Illinois Questions from a Texan

[klinetime574]

Meh, it ain't so bad. We got Italian beef sandwiches - so that makes up for all the negative stuff.

I love me some Portillo's.

I’m another one moving from Chicago to Dallas. Spent most of my life here and I’m done. Got a great opportunity and I am gone. No more rust repairs, taxes and freaking cold. I will take 100f in summer over -20 in winter. I live in Park Ridge and they kept tweeking the multiplier rate every year so my taxes increase 1k per year and then every 3 years I was re assessed that now I am paying 22k per year. Just sold my house and the poor guy will be paying probably close to 26k in prop taxes.

I already found an off-road Park an hour away from Dallas. My hundy is gonna really love it there. To the OP - good luck moving here but I think you are going to regret it - I do understand you are doing it for the family but it’s gonna cost you.

To the OP -I think I was too negative in my post. Who am I to say you will regret your decision, only you will know. I will say that you should try to spend time in Chicago doing daily things you would do if you lived here. If you have the time that is. Unfortunately you missed the winter when it’s brutally cold. Good luck with whatever you do decide. Cheers

I definitely appreciate the insight here man. I was just putting out a feeler to for this. I don't mind cold weather at all. I've been to Streamwood in April and December. It snowed in April lol. I have not seen -20 temps when I've been there. These property taxes are definitely a consideration. Pretty much all of you guys have said something about it.

That off road park is probably Barnwell Mountain Recreation Area in Gilmer, TX. Pretty dope spot. The Lone Star Toyota Jamboree is happening there this weekend. I made my first appearance there in 2009. ALL LAND CRUISERS, now it is 10% or less Land Cruiser. I'm out. Not interested in looking at IFS lift kits and all the sponsors that come out to support them. Apparently someone from Marlin Crawler is going this year which is interesting, Crawler and IFS don't really go together. I want to keep ranting but can't think of anything else at the moment. /rant

 

[Leandro]

You gonna love it the first year, just because it's new.
I move from Argentina to Florida 6 years ago, everything looked amazing to me. 4 years ago I moved to Chicago, I realized how s***ty Florida was and loved Chicago, I quickly realized that it was hell to live in downtown, 3 years ago I moved to the burbs and realized how different it is here. Now I'm bitching about shoveling snow, taxes, commute, and so on.
My point is, you have to experience it yourself. Maybe you're a big city guy and end up loving here.
I can't wait for my kids to be off school to move out of IL.
As someone mentioned before, there's nothing to do outdoor other than shoveling snow in the winter and road re-construction in the summer.

And don't even mention "the cliff" off-road park to these guys, they will jump to your neck.

 

[Gumby]

Portillos has been passed down and reportedly is not as good anymore.

I liked Chicago when we used to go there a couple of times a year. I even liked it for about the first year we were there. It was different. Really good and varied food choices. Stuff to do. Got old quick. No place to wheel. No place to ride a motorcycle. An easy hour in traffic to get to straight farm roads. easy two hours to find a curve and it has a million Harley fxxxs on it. No Land Cruiser community at all.

 

[klinetime574]

I think I would have to experience it myself. Driving to work, living there. I've visited a bunch of times. Driven on the roads. The day to day life is what makes it bearable or unbearable. I'm not crazy about wheeling. My 60 is a garage queen. It needs a paint job and a little body work and it would never see the trail again more than likely. Dirt roads, road trips, yes. Dad has a place in Eagle River, MI. I could drive up in the summer and relax.

 

[slander]

I love me some Portillo's.





I definitely appreciate the insight here man. I was just putting out a feeler to for this. I don't mind cold weather at all. I've been to Streamwood in April and December. It snowed in April lol. I have not seen -20 temps when I've been there. These property taxes are definitely a consideration. Pretty much all of you guys have said something about it.

That off road park is probably Barnwell Mountain Recreation Area in Gilmer, TX. Pretty dope spot. The Lone Star Toyota Jamboree is happening there this weekend. I made my first appearance there in 2009. ALL LAND CRUISERS, now it is 10% or less Land Cruiser. I'm out. Not interested in looking at IFS lift kits and all the sponsors that come out to support them. Apparently someone from Marlin Crawler is going this year which is interesting, Crawler and IFS don't really go together. I want to keep ranting but can't think of anything else at the moment. /rant

Hey who says a crawler and IFS don't go together?!?!

 

[4rnr]

A moderate trail at a park with actual rock crawling... remember?

 

[joez]

Portillos is tourist food.

And it sounds like Chicagoland will be right up your alley. Just pay close attention to property taxes when house hunting, very small distances can have very big swings. My sister has a similar square footage house as I, on only an additional quarter acre, and pays 12k a year in taxes, to my 3k. And she is only 15 minutes away.

 

[jimkyser]

Jim's costs are a little off, regular plate renewal just cost me $121.

Big surprise. /s When I renewed for my DD last fall I paid $101, but they're always looking to generate more revenue to pay for their stupid, wasteful programs, so no shock at all that they raised it $20.

 

[racedirt1]

It's just another metropolitan area, they are basically all the same. It's ethnically diverse though, Scott and Brian are twin Mexican brothers and don't even know it.

 

[racedirt1]

It's just another metropolitan area, they are basically all the same. It's ethnically diverse though, Scott and Brian are twin Mexican brothers and don't even know it.

 

[slander]

A moderate trail at a park with actual rock crawling... remember?

Most frustrating part is I broke on the easiest part of the trail!

 

[4rnr]

Hahaha, your truck was hero status though on ifs and skinny 33's. Made me feel dumb more than once....

 

[slander]

I definitely got my money's worth out of that setup that's for sure.

 

[Leandro]

Big surprise. /s When I renewed for my DD last fall I paid $101, but they're always looking to generate more revenue to pay for their stupid, wasteful programs, so no shock at all that they raised it $20.

I paid $101 last month.

 

[Mr.Bryan]

Joe pay your bills on time and they won't charge you and extra $20

 

[joez]

I miss mathed. The 4runner was indeed $101. The boat regs, trailer, and watercraft stamps were $123.

 

[klinetime574]

So I have researched a little bit, using zillow and other resources. It looks like houses in Cook County have similar property tax to places down here in my area. Harris County near NASA, pretty much on the border with Galveston County. Fiance and I are still thinking about it. Just wanted to get some more ideas flowing here.

I realize the higher expenses in other areas; tolls, food, taxes, gas, etc

 

[Leandro]

you will pay less taxes on adjacent counties.

 

[Gumby]

I found trying to spend my way to happiness was my biggest expense.

 

[clund21]

So I have researched a little bit, using zillow and other resources. It looks like houses in Cook County have similar property tax to places down here in my area. Harris County near NASA, pretty much on the border with Galveston County. Fiance and I are still thinking about it. Just wanted to get some more ideas flowing here.

I realize the higher expenses in other areas; tolls, food, taxes, gas, etc

I’m meh on the whole Illinois/Chicagoland thing. Born and raised in northern Illinois, left for Indianapolis and lived there 5 years and NWI for 2 years, now I just moved to back to Illinois and the SW burbs. The actual difference in my day to day life between any of the three has been minimal. In any major city/metro there will be traffic, taxes will be higher, and politicians will be corrupt. Is Illinois more crooked than most any other state, sure...but if you are wanting to get back for family reasons, I’d say those are the right reasons to move here.