Beautiful Wilmette! (pronounced Will - MET)
Like it's neighbor to the south, Wilmette treasures its history, as well as its modern day progress. Wilmette was named after a fur trader named Antoine Ouilmette. The United States government awarded him 1,280 acres of land, which he eventually sold in 1848 to farmers and developers. It grew to be the community of Wilmette as we know it. Wilmette fronts Lake Michigan with beautiful public access parks and beaches. It reaches west to the Edens Expressway, and north to the village of Kenilworth. Bicyclists beware: there are still many cobblestone residential streets in Wilmette, making for a rather bouncy ride. But the residents love those cobblestones, and the village maintains them; they are a link to the honored past.
Wilmette home ownership opportunities range from condominiums to cooperative apartments to townhomes and single family homes. The prices range from moderate (by today's market standards) to luxury levels. You will find older homes, brand new homes where older ones once stood, condominiums built decades ago, and the recently approved mixed-use project that will rise along Green Bay Road where a Ford auto dealership once stood, near the Metra train station. Another fascinating residential project is the transformation of the former Mallinckrodt College into luxury seniors-only condominiums. The village trustees have taken great care in guiding these recent projects in their planning to protect what Wilmette already has, and to maximize the benefit for the citizens of the village.
Attached homes (condos, co-ops, townhomes) sold in Wilmette last year from $113,000 up to $841,000. Single family homes sold last year from $300,000 up to $2,900,000. There's something for everyone.
Wilmette is the last outpost for the North Shore "L" train; the end of the Purple Line that links commuters to the Red Line into the heart of Chicago is found in Wilmette at the corner of 4th Street and Linden. If the CTA train does not take you where you want to go, the Metra's Union Pacific North Line might be your ticket, delivering you to the Ogilvie Transportation Center in only 32 minutes.
If boating is your preferred way of getting from here to there, Wilmette can help you out with lake access as well. A beautiful harbor awaits the local avid boaters. Sign up for lessons at the Sheridan Shore Sailing School!
A really nice place to call "home," take some time to discover Wilmette.
2 comments:
I often hear that comparable home prices are lower in Evanston vs. Wilmette, but property tax costs are higher in Evanston. Is this true and if so, what other criteria would I use to choose one community over the other?
Yes, in general home prices for comparable properties are slightly higher in Wilmette than Evanston. This price differential is roughly 5-10%, but can vary greatly. One way that this can be viewed is by comparing the sales of homes on Isabella, the street that forms the Evanston/Wilmette border.
Inversely, property taxes do appear to be higher in Evanston for comparable properties. Many Evanston residents attribute this to the large tracts of property that are owned by Northwestern University which are property tax exempt.
Therefore, if your decision is strictly based on financial concerns, the decision is not as straightforward as one might hope. Of course, there are many other factors involved in choosing a home and a community and the economics of that decision is just one piece of the puzzle.
Post a Comment