Homebuyers At The Reserve In St. Charles Can Customize Their New Homes

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Robert and Pana Bertolini were looking online for a new house when they saw a listing for a quick move-in home at The Reserve in St. Charles. The couple drove out from Chicago and toured the property. Not only did they find the Meritus model beautiful, they realized they could actually build a home from the ground up and choose all the finishes they wanted. So they did.

“We found a plan that suited our lifestyle and were excited to make all our own selections so that everything would look exactly how we wanted it to,” said Robert Bertolini.

The couple purchased a Dunberry at The Reserve in St. Charles. It is one of five floor plans from Meritus Homes at the new-home community. Overall, the builder offers ranch and two-story designs with 2,491 to 3,716 square feet of living space, three or four bedrooms, two to 3-1/2 baths, and two- or three-car garages. Current base prices range from $519,900 to $569,900 for these customizable homes.

One of the changes the Bertolinis made to their new home was converting the living room into a more functional space.

“When I was growing up, the only time anyone used the living room was for formal entertaining, otherwise it was off limits,” said Robert. “We thought—why have a room we don’t use? So we added French doors to create an office so I can get work done from home. And we decorated it so that it can also serve as a cozy area to sit down and talk and unwind.”

The living room flanks the grand foyer inside the Tudor-inspired Dunberry, with the dining room on the other side. A dual staircase leads upstairs from both the foyer and the kitchen.

The back of the home is where everyday living happens for the Bertolinis. The open kitchen adjoins the breakfast area, which is separated from the family room by a decorative half wall. Tucked off the main living space for privacy is a den and powder room. A full basement also comes standard.

On the second floor, one of the bedrooms has its own bath and walk-in closet while the two additional bedrooms share a hall bath. The master suite has his and her walk-in closets plus a deluxe bath of its own. In fact, the master bath is a favorite feature for Robert and Pana, especially because it offers views that include St. Charles landmarks.

“One morning, my son came into the room and we saw the sunrise—it was a vivid orange. Just incredible,” he said.

One of the biggest reasons why Robert and Pana chose The Dunberry plan was because of its double garages. On one side of the home is a side-load two-car garage while on the other side is an additional one-car garage, perfect for storage.

“With this layout, we can keep the children’s bicycles, sports equipment and even our outdoor tools safely away from the cars,” said Robert.

This was the Bertolinis’ first time building a new home but they found it enjoyable. Overall, the construction process went smoothly and the couple never worried about timelines not being met or issues arising. They felt just the opposite, in fact—anticipation and excitement to be a part of the building experience.

“Everyone was so nice— the Meritus Homes staff and homeowners we met,” said Robert. “We knew this would be a great place to raise our family.”

The Reserve in St. Charles is a stark contrast from where the Bertolini’s lived in Chicago, offering small town charm and a rural ambiance. After growing up in west suburban Carol Stream, Robert was familiar with the St. Charles area. And when looking for a new home, the couple instantly fell in love with the wide-open spaces and relaxing vibe of The Reserve in St. Charles.

Unlike other more secluded parts of Fox Valley, The Reserve in St. Charles is close to the city’s quaint downtown and the Randall Road corridor so everyday conveniences are nearby. It’s only a few minute drive to find a family dinner spot or spend a couple’s evening out. Plus, the community falls within the boundaries of highly rated School District #303.

Even better, the Bertolini family can take advantage of recreational amenities right within their own neighborhood. They walk with their children to the park to play outdoors, and the big yards provide a great place for the children run around.

“There’s even a hill behind our house where we took the kids sledding,” he said.

Overall, the peaceful setting and preserved open space make a gorgeous backdrop for the new homes at The Reserve in St. Charles. There’s even a newly completed Marquis ready for immediate delivery for those with a desire to move in this spring. It is priced at $589,900.

The Reserve in St. Charles is located on the west side of Rt. 31 between Red Gate and Silver Glen roads. To visit, take Rt. 31 and turn west onto Reserve Drive and proceed to the model and sales office at 775 Reserve Drive.

The decorated model is available to tour from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, call (224) 634-4054 or visit www.MeritusHomebuilders.com.

Read original article HERE.

Lure Of New Construction Draws Couple To 
The Enclave At Mill Creek

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The fact that The Enclave at Mill Creek offered brand-new homes was appealing to Ken and Sandy Siok, especially since not much new construction exists in this established area of central DuPage County. The couple purchased the 1,754-square-foot Marigold ranch at the Meritus Homes community located at the intersection of Army Trail Boulevard and North Mill Street.

The Sioks had been looking for about six months when they finally took the plunge at The Enclave at Mill Creek. Sandy and her daughter, however, had identified the development nearly two years earlier.
“Initially, we visited the sales center before any foundations were even in the ground, looking only at floor plans,” said Sandy. “Once we made the decision to move, we came back out and toured the models, which had opened by then. Even though new construction was not originally the plan—we were sold.”

Having purchased existing homes before, the couple wasn’t sure they wanted to go down that road again.

“This is our first newly built home and the people at Meritus Homes were great to work with,” said Ken. “They made the process stress-free. They were patient when guiding us with selections so we never felt overwhelmed. Everyone has been professional, cooperative and engaging. It’s been a very positive experience.”

He was reassured of making the right decision after spending time talking to homeowners who lived in Phase I at The Enclave at Mill Creek, noting he received nothing but 100 percent positive responses.
“It’s been really fun to see the neighborhood start to take shape,” he added. When complete, The Enclave at Mill Creek will feature a total of 87 homes. A few remain in Phase I and sales now are underway for Phase II, where Meritus Homes is offering four designs. Ranch plans have 1,603 to 2,154 square feet of living space; two, three or four bedrooms; and two full baths for base prices that range from $394,90 to $443,900. Second-story options add 866 to 1,090 more square feet of living space, one or two bedrooms or a loft, and another bath on the upper level. This brings the square footage up to 2,620 to 3,077 with base prices that range from $472,900 to $493,600.

Sandy was excited to pick out the finishes and add her personality to her new Marigold ranch—something that is not an option with resale. Plus, the home has everything the couple wanted, most importantly an open concept layout, single-level living, and it’s detached. Sandy loves the kitchen with its abundant cabinets, big center island, full suite of stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, and elegant touches. She also likes how it flows into the dining room and family room. This modern design allows for flexibility for everyday living and entertaining.

Empty nesters, the Sioks like the luxury master suite with his and her closets plus a private bath—a feature their old house did not provide. And for when family comes to visit, the second bedroom and adjacent full bath are on the other side of the home. The space can be used as a library, office or den, as well.

Standard features include nine-foot ceilings, Colonist doors, decorative touches such as rounded drywall corners and brushed nickel finishes, central air conditioning, and a full basement.

Like all Meritus homes, the Siok’s showcases energy-efficient construction for greater comfort and energy savings than older houses. This includes Tyvek® house wrap, ice and water shield protection for the roof, a damp-proofed foundation, 40-gallon high-efficiency water heater, R-21 wall and R-49 ceiling insulation, and 2-by-6 exterior wall construction.

Since the Marigold was exactly what Ken and Sandy desired they didn’t have to make many upgrades—opting to spend their money on options that were not cosmetic but structural, like a front porch elevation and deep pour basement.

“It’s a blank slate to work with,” said Ken of the basement, which he plans to finish at a later date so the grandchildren have their own play space. “And thanks to the taller ceiling, it won’t feel like a basement when done.”

Ken and Sandy’s home sits on a cul-de-sac in Phase II of The Enclave at Mill Creek. Overall, the property boasts abundant green space…including Westwood Creek, three ponds and a scenic sitting area…with more than two thirds of the ranch-style homes backing to natural areas and open space. Phase II is tucked back over the bridge and their site abuts open space so it has the privacy they were accustomed to coming from a large yard of nearly an acre. Unlike at their old house, The Enclave at Mill Creek’s homeowners’ association will perform all lawn care for their homesite as well as maintain common area landscaping and even handle snow removal on driveways.

“With fewer outdoor chores, we’ll have more time to spend with the grandchildren,” said Ken. After all, the move to The Enclave at Mill Creek was to be near family, specifically the couple’s three children—a daughter in Glen Ellyn and two sons in Elmhurst.

“It’s a smart idea to get closer to our nine grandchildren because Sandy helps out on a regular basis,” said Ken, noting that the couple is relocating from Arlington Heights where they had lived for more than 30 years.

“It was a big decision because we’ve been in the northwest suburbs and Cook County for the entire 44 years we’ve been married,” he continued. “Now, at The Enclave, we’re less than 10 minutes from our daughter and 15 minutes from our boys.”

Plus, being within minutes of Interstates 355 and 290 as well as Ill. Hwy. 83/Kingery Highway makes it an easy drive to work for Ken who is an insurance agent.

Still learning about the area and DuPage County, Ken and Sandy have been impressed with all the local amenities they have found—like restaurants, forest preserves, recreational opportunities, entertainment, and everyday conveniences. Plus, shopping at Oak Brook Center, Yorktown Center and Woodfield Mall are all about the same distance away.

The Enclave at Mill Creek’s sales office is located at 758 Fairway Drive, just north of Army Trail Boulevard and west of North Mill Road in Addison. The community’s entrance is on the north side of Army Trail Boulevard at Links Drive. (Enter 601 Army Trail Boulevard into GPS system to find the site.)

Two decorated models are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. t 5 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, call (331) 255-3464 or visit www.MeritusHomebuilders.com.

Read original article HERE.

Move-In Day Brings Excitement For Ranch Homeowners At The Reserve In St. Charles

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With their move-in date right around the corner, Jim and Julie Keller couldn’t be happier about their decision to build a new ranch at The Reserve in St. Charles, a community of semicustom homes being built by Meritus Homes.

Not only is Julie a teacher locally, Jim works in downtown St. Charles and the couple has lived in the western suburb for more than 25 years. With a daughter and new grandchild nearby, moving away was never an option.

“We were ready to downsize so we started researching existing houses in the area and even considered renovating our current place,” said Jim. “But we realized it would be much more disruptive and time consuming to rehab than to build from the ground up. So we chose new construction.”

“Plus, there’s nothing better than having a clean state and being able to pick out all the finishes we want,” said Julie.

The Marquis ranch at The Reserve in St. Charles was the perfect layout and location for the Kellers’ needs today.

“A key factor in choosing the Marquis was that all the main living areas are on one level,” said Jim. “And we were able to customize to get the open-concept layout we wanted.”

With 2,610 square feet of space, the Marquis ranch boasts an expansive feel thanks to 10-foot ceilings and an open layout. The gourmet kitchen with center island flows into the family room, creating a generous gathering place while the dining room is nearby, ideal for entertaining.

“We host a lot of family dinners and holidays so having a big dining area that was comfortable but not formal was a must-have,” said Julie. “We’re incredibly pleased with how beautiful the space turned out and how perfectly it fits our needs now and will in the future as our family—hopefully—continues to grow.”

Tucked off the kitchen and steps from the pantry is the laundry room, loaded with plenty of storage. On the opposite side of the Marquis, the master suite has a private luxury bath with corner soaker tub and separate shower, plus walk-in closet. Both secondary bedrooms have walk-in closets, too. A den adds flex space—as a library, office or study area. A full basement and two- or three-car garage complete this luxury ranch.

The Kellers were able to make some structural changes to the standard floor plan to create the true open-concept layout they wanted. They also expanded the center island in the kitchen and upgraded to quartz countertops to create a statement piece where family and friends will be able to congregate. The couple also chose the vaulted ceiling option in the great room to visually open the room even more and created a huge walk-in shower in the master bath for a luxurious spa ambiance. They upgraded to a three-car garage and deep-pour basement, too.

“We chose a homesite that has a lookout lower level and with the higher ceilings the basement has so much potential for us to finish it in the future,” said Jim.

In addition to the Marquis and another ranch plan, Meritus Homes offers two-story designs at The Reserve in St. Charles to meet a variety of households and lifestyles. Overall, homes have 2,491 to 3,716 square feet of living space, three or four bedrooms, two to 3-1/2 baths, and two- or three-car garages for base prices that range from $519,900 to $569,900. For those with a desire to move quickly, a Marquis is under construction and ready for March/April delivery. It is priced at $589,900.

Because of the large homesites that provide big back yards and its location in highly rated School District #303, The Reserve in St Charles is home to many families with young children. However, the neighborhood also has retired couples who have been attracted to the ranch homes.

As new homebuyers, Jim and Julie appreciate the friendly and welcoming ambiance at The Reserve in St. Charles. They have seen joggers and walkers out on the paths and several people have stopped to say hi. While just a few minutes from the Randall Road shopping corridor and the village’s quaint downtown, the community feels like an escape.

“Thanks to the large homesites and the fact that we overlook wetlands and lush evergreens, we really feel like we are away from it all when we’re actually close to everything,” said Julie.

This is the fifth new home Jim and Julie have purchased so they were quite familiar with the building process.

“The entire staff at Meritus has been great to work with,” said Julie. “The sales and construction team made sure we understood expectations so there were no hiccups along the way. They’re knowledgeable and have a genuine interest in us…and all homeowners in the neighborhood.”

“This went very smoothly,” Jim agreed. “The home is well built and the quality of the finishes are high. Overall, we have been very impressed.”

A decorated model is open at The Reserve in St. Charles so home shoppers can see the stylish design and feel the superior level of construction first hand. The sales office is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

To visit, take Rt. 31 and turn west onto Reserve Drive, which is between Red Gate Road and Silver Glen Road. Proceed to the model and sales office at 775 Reserve Drive.

For more information, call (224) 634-4054 or visit www.MeritusHomebuilders.com.

Read the original article HERE