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MarkGT08

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Ok, I just had a pretty good job offer in the Rolling Meadows/Schaumburg, Illinois area. My wife and I are thinking about it. Is there anyone on the forum from around that area that can give me an overview of if that is a nice area?

 

I am in Southern California right now and looking to escape before my wallet implodes.

 

Yes, the GO Shelby would be going too. (And the Harley)

 

And YES, I know all about snow. I grew up in Pittsburgh.

 

Opinions?

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throw out some specific questions and I'll see if I can answer them.

 

You'll be dissapointed coming from SoCal :hysterical:

 

Well, how about cost of living?

Summer weather?

Crime?

 

Can I buy a home without having to sell my kids into slavery?

Can I register my car each year for less than $500? (seriously)

Can I go to a bank ATM without having to push #1 for English?

Can I get from Schaumburg to Rolling Hills without having to sit in stop and go traffic for 3 hours a day?

Can I pay less than $3.00 a gallon for 91 Octane, as of today?

 

I already know that my state tax will be $12,000 less in Illinois than CA.

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Well, how about cost of living? Not too bad in the Schaumburg area

Summer weather? 80's - 90's, nice sunny days, rainy days, humid during July & August

Crime? Not bad for such a densely populated area...much better than Chicago itself

 

Can I buy a home without having to sell my kids into slavery?Yes, $250K-$350K

Can I register my car each year for less than $500? (seriously)Yes, IL license fee $78 for passenger cars/SUV's...Harley will be $38 yearly (I have two)

Can I go to a bank ATM without having to push #1 for English?Ha...Yes

Can I get from Schaumburg to Rolling Hills without having to sit in stop and go traffic for 3 hours a day?Do you mean Rolling Meadows??? Yes - unless there is a snowstorm!

Can I pay less than $3.00 a gallon for 91 Octane, as of today?Yes, probably about $2.95 right now

 

I already know that my state tax will be $12,000 less in Illinois than CA.

 

I grew up in Hoffman Estates which is adjacent to Schaumburg to the west. Traffic around Woodfield Mall is bad during rush hours and on weekends...I now live 15 miles south and know that whole area pretty well. Good luck in your search!

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Well, how about cost of living?

Summer weather?

Crime?

 

Can I buy a home without having to sell my kids into slavery?

Can I register my car each year for less than $500? (seriously)

Can I go to a bank ATM without having to push #1 for English?

Can I get from Schaumburg to Rolling Hills without having to sit in stop and go traffic for 3 hours a day?

Can I pay less than $3.00 a gallon for 91 Octane, as of today?

 

I already know that my state tax will be $12,000 less in Illinois than CA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schaumburg,_Illinois

 

Summer weather.........excellent. It get's humid in July, Aug, and Sept around here, but I would say our summers are some of the best around.

Crime......Low

Housing..........Yes, Schaumburg offers a wide variety of housing in different price ranges. I would say it is middle to upper middle class.

Car Registration.......Yes, you'll have a $20 vehicle sticker in Schaumburg and the Illinois registration. I think the Illinois reg is around $80.

ATM.........I think English is the default language :hysterical: . I'm pretty sure you won't have to push #1

Traffic.......it's a fairly busy area with everything they have. 3 hours no, but it does get congested. Schaumburg is 6.5 miles from Rolling Meadows.

Gas.......it's right around 2.80.

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I moved here form N. CA a few years ago and other than the weather it's a great city to live in or around.

 

Use any number of the cost-of-living calculators:

 

http://www.bestplaces.net/COL/

 

But my personal experience is its about 25% less to live here.

 

 

For example:

 

Cost of Living Comparison:

San Jose, California - Gurnee, Illinois

Change cities

Gurnee is 31% cheaper than San Jose.

 

Housing

is the biggest factor in the cost of living difference.

 

Housing is 50% cheaper in Gurnee.

 

A salary of $150,000 in San Jose, California could decrease to $102,815 in Gurnee, Illinois

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Lot's of great information. Thanks.

I'm a midwest guy at heart and I have been looking for a quality place to settle down. From what I've read, the Chicago Burbs aren't a bad place to be.

 

So, in general, how many months a year do you think it would be "Shelby" weather? (snowless and saltless)

Based on the what I have seen/heard here and online, the lake tends to reduce the summer and winter weather extremes somewhat. It is probably milder than it is in Pittsburgh, where I grew up.

 

I will warn you though. I'm a hard and fast Steelers fan, so I won't be converted! :happy feet:

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Lot's of great information. Thanks.

I'm a midwest guy at heart and I have been looking for a quality place to settle down. From what I've read, the Chicago Burbs aren't a bad place to be.

 

So, in general, how many months a year do you think it would be "Shelby" weather? (snowless and saltless)

Based on the what I have seen/heard here and online, the lake tends to reduce the summer and winter weather extremes somewhat. It is probably milder than it is in Pittsburgh, where I grew up.

 

I will warn you though. I'm a hard and fast Steelers fan, so I won't be converted! :happy feet:

well good news...........Pitt will make an appearance at Soldier Field this fall. Strap it on boys :happy feet:

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I moved here form N. CA a few years ago and other than the weather it's a great city to live in or around.

 

Use any number of the cost-of-living calculators:

 

http://www.bestplaces.net/COL/

 

But my personal experience is its about 25% less to live here.

 

 

For example:

 

Cost of Living Comparison:

San Jose, California - Gurnee, Illinois

Change cities

Gurnee is 31% cheaper than San Jose.

 

Housing

is the biggest factor in the cost of living difference.

 

Housing is 50% cheaper in Gurnee.

 

A salary of $150,000 in San Jose, California could decrease to $102,815 in Gurnee, Illinois

 

Luckily, I didn't buy a home here in SoCal in the past few years, or I would be stuck upside down. But I think it was even more expensive up in San Jose when I used to travel on business (before my old startup melted down in 2002)

And now, this huge California deficit is requiring all kinds of service cutbacks. They are firing teachers left and right around here. This is a horribly run state. I was hoping that Arnold, the Governator would clean things up.

 

But then I don't have to tell you about goofy governors, right? :hysterical:

 

And I will check out that website.

 

 

Thanks Jeff

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We all should not forget the occassional -25 with wind chill we get from time to time.

 

The day we moved in here it was wind chill -40.

All my wife said was "What the _ell did you do to me?" as she stood hold the front door open and listening to the wood furniture make cracking noises as it warmed up.

 

And the name windy city come from the politicians and not the weather, though it is applicable to both

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We all should not forget the occassional -25 with wind chill we get from time to time.

 

The day we moved in here it was wind chill -40.

All my wife said was "What the _ell did you do to me?" as she stood hold the front door open and listening to the wood furniture make cracking noises as it warmed up.

 

And the name windy city come from the politicians and not the weather, though it is applicable to both

 

 

Yeah...

 

I've lived in MA, CT, CA, and IL and every place has had good and bad.

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Lot's of great information. Thanks.

I'm a midwest guy at heart and I have been looking for a quality place to settle down. From what I've read, the Chicago Burbs aren't a bad place to be.

 

So, in general, how many months a year do you think it would be "Shelby" weather? (snowless and saltless)

Based on the what I have seen/heard here and online, the lake tends to reduce the summer and winter weather extremes somewhat. It is probably milder than it is in Pittsburgh, where I grew up.

 

I will warn you though. I'm a hard and fast Steelers fan, so I won't be converted! :happy feet:

I live in the southwest burbs. I store my car from Nov 1st to about April 1st. Depends on how much rain we have to wash the salt away. Be good to have a Orange SGT around here. Rick

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Lot's of great information. Thanks.

I'm a midwest guy at heart and I have been looking for a quality place to settle down. From what I've read, the Chicago Burbs aren't a bad place to be.

 

So, in general, how many months a year do you think it would be "Shelby" weather? (snowless and saltless)

Based on the what I have seen/heard here and online, the lake tends to reduce the summer and winter weather extremes somewhat. It is probably milder than it is in Pittsburgh, where I grew up.

 

I will warn you though. I'm a hard and fast Steelers fan, so I won't be converted! :happy feet:

 

Alright another Steelers fan with a Shelby living in the Chitown area. I grew up in Pgh also, lived in Sacramento for a couple years for work then on to Texas. Moved here 3 1/2 years ago. We actually have 93 octane gas here with 10% ethanol. I still have not gotten used to the winters especially the last one, it just would not end. All of the locals and weather folks said it was the worst in 30 years. First purchase for the new home should be a snowblower. The Shelby might get 6 good months of running unless your one of those guys who runs no matter what. Not to many hills so you don't get stuck like back home everything just moves really slow. Drivers here can be very aggressive watch yourself, no signal and turns you don't expect. Let us know when and if you make the move, we can celebrate with some Iron City or Rolling Rock ponys, Just kidding IC gives me a terrible headache.

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Alright another Steelers fan with a Shelby living in the Chitown area. I grew up in Pgh also, lived in Sacramento for a couple years for work then on to Texas. Moved here 3 1/2 years ago. We actually have 93 octane gas here with 10% ethanol. I still have not gotten used to the winters especially the last one, it just would not end. All of the locals and weather folks said it was the worst in 30 years. First purchase for the new home should be a snowblower. The Shelby might get 6 good months of running unless your one of those guys who runs no matter what. Not to many hills so you don't get stuck like back home everything just moves really slow. Drivers here can be very aggressive watch yourself, no signal and turns you don't expect. Let us know when and if you make the move, we can celebrate with some Iron City or Rolling Rock ponys, Just kidding IC gives me a terrible headache.

 

You got it! I'm not much of a beer drinker, but I do remember that there was a shelf life on Iron City beer, because eventually, the beer would eat through the can. I also lived in Dallas for 13 years or so, so we seem to be from similar backgrounds as far as travel.

So it looks like 6 months of Shelby driving and 6 months of Shelby shining in the garage. The snowblower would probably be my second purchase; the first being a beater car to drive in the winter.

As for the aggressive driving, I drive 64 round trip miles in LA traffic every day. We have all your problems and can add "highway shootings" to the mix. (Funny, California is so strict with guns, but they seem to be everywhere anyway.) And for some reason, there are a lot of unlicensed and uninsured drivers here too. For instance, the guy who ran me and my Harley off the road last month had no license, no insurance and spoke no English (according to the Highway Patrolman, anyway).

Go figure.

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Ok, I just had a pretty good job offer in the Rolling Meadows/Schaumburg, Illinois area. My wife and I are thinking about it. Is there anyone on the forum from around that area that can give me an overview of if that is a nice area?

 

I am in Southern California right now and looking to escape before my wallet implodes.

 

Yes, the GO Shelby would be going too. (And the Harley)

 

And YES, I know all about snow. I grew up in Pittsburgh.

 

Opinions?

 

GO STEELERS!!

 

Originally from Rockford... Chicago and surrounding villages are excellent place to live! As long as you can deal with the winter, go for it

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GO STEELERS!!

 

Originally from Rockford... Chicago and surrounding villages are excellent place to live! As long as you can deal with the winter, go for it

 

Thanks for the info. I used to live in Richardson off Renner Road. I know Parker very well.

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Thanks for the info. I used to live in Richardson off Renner Road. I know Parker very well.

 

This is 2nd time in Texas, love that BBQ at Bone Daddy's!

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Lot's of great information. Thanks.

I'm a midwest guy at heart and I have been looking for a quality place to settle down. From what I've read, the Chicago Burbs aren't a bad place to be.

 

So, in general, how many months a year do you think it would be "Shelby" weather? (snowless and saltless)

Based on the what I have seen/heard here and online, the lake tends to reduce the summer and winter weather extremes somewhat. It is probably milder than it is in Pittsburgh, where I grew up.

 

I will warn you though. I'm a hard and fast Steelers fan, so I won't be converted! :happy feet:

 

I live in N.W. Indiana which is about 20 miles south east of Chicago. Shelby weather is usually safest may thru october. March & april will give you a few dry days to drive the car for a few miles. Get used to hearing the roadsalt residue spraying into your clean wheel wells during those months. You really need the april showers to clean the streets of the winter road salts.

My advice is to buy a house w/ a garage heater or install one yourself. That helps tremendously to appease the winter blues. (Just picture yourself in mid January waxing your Shelby in a 70 degree garage while it's 10 below zero outside.)

 

I lived in Ranch Cucamonga, Ca for a couple years in the 80's. I really missed the change of seasons in the midwest. However, you will learn to really appreciate nice weather when you live in the midwest. Winters tend to feel a bit long, esp. when you have a GT500 & a Harley in the garage.

 

Glad to have you in the midwest!

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