Palos Heights

The Oak Hills neighborhood overlooks the Oak Hills Golf Course and is surrounded by forest preserves and natural areas. Comprised of subdivision condos from the Oak Hills Country Club Village and custom-built single-family homes, Oak Hills is a serene residential community tucked in Palos Heights, a suburb 30 miles south of the windy city of Chicago. Area residents enjoy well-kept homes on bucolic streets, top-performing school systems, easy access to outdoor recreation and entertainment opportunities, as well as the myriad shops and restaurants in both Palos Heights and Orland Park. "A lot of people end up moving to Oak Hills from Palos Park for the townhomes and the golf course," says Laurie Mead, a local real estate broker and Realtor with @properties who has sold over 150 homes in Cook County. Encompassing half of the Oak Hills neighborhood, the Oak Hills Country Club Village is a 90-acre condominium community that overlooks the private Oak Hills Country Club golf course. Established in 1980, these popular two and three-bedroom units fall between $200,000 and $400,000, and residents have exclusive access to the clubhouse and its amenities, which include a swimming pool, tennis courts and fitness classes. Outside the community, single-family homes built in the mid-1900s are often engulfed by the leafy, tree-lined landscape. Common architectural styles include contemporary, New Traditional, split-level and a variety of ranch-styles priced around $350,000. Cape Cod, Colonial Revival and Tudor Revival estates over 4,000 square feet can run between $600,000 and $800,000. Detached garages, horseshoe-shaped driveways and half-acre lots are common across the single-family properties. Residential streets can be quite narrow with no sidewalks, and homes are spaciously set apart from their neighbors. Golfing enthusiasts can take advantage of the proximity of the Oak Hills Country Club’s nine-hole course, which was rated No. 21 in the USA by Golfers’ Choice in 2022. "It's a very popular course in the area. My husband plays in the weekly league over there and loves it," Mead adds. For nature lovers, the Tinley Creek Trail runs through Burr Oak Woods, which is part of Cook County Forest Preserve, and offers a scenic path for walking or biking through the woods. Take in the scenery or fish at Turtlehead Lake and Arrowhead Lake, or take children to the neighborhood pocket park, The Kendall Coyne Dream Big Park. Sunny Pine Park has an additional play area with swings, and Crawford Park has a ball field and a basketball court. Additional private clubs nearby include Silver Lake Country Club and Palos Country Club. Area residents may be zoned for Palos School District 118 and Consolidated High School District 230. Prospective schools include Palos West Elementary School, Palos South Middle School and Amos Alonzo Stagg High School, of which all three schools have an A Niche rating. Amos Alonzo Stagg High School offers 27 Advanced Placement courses to its students and has been ranked as one of the “Top 20 Public High Schools in Cook County, Illinois” by Chicago Magazine. The grocery store, Jewel-Osco, and popular eateries in the area are located along South Harlem Avenue, including the staple breakfast spot, Lumes Pancake House, which offers potato pancakes with fresh applesauce and sour cream. Harvest Room is a farm-to-table American restaurant that utilizes locally sourced and seasonal produce. About 4 miles to the east, Rivercrest Shopping Center has retailers such as Target and Kohl’s as well as an AMC movie theater. Orland Square, an indoor mall with over 150 popular fashion stores and restaurants, is 4 miles south of the neighborhood. For a family outing, locals can head to Dave & Busters or The Pier Arcade at Orland Square, or have fun at Orland Park’s Sky Zone trampoline park. Residents of Oak Hills Country Club Village can enjoy a variety of social events at the clubhouse, including game nights, holiday and seasonal parties and dance gatherings. The city of Palos Heights also organizes events such as farmers markets, a classic car show, Independence Day celebrations and winter holiday markets. There is also an impressive collection of sculptures, paintings and art murals displayed throughout Palos Heights for residents and visitors to enjoy. While Oak Hills remains a car-dependent community, downtown Chicago is only a 28-mile drive to the northeast through Interstate 55. UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital is about 12 miles away via south Interstate 294, and O'Hare International Airport is 30 miles to the north through Interstate 294. Pace Suburban Bus provides public bus services throughout the suburbs of the Chicago metropolitan area, and Metra has a train stop in Palos Heights for rail service to and from downtown Chicago.

Nestled just west of Downtown Palos Heights is the residential neighborhood of Ishnala. Known for its quiet tree-lined streets, the area’s residents are shaded by mature oaks dappling homes and yards. These quiet homes are within walking distance of highly regarded schools and well-kept parks, with shopping being easily available only a mile or two away. So much is packed inside, making Ishnala an ideal place to live for anyone seeking a quiet, suburban lifestyle. "Ishnala has smaller lots but bigger homes," says Laurie Mead, a local real estate broker with @properties who has served the area for over 11 years. "It's a nice family-oriented neighborhood with great schools and parks.” Homebuyers in Ishnala can find a variety of housing styles, including Craftsman homes, Tudor-style homes, and colonial revivals. Most homes sit on spacious lots with big front and back yards, driveways and attached garages. Homes commonly start around $225,000 for a two or three-bedroom condo, ranch-style home or split-level. Prices can rise to $565,000 for more customized ranch-style homes with Craftsman features that have three and four bedrooms. “The homes in Ishnala are in high demand right now. As soon as a house comes on the market, multiple offers are received," Mead says. Ishnala students are served by Consolidated High School District 230. Locals can start at Palos East Elementary School in the middle of the neighborhood. Students can then move on to Palos South Middle School before heading to Amos Alonzo Stagg High School, which is a member of the Southwest Suburban Athletic Conference (SWSC), one of the most successful athletic conferences in the state of Illinois. All three schools receive an A rating from Niche. There are two parks located in the neighborhood offering options for outdoor fun. Crawford Park features a basketball court, softball field, playground and picnic shelter. Bicyclists can make use of the bike trail that runs through the park going north to Memorial Park and southeast through the nature preserves. Palmer Park is on the north side of the neighborhood and offers two tennis courts and multiple sports fields to suit each season. Restaurant options in Ishnala include Harvest Room, which serves locally sourced breakfast, lunch and dinner in a modern space with vegan options. Customers love coming for brunch with made-to-order chicken and waffles and gooey Scotch eggs. For something quick, check out Shawarma Bros, known for their Middle Eastern fast food. Residents recommend the shawarma fries in “butter chicken” style for a poutine-type dish with an Indian flair. For a treat, stop by Andy’s Frozen Custard for custard sundaes with toppings aplenty. When it’s time to go grocery shopping, residents drive to the Jewel-Osco to the east, off Harlem Avenue or to the Target just 3 miles to the east. Southwest Highway and Harlem Avenue are the main roads in the area, which allow locals to get to neighboring communities with ease. Many locals also choose to enjoy a stroll or bike ride through the tree-lined streets. When locals want to check out all that Chicago has to offer, they can park their cars at the Palos Park Metra Station on the northwest side of the neighborhood and be in the city in under 50 minutes. Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital is less than a mile away for locals seeking medical treatment. People looking to take a vacation can travel 11 miles north to get to Chicago Midway International Airport. Palos Heights offers a large array of events to residents of Ishnala. There is the Chocolate Chase 5k that takes place every April around Meyers Park and offers prizes to the winners of each group. There are also snacks and refreshments at the end, plus all the chocolate locals can eat! The city also has a two-day Independence Day Celebration each July in nearby Memorial Park, which consists of inflatables and games on the 3rd and food, music and a beer tent to help accent the fireworks on the 4th.

Colonial Heights is a residential neighborhood situated in the northern part of Palos Heights; a suburb located around 20 miles southwest of Chicago. With its spacious lots, tree-lined streets and the shops and restaurants of Downtown Palos Heights only steps away, Colonial Heights is a desirable neighborhood for those looking for a peaceful, suburban lifestyle while still being close to the amenities of a major metropolitan area. The community is flanked by three major thoroughfares, including U.S. Routes 43 and 83, making it easily accessible to neighboring regions. "A majority of the people who move here are looking for a great place to raise kids, and the schools are phenomenal," says Sharon Biros Koerber, Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway Chicago and 30-year resident of Palos Heights. "It very much has a small-town feel - people tend to stay in the neighborhood, and their kids end up buying homes here. It almost becomes generational." The median sales price for a home in the neighborhood is $334,000. Many of the homes were built in the 1950s and 1960s, but there have been some newer houses built in the last 20 years. Homes are typically large and well-maintained, and the neighborhood has plenty of trees providing shade for residents. Popular home styles include brick ranch-style homes, Cape Cods, and split levels. A 2,231-square-foot, 4-bed, 2-bath brick ranch-style home sitting on a 0.36-acre lot costs around $377,000. You can buy a 2,985-square-foot newer modern traditional-style home with 4 beds and 5 baths for around $633,000. Education is a top priority in Colonial Heights, with the neighborhood hosting a selection of both public and private schools, ensuring that students of all ages have access to quality education. Palos East Elementary School is a public school located south of the neighborhood that received an A grade from Niche. The school also offers extracurricular activities for students including beginning band, cardinal choir and math Olympiad for 5th and 6th graders. North of the school, there's a playground where parents can take their kids to play after work. Palos East Elementary provides a strong educational foundation for students before they ascend to Palos South Middle School and commence their secondary education at Amos Alonzo Stagg High School, with both schools also earning an overall A from Niche. Stagg High is rated as one of the top 100 public high schools in the state. Community Park, the neighborhood's expansive 34-acre green space, provides residents with an array of outdoor amenities. This includes two well-lit tennis courts, two softball fields, five baseball fields and a 9-hole disc golf course for sports enthusiasts. The park also features a practical picnic shelter, ideal for casual gatherings, as well as a playground ensuring there's something for everyone, from sports activities to family leisure. The picnic shelter is available to rent and has seating for up to 50 people. The Palos Heights Swimming Pool is just to the north of the park and has two water slides and a diving board. It’s an ideal spot for residents to cool off in the summer. When it’s time to stock up on groceries, people can drive southeast to Jewel-Osco. Frangella Italian Market is in the northwest corner of the neighborhood and has an amazing selection of Italian pasta, deli meats, cheeses and bread. The store also has pre-made Italian dinners to go, made-to-order sandwiches and homemade soups when there is no time to cook. When locals would rather eat out, they check out Tried and Tru Eatery in the same plaza. This fast-casual unrestricted scratch kitchen serves up a culinary fusion from cheddar and bacon pierogis with a side of southwestern dipping sauce, to rib tips and pork belly tacos, all served with a free side of chips and salsa. For Italian, residents visit Jullianni’s Pizza, on the northeast side of the neighborhood. This Italian eatery and pub prepares pies and Italian favorites for delivery or dine-in in warm surroundings. Customers claim the deep dish is the best in Palos Heights and rave about the warm, inviting atmosphere. When residents are ready to check out all that Chicago has to offer, they can drive west to the Palos Park Metra Station. The train will take commuters to the city in under 50 minutes.

The slogan for the city of Palos Heights is “Come Alive!”, and residents living in Downtown Palos Heights find plenty of reasons to do so. “It’s a really nice place to live and raise a family. I raised six kids here,” says Sharon Biros Koerber, Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway Chicago and 30-year resident of the neighborhood. “People stick around, and the community is very friendly.” With a host of top-rated schools, various shops and restaurants, events hosted throughout the year and a variety of home styles sitting on spacious green lots, Palos Heights offers plenty of opportunities for residents to follow the advice of the city slogan. Many housing styles can be found in Downtown Palos Heights, including older brick ranch-style homes, quaint Cape Cods and newer modern traditional homes. Houses are situated on spacious lots shaded by mature trees to either side of South Harlem Avenue, the main road cutting through the city. A range of amenities are available, such as attached garages, driveways and outdoor entertaining spaces. A two-bedroom home in this neighborhood starts at $235,000, while larger three-bedroom houses can reach $580,000. “There’s not a lot of housing stock available right now,” Koerber says. “If something comes up and it’s in good shape, it goes fast.” Students in Palos Heights can look forward to attending several highly rated schools, beginning with Chippewa Elementary. Chippewa scores an A on Niche and teaches first through third grade. They then move to Navajo Heights Elementary for fourth and fifth grades, and to Independence Junior High School for sixth through eighth grade. Both schools rate an A-minus and offer a Paws For Reading program that brings therapy dogs to the school library for weekly visits. Students finish at A.B. Shepard High School, also graded A-minus, which offers after-school workshops in Japanese Raku pottery. When they want to get outside on summer days, residents head to Navajo Park. Located right by Navajo Heights Elementary School, this small park is dominated by a playground with swings and plenty of open space for kids to run around. Palmer Park, just off 73rd Court, has tennis courts, a basketball court and a softball field for athletically inclined locals. The Lake Katherine Nature Center and Botanical Gardens at the north end of the neighborhood is woven through by several miles of trails and offers canoe and kayak rentals. Shopping for groceries is as easy as heading to Jewel-Osco at the neighborhood's south end. A trip to Target is a quick 3.5-mile drive down West Calumet Sag Road to Rivercrest Shopping Center, where locals can also find fast-casual eateries like Applebee’s and the AMC Crestwood movie theater. Residents prefer eating out in Palos Heights’ downtown district, where Capri Ristorante Italiano was featured by WGN TV’s Chicago’s Best. Highlander House serves authentic Polish food a few blocks south and celebrates Chicago’s heritage. Palos Heights sits right along Interstate 294, connecting the neighborhood to Chicago 20 miles northeast. South Harlem Avenue is the lifeline of the community, hosting many small businesses and running northeast 10 miles to Chicago Midway International Airport. The Palos Heights Farmers’ Market runs from May through October at 12217 South Harlem Avenue and features local vendors selling fresh produce, baked goods and more. The Classic Car Show takes place in July, and spectators can admire hundreds of classic cars from the 1920s through the 1980s on display on both sides of Harlem Avenue. The event also includes live music and local food. Holidays in the Heights takes place in November and December and features a holiday parade, a tree decorating contest and a German-inspired Kris Kringle Market. Palos Heights is the picture of a suburb with all the character of a small town. Its main street along South Harlem Avenue bustles with life on weekends. Trinity Christian College, located on the east side of the neighborhood, lends to this lively atmosphere as students flock to the restaurants and bars for breaks from studying. In contrast to the sleepy image that suburbs can evoke, Palos Heights truly lives up to its motto: “Come Alive!”

Situated in the eastern part of Palos Heights, adjacent to the Cook County Forest Preserve, is the neighborhood of Westgate Valley. Neighbors enjoy easy access to nearby hiking and biking trails. With its proximity to outdoor recreational activities, highly regarded schools and convenient suburban amenities, Westgate Valley has something to offer everyone. "There are very large homes in Westgate Valley Estates, and they're in high demand," says Laurie Mead, Real Estate Broker with @properties. "It's a nice neighborhood, mostly developed in the early 2000s, so the homes are newer. They don't often go on the market, but when they do, they get snapped up fast." The median sales price for a home in the area is $330,000. Most of the homes in the neighborhood were built in the 1960s and 1970s, and popular home styles include brick ranch-style homes and Quadra-levels. Many of these houses have been renovated recently, featuring hardwood floors, stone countertops, and updated porches and patios. You'll find newer, more expensive modern traditionals in the Westgate Valley Estates subdivision. A 4,277 square foot 4-bed, 4-bath house in the subdivision will cost you around $694,970. There are also several town house communities, offering a more maintenance-free lifestyle for those looking for a smaller home. These town houses typically have two or three bedrooms, attached garages and outdoor living spaces and sell for around $339,900. There are several schools in the neighborhood that students can look forward to attending. Alan B. Shepard High School received an 'A-' grade from Niche.com and has over 42 extracurricular activities, including coding, improv, and robotics clubs. Independence Junior High School received an A grade from Niche.com and has basketball, track and volleyball teams for boys and girls. Additionally, parents with toddlers can drop their kids off at Sandbox School, a daycare center, on their way to work. When you want to get outside on a nice day, there are several spots to check out in the nearby nature preserves. Park your car at Cooper's Hawk Grove Family Picnic Area and walk or bike through the Tinley Creek Trail System that winds through the forests. Elizabeth A. Conkey Forest-South has several covered picnic areas and nature trails that run through the Cook County Forest Preserve. Birdwatchers can spot migrating birds, such as the winter wren, vireos, gnatcatchers, phoebes and tanagers, along Tinley Creek. Broad-winged hawks and red-headed woodpeckers also spend time here. Walsh Westgate Park has picnic tables, a playground and plenty of green space for kids to run around. For groceries, drive to the Jewel-Osco on the neighborhood's northwest corner. When you'd rather eat out, you have a few options for food. Restaurante y Taqueria Jerez is a Mexican restaurant with excellent food, prices and service. Customers rave about their birria tacos with flavorful beef broth. For something more upscale, check out Zachary's Grill. The restaurant offers seasonally updated menus, and soups and pastries are made from scratch with inventive recipes and flavor combinations that will delight your taste buds. For brunch on the weekends, head to Royalberry Waffle House and Restaurant, an established joint dishing breakfast standards and lunch with patio seating. Personable servers, fluffy pancakes and bottomless coffee await you. Overall, Westgate Valley's proximity to nature preserves, highly rated schools and convenient amenities make it a great place to call home for families, retirees and anyone seeking a respite from the hustle and bustle of city living.

In Navajo Hills, the fusion of beauty and camaraderie defines this Palos Heights neighborhood, where an active community spirit thrives through annual cultural events. Boasting nearly half a dozen parks and proximity to downtown Palos Heights, this residential enclave offers a dynamic living experience. Positioned just a 40-minute commute from downtown Chicago and bordered by major thoroughfares like South Harlem Avenue and West Calumet Sag Road, residents enjoy seamless travel within the community and to neighboring areas. "The neighborhood exudes a small-town charm, fostering a sense of community where families often stay for generations,” says Sharon Biros Koerber, long-time resident and Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway Chicago. “It becomes a place where children grow up and eventually buy homes of their own." Navajo Hills predominantly features well-maintained mid-century split-levels, expansive ranch-style homes with almost 3,000 square feet of living space, and grand colonials gracing spacious lots, providing a balance of breathing room and urban living. Despite its name, the terrain in Navajo Hills is predominantly flat, adorned with level lawns and extended driveways. Well-cared-for homes, townhouses and condominiums are priced at slightly over $200,000 and above. For newly constructed or renovated homes boasting over 3,000 square feet on double lots, prices range from $500,000 to nearly $800,000. Many of these residences come complete with in-ground swimming pools and luxurious backyards. Navajo Hills embraces the presence of Austin View Park, a neighborhood green space adorned with a lively mulched play area, two well-lit tennis courts and a pedestrian path. Along the northern edge, the Cal-Sag Trail provides a paved route along the Cal-Sag Channel, ideal for walking, jogging, or biking. Following this trail leads to a series of westward nature preserves, including Palos Preserves and Sag Valley Forest Preserve. Managed by Palos Heights Parks and Recreation, the area's parks and facilities host a diverse range of programs and events. Their fitness center offers classes and personal training, while events such as Mother Son Knight Out, Daddy Daughter Dance, summer camp, and Wine & Craft Night add to the community's vibrancy. To further engage residents, Navajo Hills hosts cultural events like Trivia Nights and Galentine's Brunch, along with beautification initiatives such as Adopt-A-Pot, sponsoring landscaped flowerpots throughout the area. The Palos Heights Public Arts Commission plays a crucial role in thoughtfully placing public art to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the community. Each May through October, the Palos Heights Farmers Market on South Harlem Avenue brings together local artists, chefs, and farmers, creating a vibrant and inclusive gathering. "Another draw to this area is that the majority of newcomers are seeking an ideal environment for raising children, and the schools here are exceptional," says Biros Koerber. Students in Navajo Hills have access to top-notch education from both public and private institutions, including St. Alexander School and Palos Lutheran School. Beginning their public education journey at Chippewa Elementary School, which boasts an overall Niche score of B-plus, students then progress to Independence Junior High School, earning an impressive overall Niche score of A-minus. This school provides a strong educational foundation before students advance to A.B. Shepard High School, which holds an exceptional overall Niche score of A-minus, with teachers, diversity and academics receiving the highest accolades. For post-secondary education, Trinity Christian College stands as an accredited liberal arts institution offering 70 degree programs and consistently ranking in the top tier among Regional Colleges—Midwest by U.S. News & World Report. On campus, the Bootsma Bookstore Café at Navajo Creek is a local favorite, nestled in the trees and providing a serene spot for work, meals, or shopping for books and campus merchandise. South Harlem Avenue serves as a hub for everyday needs, featuring services like computer repair, dry cleaning, and the post office. Additionally, it houses popular neighborhood eateries such as Kefi Greek Cuisine + Bar, Joe Daniels, Mid Villa Pizza, and Maria's Tamales Y Champurrado. The avenue is also home to local clothing boutiques like Elegant Couture, Wandering Wishes Boutique, and Golden Shoes. An annual highlight on this strip is the Classic Car Show, where vintage rides from the 1980s and earlier line Harlem Avenue. Notable chains like Target, Kohl’s and At Home are conveniently located in the nearby village of Crestwood. Navajo Hills encapsulates a harmonious blend of quality education, vibrant community engagement and convenient amenities, making it not just a neighborhood but a dynamic and welcoming community for residents seeking a well-rounded living experience.