Roselle

“If you blink while driving, you’ll miss Medinah. We are like a unicorn tucked between Bloomingdale, Roselle and Itasca,” says Jessica Garry, a Realtor at Garry Real Estate who grew up in Medinah and currently services DuPage County. “Since Medinah is an unincorporated community, we have low taxes, custom homes on oversized lots, and we get the luxury of relaxed living, except we are only 27 miles away from Chicago.” Medinah is often known for being home to the Medinah Country Club, which is a prestigious private club with famous members such as Michael Jordan, and has hosted some of the most acclaimed golfing events. The rest of the community is comprised of picturesque homes that dot the idyllic, storybook setting with a harmonious blend of undulating greens, top-performing schools and active, long-term residents who are passionate about preserving Medinah’s rural, small-town character. “People have shut down multimillion-dollar offers from the factories that wanted to buy up Medinah’s land,” Garry says. “We have neighbors who have chicken coops in their backyards, RVs, trailers and boats parked out front, and there are people who convert smaller ranch homes to larger two-stories. You can basically do anything with your land here because Medinah is unincorporated, and we want to keep Medinah the way it is, which is unique.” “The houses here go super fast as inventory is really low. There are about 800 houses total in Medinah, so it’s pretty slim picking,” Garry says. Most single-family properties are priced between $350,000 and $700,000, with estate homes fetching around $1 million. Primarily built in the latter half of the 20th century, Medinah properties include split-levels, single-story ranches and raised ranch styles around 1,000 and 2,000 square feet. Larger picturesque Tudor Revivals, stately Colonial Revivals, New Traditionals and sprawling ranch styles are often over 4,000 square feet with horseshoe driveways and acre-sized lots. Brickwork exteriors are common, and landscapes are thoughtfully maintained with mature trees and shrubs. “There is only one more lot available to build on in all of Medinah. Home prices here continue to go up, and the fact that there’s no more land left makes Medinah even more valuable,” Garry adds. “Plus, people who live here do not leave.” With three 18-hole courses and a 120,000-square-foot clubhouse, the iconic Medinah Country Club is designated by BoardRoom Magazine as one of the eight Distinguished Clubs in the world. Locals can head to Thorndale Park for recreational games of baseball, tennis and volleyball. The neighborhood parkland is also home to an ice-skating rink, playgrounds and hiking trails. Anglers may go to Lakeview Park’s fishing pier for a quiet escape. Most area students attend Medinah Primary School for prekindergarten to second grade. Young learners then continue to Medinah Intermediate School and Medinah Middle School, both of which are rated A-minus by Niche. Additional primary schools include Spring Hills Elementary School, which has an A-minus, and Erickson Elementary School, rated A. Lake Park High School has an A-plus and offers 25 Advanced Placement and seven dual credit courses. “There are two restaurants and bars, two mechanic shops, a post office and a train station in Medinah,” Garry says. “However, you can get to most neighboring restaurants within a 10-minute drive.” 4 Points Whiskey Saloon and Grill is Medinah’s area fixture with karaoke nights on Saturdays and a popular bar selection. Venture out of Medinah and explore the neighboring food scenes, including Portillo’s, a Chicago-based fast-food chain serving beef sandwiches. For a more upscale experience, visit Venuti’s Italian Restaurant, a family-owned eatery offering authentic dishes like French veal chops. Residents may drive 3 miles to Addison for groceries at Aldi or visit Sam’s Club and Walmart for everyday essentials. With over 200 stores and restaurants, Woodfield Mall, which is the largest mall in the state, is a mere 5-mile drive away. While Medinah is highly car-dependent, there is a train station in Medinah that can take residents to Chicago Union Station through Metra, which is short for Chicago’s commuter train, Metropolitan Rail. “Medinah is less than 2 minutes away from highways in all directions,” Garry says. Locals can navigate to Chicago via Interstate 290, and O'Hare International Airport is 12 miles away through West Irving Park Road. Ascension Alexian Brothers hospital is about 4 miles away. Most events such as seasonal festivals, wine tours and holiday galas in Medinah take place at the Medinah Country Club. The club has also hosted various tournaments and major golf events, including the BMW Championship, the Ryder Cup, the PGA Championship when Tiger Woods won in 1999 and 2006, the U.S. Senior Open and the U.S. Open, often attracting over 200,000 visitors.