Buying a home? Consider Berwyn, Illinois

It seems like the ideal place to move to and buy a home just may be the Chicago suburb of Berwyn, Illinois.

This "hidden gem" is populated with diverse residents and a number of independent businesses, Berwyn Development said. City Mayor Robert Lovero said that "Berwyn has evolved from a bedroom community to a first choice destination in Chicago's near west suburbs. We have a fantastic housing stock marked by a significant concentration of brick bungalows and our location is defined by its convenience."

Berwyn residents can either drive or ride the commuter rail the 15 minutes it takes to get to the city. If people work in Chicago but want to live outside of the city, Berwyn might be an ideal location to purchase a home.

The average home in this area is 1,200 square feet and is priced around $170,000 or less, according to WhyBerwyn.com. Homeowners can expect to pay less than $4,000 annually in property taxes.

When moving to a new area, consumers should also take into consideration the cost of homeowners insurance and utility bills.