Benefits Of New Construction Draw Buyers To Ranch At The Reserve In St. Charles

/in ,

Jim and Julie Keller first started looking for a new home about a year ago. They toured the model at The Reserve in St. Charles after driving past the community and reading about it in the newspaper. They looked at existing houses in St. Charles and neighboring suburbs and even considered renovating their current residence but they kept coming back to the Meritus Homes neighborhood.

“We thought…why disrupt our lives by rehabbing our house when we can create the perfect new home with the Marquis,” said Jim. So they did.

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

“This went very smoothly,” said Jim. “Our new home feels well built and the quality of the finishes are high. Overall, we have been very impressed.”

One of the main benefits of choosing new construction over resale is the ability to personalize, and that was very important to the Kellers.

“Starting out fresh with everything new and just the way we wanted was key,” said Julie.

The couple chose the Marquis, one of five floor plans Meritus Homes offers at The Reserve in St. Charles. The ranch and two-story designs 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. There’s even a Marquis under construction and ready for immediate delivery for anyone who needs to move quickly. It is priced at $574,900.

With 2,610 square feet of space on a single level, the Marquis 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 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.

Many empty nesters like the Kellers have been attracted to The Reserve in St. Charles because of the easy-living ranch plans. However, thanks to the big back yards and its location in highly rated School District #303, the neighborhood is home to many families with young children, as well.

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.

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

“After 27 years, we wanted to stay in St. Charles because we have so many ties to the area,” said Jim. “The Reserve in St. Charles gave us that option.”

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

Pioneering Spirit Brings Couple To The Marigold Ranch At The Enclave At Mill Creek

/in ,

As the first buyers in Phase II at The Enclave at Mill Creek, Ken and Sandy Siok felt like pioneers purchasing their new home. After literally watching their home being built, the time came for them to move in. But they’re not worried about being alone in Phase II—there are many more homes under construction and the couple has met several neighbors already.

“It’s been really fun to see the neighborhood start to take shape,” said Ken. The community of low-maintenance new homes is being developed by Meritus Homes at the intersection of Army Trail Boulevard and North Mill Street in an established area of central DuPage County.

It was a big decision for Ken and Sandy to leave Arlington Heights where they had lived for more than 30 years to relocate to The Enclave at Mill Creek. But the couple wanted to be near family, specifically their three children—a daughter in Glen Ellyn and two sons in Elmhurst.

“We’d been in the northwest suburbs and Cook County for the entire 44 years of our marriage,” said Ken. “Now, at The Enclave, we’re less than 10 minutes from our daughter and 15 minutes from our boys. Being so close to our nine grandchildren is great because Sandy helps out on a regular basis.”

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 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 community nearly two years earlier—before any foundations were even in the ground.

“Once the homes started to be built, we were very impressed,” she said. “And as soon as we walked into the model we were sold.”

In all, Meritus Homes offers four designs at The Enclave at Mill Creek. 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 $401,900 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.

The Marigold is a comfortable ranch with 1,754 square feet of space. It has everything the couple wanted—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.

“It just feels like that’s the way a home is supposed to be,” she said, noting that they toured other models at The Enclave at Mill Creek but always came back to the Marigold.

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.

“This is our first newly built home and we were excited to pick out our finishes and add our own personality,” said Ken. However, the Marigold was so much what Ken and Sandy desired that 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,” he said 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.”

The couple also chose a homesite on a cul-de-sac in Phase II of The Enclave at Mill Creek even though it meant waiting a little longer to move. 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 and open areas. 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.

Even though new construction was not originally the plan, Ken and Sandy are glad they made the decision to build with Meritus Homes.

“The people have been great to work with,” said Ken. “They made the process stress-free since we had not done this before. 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.”

Plus, their home is built to the exacting standards that signify a Meritus home. For example, Meritus homes showcase 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.

Interiors have nine-foot first-floor ceilings, Colonist doors, decorative touches such as rounded drywall corners and brushed nickel finishes, central air conditioning, and full basements all as standard features.

Exteriors have classic elements such as brick and stone accents, and some have covered entries or front porches to provide shelter from inclement weather. Front, side and rear yards are fully sodded plus a landscaping package is included with each new home to give it instant curb appeal.

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.

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

For more information on The Enclave at Mill Creek, call (331) 225-3646 or visit www.MeritusHomebuilders.com.