Affordable Homes in Lower Cost Metro's














Typical of the great homes for sale in Peoria at an affordable price 

$77,900

1154 Square Feet


PEORIA, IL  61604 
MLS #1105910





More about Peoria:







Interesting article in Forbes.  Chicago is an expensive place to live. It is high time to think about moving your business and home to Peoria.

Typical morning commute here is 10 or 15 minutes. Housing is much more affordable. You can keep your boat in the lake for a fraction of the cost in Chicago. And you can be in the beautiful boondocks along the Illinois River in minutes.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2008


Move to Peoria, Illinois


THERE ARE SOME INCREDIBLE VALUES IN PEORIA, ILLINOIS. IF YOU ARE IN A HIGH COST REAL ESTATE AREA, CONSIDER MOVING TO OUR GREAT CITY OVERLOOKING THE ILLINOIS RIVER. OUR MEDIAN HOME COST IS ABOUT $125,000. LEAVE YOUR HIGH COST AREA, AND START A BUSINESS OR RETIRE TO PEORIA.


Click on the Following:

A typical home just down the street from me, listed for $145,000 on


http://www.tradersrealty.com

http://www.tradersrealty.com/search/listing.asp?mls=1089470&LoggedIn=Yes&Type=QS&LM=True&CLS=


Peoria 125,000

Chicago 286,000

Los Angelos 588,000

My home overlooking downtown Peoria



Ruyle Hullinger home
423 High Street, Peoria, Illinois
Located in the High Wine District across from Giant Oak Park, this Colonial Revival home was built around the turn of the century. On the ridge of the Illinois River, it overlooks downtown Peoria and the University of Illinois Medical Campus.

In the 1890's, a railroad agent and the treasurer of a local industry lived in the house. Later, the home was a boarding house and a halfway house for some years. It is reputed to be occupied by a ghost. The home was restored near its 100 year anniversary by Jack and Cathy Empson. Renovation was continued by the current owners, Beth Ruyle and Craig Hullinger in 2006.

The existing, original slate roof is moderately pitched and hipped, with a ridge. Classic one story fluted columns support the full length porch. Brick walls are edged with quoins. The interior boasts extensive stained woodwork and marble floors.

__________________________

High Street

Source: http://www.historicpeoria.com/entry.php?eid=214&catid=1&cid=1

Nestled between Peoria's picturesque West Bluff and energetic Main Street, High Street offers its residents and visitors a vibrant and elegant slice of historical significance. From the mammoth Easton house (now Converse Marketing) gracing the entrance to the renovated Greenhut mansion (now Bobbitt's Historical Quarters) at the foot, the magic of High Street has survived the years and resonates today.

Once dubbed "High Wine Avenue," High Street housed many of the original Peoria whiskey barons, including Joseph Greenhut, president and founder of The Distillers and Cattle Feeders Company. In the mid-1880's, an era before income tax, fortunes were spent on homes, massive legacies that still stand today. The expanse of Peoria's whisky riches is showcased in the diverse and ornate architecture of High Street. During this golden age of Peoria history, the city established itself as the distillery capital of the world; High Street housed the city's exclusive nouveau riche, the properties offering both seclusion and breathtaking views. Each owner hired the services of individual architects, and thus High Street boasts styles ranging from Georgian and Gothic Revival, to Queen Anne and Flemish Revival. This combination of porticos, cupolas, latticework, leaded windows, and arches creates an eclectic presence unique to High Street.
Today High Street is home to artists, writers, politicians and families interested in living a piece of history. Many of the mansions have been restructured into apartments, and few single-family houses remain. A restoration revival swept the street in the late 1980's and early 1990's when owners began working with the city to uphold historical standards in the renovations. On any summer day, visitors stroll the street, taking in the majestic homes and lush landscaping. Trolleys and tour buses creep along while tourists snap photos. Children and lovers alike hide within the limbs of the ancient oak tree at Giant Oak Park. Once the most exclusive residential street in Peoria, High Street continues to give citizens a taste of Peoria's past.
Our former High Street Home http://zerlaproperties.com/

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2008



There are some incredible values in Peoria, Illinois. If you are in a high cost real estate area, consider moving to our great city overlooking the Illinois River. Our median home cost is about $125,000. Leave your high cost area, and start a business or retire to Peoria.Click on the Following:

A typical home just down the street from me, listed for $149,000 on


http://www.blogger.com/www.tradersrealty.com

http://www.tradersrealty.com/search/listing.asp?mls=1089470&LoggedIn=Yes&Type=QS&LM=True&CLS=


Peoria 125,000

Chicago 286,000

Los Angelos 588,000

MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2008


Move to Peoria

“Just outside Chicago, there’s a place called Illinois.”

Move your business and home to downstate“Just outside Chicago, there’s a place called Illinois.” The State of Illinois developed this catchy slogan for it’s tourism marketing program to encourage Chicago-area residents to visit the Illinois south and west of Chicago, instead of visiting Wisconsin and Michigan.

The strategy aimed to keep tourism and the dollars it generates in Illinois.The strategy need not stop at tourism, though. Communities in downstate Illinois should employ a similar strategy when attracting businesses and economic development. Outside of the Chicago metropolitan area, the cost of home ownership and renting is tremendously cheaper. The cost of doing business is also much less. Congestion, often cited as a quality-of-life issue, is virtually non-existent: “rush hour” in smaller communities is often the “rush minute”.

Demographic trends indicate that the problem is only going to get worse in Northeast Illinois. Of Illinois’ population of 12 million people, 8 million citizens live in or around Chicago. By 2030, Illinois is projected to grow over 15%, but of the 2 million more people living here, most will be living in or near metro Chicago.While growth is encouraging, it also comes with associated costs. Both Chicago and Illinois would be better off if some of the projected growth occurred in other Illinois communities.

The addition of two million more people to the Chicago area will create more traffic congestion and air pollution. This will require increased capital expenditure at the federal, state and local levels as the transportation, protective and educational infrastructures swell to accommodate this growth. The increase in taxes need to manage this growth is rarely appreciated by citizens.

Illinois communities outside of Chicagoland could accommodate and welcome this growth. Many communities are at best experiencing moderate growth, while many more are losing population. These smaller communities often have housing stock, roads, schools, and other infrastructure that have capacity sufficient to the task.This potential is illustrated by comparing two large metropolitan areas in Illinois.

The moderately-growing Peoria metropolitan area is the second largest metro area in Illinois. However, as the following table demonstrates, there are significant advantages to locating or relocating “downstate”:Chicago / PeoriaMedian Home Price[1]$ 274,700 / $ 114,900Average Commute Time (2000)[2]35 minutes / 20 minutes“Cost of Doing Business” Rank[3]90th / 47thCost of Living Index Composite[4]103.9 / 96.9Student-Teacher Ratio[5]16.40 / 14.40Relocating Businesses and Employees DownstateMore and more people are controlling their own job location.

The Internet permits more people to work remotely. Telecommuting allows mobile professionals to flee large, congested metro areas and work and live in a pleasant environment. Free lance writers, advertising executives, entrepreneurs, artists, computer experts and even salespeople are typical of employees who often have control of their work location. Jack Manahan is a perfect example. Manahan left the Chicago suburbs for Peoria. As a home-based computer consultant to government, he simply drives 10 minutes to the airport when he needs to visit a client. "I saved half the cost of my auto insurance and got a much nicer home in Peoria when I left Chicago. And the rush hour is much less than in Chicago. Peoria is a pleasant place to live and work, without the hassle of a really big city. "Long gone is the requirement for manufacturers, agencies, sales forces and consulting companies to be located in a large metropolitan area. In fact, the cost of doing so might well outweigh the benefits. The same connectivity that permits telecommuting allows business leaders the flexibility to move their entire company to smaller, more attractive communities where both the quality of life and the cost of doing business are better. The marketplace is no longer local – it is global and requires little more than a strong technology and transportation infrastructure. This trend is accelerating and will likely continue to be popular, especially as congestion increases.Attracting a Retiree Migration SouthMoving to a downstate community can also be an excellent retirement strategy. Retirees can achieve substantial savings from the sale of their homes.

With Chicago’s real estate market rocketing skyward, retirees can often turn the sale of one home into the purchase of two: A home in a moderately-sized downstate community that offers proximity to family and friends and offers all the amenities of city life, and possibly a second home for the winter months in the Sun Belt. This move is especially appealing to those individuals who grew up downstate but moved to larger metropolitan areas for work reasons.

One budding strategy in attracting retirees is to build housing communities in conjunction with universities and colleges. The housing can be privately developed, with alumni and faculty targeted as purchasers. The partnership is a win-win situation: Alumni bring a love of the institution and serve as natural source of volunteers, donors, event boosters and even students in continuing education. The city gets more homeowners and consumers in the local economy, but does not need to concern itself with these new citizens taking high-paying jobs or additionally taxing the local public school system.

Craig Harlan Hullinger AICP is the Economic Development Director for the City of Peoria. Craig has a BA Degree in Public Administration, a Master s Degree in Environmental Planning. Contact him at (309) 494-8639 or chullinger@ci.peoria.il.us.

Christopher Setti is an Economic Development Specialist with the Economic Development Department of the City of Peoria. Chris has a BA in Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. Contact him at (309) 494-8618 or csetti@ci.peoria.il.us.

[1] National Association of Realtors: http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/nar_3q05/price.html#table

[2] Arbitron “Average Travel Time to Work Comparison.” www.arbitron.com/outdoor_companies/travel_result.asp

[3] Forbes Magazine, “Best Places for Business and Careers.” May 5, 2005.

[4] ACCRA Cost of Living Index, 2nd Quarter 2005

[5] www.money.cnn.com. “Best Places to Live 2005.”

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