North or West of Highland Park to find decent homes in that price range. If you go West, you'll commute on smaller roads with traffic lights. If you go North to Gurnee, you'll find homes in your price range, good schools and you'll commute down the Tollway which, after the repairs are complete, should be quicker. Your taxes will be between 2 to 2.5% of your purchase price within two years anywhere in Lake County. If you find a home with lower taxes it's because it is assessed low. They will raise the assessed value to around what you paid for it within a year or two. Let me know if I can be of assistance in e-mailing homes in the area.

Post,

You have Highland Park, Northbrook, Deerfield and Lake Forest. All would depend on your budget. All great locations and plenty to choose from.

Lucy Perna
Coldwell Banker Residential
847-222-8656

Post,

There are currently 60 homes in Highland Park priced between $350,000 and $450,000. Any reason why you wouldn't want to live in Highland Park?