If you're thinking of relocating to Naperville from bosley real estate, you're not alone. Naperville's thriving job market, excellent schools, and community atmosphere make the city one of Illinois most popular destinations for new residents. As one of CNN Money's best small cities in the United States to live in, you can't go wrong choosing Naperville. However, it's always a good idea to get the lay of the land before you commit. That's why we've compiled this guide to real estate in Naperville, Illinois.

Wondering what you can afford? The cost of living is slightly above average in Naperville (by about 10 points) but if you're the current owner of downtown Toronto real estate you're going to be able to trade up by quite a bit. Houses in the most popular zip codes in Naperville are selling for an average of $369,000 and $655,000. Compared to downtown Toronto condo prices of up to several million dollars, that's a pretty big upgrade. You'll get more space and less hassle, because Naperville is significantly less busy.

How much less busy than a big city is it? Well, Naperville's population is about 143,000 and it's spread over an area of more than 35 miles. While that's not exactly rural, it's far below the density you'd be used to if you lived in a downtown Toronto condo. In fact, Naperville's average density means that it's still possible to build or buy brand new homes or undeveloped land. The building rate has been slowing down. It was as high as 1,000 new homes per year ten years ago, but is now around 150 per year, which is plenty, because you only need one.

What type of homes are on offer in Naperville? Since the city is neither very old nor very new, you'll find a mixture of architectural styles that were popular in the 1900s and today. So while the new houses we were just talking about are likely to be in planned subdivisions not unlike Mississauga homes for sale, many downtown buildings sport charming painted brick facades, crown moldings, arched windows, and pillars, borrowing from styles ranging from Greek Revival to Victorian. There are also some interesting homes in styles like Prairie and Victorian.

What are the most popular neighborhoods in Naperville for today's homebuyers? Three words: subdivisions, subdivisions, and more subdivisions! Just like you'll see the market taken over by these leafy modern McMansion havens if you go looking for a house for sale in Scarborough, the same thing will happen in Naperville. You can choose between an aviation focus like Aero Estates, a golf focus like White Eagle, or a plain old schools-shops-houses community like Ashwood Park, but the homogeneity will be ubiquitous. If you want to avoid it, try looking into downtown and the older neighborhoods in midtown.