Do you like Superman? The red cape, the big 'S' on the chest, that little squiggle of black hair dropping down the forehead? You know the guy. Well, the most recent film adaptation, Man of Steel from 2013, was partially filmed in Plano, which doubled up as the scene of serious destruction in Smallville. Don't worry, though, there aren't really any alien super-powered beings there.
Plano is a city of 10,856 people in Kendall County, Illinois
Do you like Superman? The red cape, the big 'S' on the chest, that little squiggle of black hair dropping down the forehead? You know the guy. Well, the most recent film adaptation, Man of Steel from 2013, was partially filmed in Plano, which doubled up as the scene of serious destruction in Smallville. Don't worry, though, there aren't really any alien super-powered beings there.
Plano is a city of 10,856 people in Kendall County, Illinois. Since 2000, the population has nearly doubled, making it a highly popular small city in the region. The city is set right on Route 34, which cuts across it heading east and west. The largest city in the nearby area is Aurora, roughly 15 miles to the northeast, and if you keep at that heading you'll soon find yourself in Chicago about 40 miles away.
Has Plano garnered your interest? Great, you might well have made a good choice. However, there's a few things to consider first to do with moving to the city because, like any city in America, Plano has is unique and has its own specific housing menu.
So, That Menu
A lot of the housing in Plano is fairly new, and this is no surprise seeing that the city has almost doubled in population in 10 years. Nearly 40 percent of all housing was built after 2000, so you can bet that any property you find will be in fairly good condition. That said, Plano is rife with two specific types of housing -- detached homes and townhouses, with the former making up nearly 80 percent of what's available. That's all good for someone who wants a house as their rental property, but not so much if you're looking for city apartments. In fact, any apartment search in Plano is likely to leave you scratching your head, because they're few and far between. Not a great place for apartment seekers, then, but good for house hunters.
When to Move?
This is often a personal preference and, in reality, most people end up moving when their current tenancy ends. I mean, who wants to sofa surf for weeks or months on end? Not many, especially if you have a family in tow. If possible it's generally best to start looking at the beginning of the year, or the end of it. Through spring and summer the market always tends to become more competitive and rental prices can actually spike, so if you have some flexibility it's a good idea to use it as much as you can.
A Bit of Hoop Jumping
You're not going to be handed the keys to your new place without jumping through a few hoops first. Any landlord or realtor will need to know that you'll be able to pay your rent on time, every time. This means referencing and credit checks. If this is a problem, consider finding someone to act as a guarantor for you. You'll also need to pay a security deposit and your first month's rent up front, so get saving now.
Neighborhoods, plural, is inaccurate, as Plano is a one neighborhood city. The walk score there is 68, making it somewhat walkable. Of course, this all depends on where you live, work, and so on. Find a townhouse centrally, near to the main amenities in town, and close to that shop you work in, and you'll be able to get by on your two feet. If you live slightly further out of the town center and commute to another area for work, you'll probably need a car.
So, what might you expect to find in Plano? Well, all the usual really. In the center of town you'll find a few restaurants like Suzy's Pizza and Jade's Garden (apparently all the restaurants in Plano are named after someone), as well as shops, banks and, if you veer slightly further from downtown, several schools and parks. Beyond the central urban area you'll find wider prairies with farms and fields scattered over the landscape, and here you'll find the larger, and older, properties in the region.
The fact that Plano doubled up as Smallville for the recent Superman film tells you all you need to know about it really. It's kind of the perfect small town, with idyllic parks, tree lined streets, cozy homes, and wide prairies stretching beyond the boundaries of the town proper. There are a number of parks of note that people flock to year round, including Foli Park, Plano City Park, and Larry Trimberger Park. Slightly to the south you'll find the much larger Silver Springs State Park. For golfers the Cedardell Golf Course is an great spot, and Farnsworth House is an important historical site in the city and one of its favorite tourist attractions.
How about getting from point A to point B? Well, Amtrak runs straight through the center of the city, providing easy passage over towards Chicago and all of the its suburbs, which is great for commuters and those just looking to head east for a day out. If you prefer to drive then you'll find the going easy, with Route 34 heading towards Chicago as well. Interstates 88, 55, 80, and 39 are also reachable with a short drive in various directions taking you just about anywhere you might want to go in the state and beyond.
