A prim grid of tree-lined streets provides good shade for an afternoon stroll through this quiet, residential north side Chicago neighborhood. And, quite contradictory to the size of its namesake trees, the actual land area of Big Oaks is rather small. Still there's room for a few local restaurants that provide all the favorites from pizza to pierogies. Other businesses are found along Big Oaks' major border roads, but the bulk of the community is simply rows of private homes and manicured yards that offer a nice place for families to settle down.
Imagine long open stretches of fresh-cut grass, a pole with a flag in the distance flicks in the wind. From somewhere behind you hear the urgent cry 'Fore!' Immediately you search the sky for the incoming object, which lands inches from your plaid-pants clad foursome, only mildly disrupting the tranquil disposition of the scene but severely upsetting your drive which flanked to the edge of the fairway.
Walking about the straight avenues and rows of houses in the purely residential Chicago neighborhood of Big Oaks, you won’t have to worry about getting beaned with a small, white dimpled ball, but you might be surprised by what once existed where your feet now tread.
What is now blocks of housing was once the expansive, well-tended greens of Big Oaks Golf Course. Named after the area’s numerous oak trees, Big Oaks Golf Course was constructed as a public counterpart to nearby members-only Ridgemoor Country Club. In 1955, Big Oaks Golf Course sold its land to the city, which demolished the course, replacing it with hundreds of homes.
These days Big Oaks (the neighborhood took its name from the golf course it supplanted) is a pleasantly residential area, home to a number of Chicago’s police officers and cozy single-family dwellings.
Big Oaks facts
Location: About 14 miles northwest of the Loop Bordering Neighborhoods:Union Ridge, Jefferson Park, Oriole Park, Norridge Boundaries: Foster Avenue to the north, Nagle Avenue to the east, Gunnison Street to the south and Harlem Avenue to the west Crime Statistics: Go to CLEARMap to search specific streets and areas for crime incidents
Big Oaks transportation
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Big Oaks Real Estate
The tall oak trees that edge the streets of Big Oaks neighborhood are its characteristic trait, providing nice shade for summertime walks and plenty of ammunition for leaf piles in the fall. Though pretty much entirely residential, Big Oaks is close to a lot of parks, stores, and restaurants in nearby neighborhoods. If you’re willing to step over Big Oaks’s southern border, you find yourself at Ridgemoor Country Club (6601 W. Gunnison St., 708-867-8400) a private country club and golf course. Although Ridgemoor is off limits to all but members, perhaps you could befriend someone on the inside and score an invite for eighteen holes. If nothing else, it would give you something to talk to your neighbors about.
Big Oaks neighborhood has some multi-unit living options, mainly along Harlem Avenue, however most of the housing is of the single-family detached style. Still, there are several older, low-rise brick condos and a few newer model options. On average the sales price for a one- or two-bedroom unit is a little under $200,000.
Lot size in Big Oaks is moderate with a bit of lawn to mow. It’s nothing a push mower couldn’t handle, so, just a tip, the riding tractor model might be overkill. As for the actual home in the yards, most were built in the 1960s and ‘70s, and have been kept in good condition. There’s a variety of one- and two-story places with architectural designs from brick ranch to split-level to stately, high-ceilinged new structures. Average price for a three-bedroom in Big Oaks is in the upper $300,000s. For a house with another bedroom or two, you’re looking at an average value of $484,000 with the random $825,000 property here and there.
The average sale price of a home in Big Oaks is represented by the chart to the right. The red line indicates the average price based on the total time frame selected in the drop-down window. The blue line indicates the average sale price for the particular month within that time frame. For more detailed information on Big Oaks sign up for the trends report below or contact your Dream Town broker.
The average number of days a home in Big Oaks spends listed for sale is represented by the chart to the right. The red line indicates the average number of days based on the total time frame selected in the drop-down window. The blue line indicates the average number of days a home spent on market during the particular month within that time frame. For more detailed information on average market listing times in Big Oaks sign up for the trends report below or contact your Dream Town broker.
The average sale price of a home compared to its listing price in Big Oaks is represented by the chart to the right. The black line indicates the baseline listing price for homes during the time frame selected in the drop-down. The red line indicates the difference between the average listing price and the average sale price during the particular month within that time frame. For more detailed information on Big Oaks sign up for the trends report below or contact your Dream Town broker.
The total number of listings in Big Oaks is represented in the chart to the right. The red line represents average number of days based on the total time frame selected in the drop-down window The blue bar represents the current number of listings during the particular month of that time frame. For more detailed information on Big Oaks sign up for the trends report below or contact your Dream Town broker.
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