The Hurtado Reyeses
lemont | $725,000
Originally from Colombia, Augusto Hurtado and Catalina Reyes moved to the United States from Mexico three years ago. Last November, to give themselves and their 10-year-old twins plenty of space, they bought a 4,300-square-foot house in the far southwest suburbs. They’re putting in some work, such as repairing the roof, but Augusto sees a big upside: “Lemont is an area full of potential. It seems to be on the way up. We hope to stay here for a long time.”
southwest
lemont
Median sale price: $515,000
Five-year increase: 31%
This suburb just south of I-55 is booming. Over the past 20 years, its population has increased by a third, to 18,000. While housing prices have responded accordingly, you can still get a lot for your money. There’s a healthy inventory of massive properties under the $1 million mark, such as the 5,800-square-foot five-bedroom that sold for $899,900 this spring or the 6,300-square-foot six-bedroom with a six-foot-deep koi pond and a three-car garage that listed for $859,000. Nearly 40 percent of homes here have at least four bedrooms, compared with 17 percent across Cook County. Located along the Des Plaines River, Lemont also offers easy access to loads of outdoor opportunities, including biking trails along the Illinois and Michigan Canal, as well as the Forge, a 300-acre adventure park of ziplines, rope courses, and paddling.
northwest
inverness
Median sale price: $762,000
Five-year increase: 37%
You’re not going to find a mansion for less than $1 million on the North Shore. But west of there, in Inverness, where two-thirds of the homes have at least four bedrooms, you’ll find similar footprints at better price points: say, just under $1 million for a 5,000-square-foot, five-bedroom estate , its interior nearly entirely updated since 2016. (For comparison: In Highland Park, a renovated four-bedroom listed for $925,000 this spring — but had 1,800 fewer square feet.) And if outdoor space is your priority, there are some stunners in this town of 7,000, like a 5,000-square-foot, five-bedroom ranch with a renovated open kitchen sitting on 1.5 acres along a lake. It recently sold for just under a million bucks. Some 35 miles northwest of the Loop, Inverness doesn’t have its own Metra stop, but Palatine’s station is a 10-minute drive away.
south
frankfort
Median sale price: $495,000
Five-year increase: 46%
A million bucks buys you a lot of house almost anywhere south of I-80, but it’s hard to beat Frankfort. In this town of 21,000, more than half the homes have at least four bedrooms (and 16 percent have at least five) — and you don’t have to spend too much money to get something really big. A 5,800-square-foot, five-bedroom ranch sold for $875,000 this spring, while a 5,200-square-foot four-bedroom with a basement theater sold for $775,000. If you want even more space, $900,000 could get you a staggering 7,000 square feet. Out here, an hour south of the Loop, you’ll be able to enjoy plenty of open spaces around town, too: The 22-mile Old Plank Road Trail runs right through Frankfort’s downtown.
west
oak brook
Median sale price: $1.15 million
Five-year increase: 36%
Houses in this town of 8,000 are built with size in mind: Twenty-four percent boast at least five bedrooms. Many of those are priced in the seven figures. But a budget of less than $1 million can still land you something in the 4,000-square-foot range — with one caveat: Such properties will “need some polishing,” says Compass broker Kelly Stetler. “You’re getting a lot of land and a lot of space, but they’re generally outdated.” A prime example: a five-bedroom that recently sold for $849,000. Although the 4,800-square-foot property was the definition of luxury back when it was built in 1977, time has passed it by. A 4,900-square-foot five-bedroom that recently sold for $900,000 is further evidence that buyers who can see the potential in a dated property can score big. Bonus: Oak Brook doesn’t have a municipal property tax, unlike the vast majority of Illinois towns.
west
St Charles
Median sale price: $485,000
Five-year increase: 39%
In this 33,000-resident town along the Fox River, you can stay below your $1 million budget and get massive spaces. For $899,900, one buyer recently managed to score a 5,900-square-foot, five-bedroom traditional home on more than five acres (equivalent to around four Soldier Fields), suitable for horse ownership. And if you want water views, look no further than the 5,000-square-foot, five-bedroom riverfront home listed for $1 million in the spring. The property comes with a Sea-Doo landing pad, and when you’re done with water adventures, you can relax in the hot tub or sip wine by the fire pit. There’s plenty of room to stretch out beyond your backyard in this town, with more than 1,450 acres of park space.
