When it came time to downsize, Sue Risley didn’t have to move far. She found a brand-new ranch townhome at The Villas at Madison Lane, the newest community from Meritus Homes in Elgin.

“I came to a point in my life where I no longer wanted the upkeep of my large two-story house and big yard,” she explained. “The Villas at Madison Lane offers me the ease of single-level living and no lawn maintenance.”

Risley was the very first buyer at The Villas at Madison Lane, purchasing in December. Her home is under construction and she anticipates moving in this spring.

“I knew I was ready to move and had looked at several places when one day I drove by a sign for this community,” she said. “I walked through the decorated model and right away I liked the layout and how the home looked and felt.”

With a kitchen, dinette and family room that all flow naturally into each other, the Geneva floor plan reflects today’s popular open-concept design trend. Risley enjoys the large center island in the kitchen, which also has granite countertops, 36-inch wall cabinets with crown molding and soft-close doors and drawers, a full suite of stainless steel appliances including a refrigerator, and a garbage disposal. Sliding glass doors off the dinette lead to a deck, which is a cozy spot for morning coffee, an afternoon snack, or a relaxing evening.

The primary bedroom has a walk-in closet and an en-suite bath for privacy. Risley converted the second bedroom on the main level into an office with decorative French doors. A lookout basement comes standard in the Geneva; however, homeowners can add more livable space downstairs by finishing it with a living room, bedroom and bath.

“I upgraded my flooring and appliances a bit, but really didn’t need to add much more since the Geneva floor plan already met my lifestyle needs,” she said. “The laundry room is conveniently located on the main floor but is still tucked away, out of sight. And I appreciate the attached two-car garage, which I didn’t have at my previous house.”

Risley’s home, along with all the ranch townhomes at The Villas at Madison Lane, has nine-foot first-floor ceilings, three-panel doors, decorative touches such as 2-1/4-inch door casings and 4-1/2-inch baseboards, chrome finishes, and central air conditioning, all as standard.

Outside, the ranch villa features classic architecture accented with brick detailing, landscaping and a fully sodded yard. All common area maintenance along with individual homesite lawn care is handled by the homeowner’s association making for carefree living at The Villas at Madison Lane. In winter, snow removal also is included.

Another benefit of The Villas at Madison Lane is the fact that it is an intimate neighborhood. Meritus Homes is building just 12 ranch townhomes so the opportunity to move here is limited. Located in an established area on the west side of Elgin, the property is near the multitude of shopping, dining and entertainment venues along the Randall Road corridor. The Big Timber Road Metra Station is less than three miles away, as well, for anyone commuting into the city or northwest suburbs.

Also close by is recreation at Hawthorne Hill Nature Center, Powder River Park and Eagle/Burnridge Park, and the Elgin Sports Complex. Children attend Creekside Elementary, Kimball Middle School and Larkin High School while Elgin Community College offers the opportunity for higher learning and continuing education. Numerous places of worship are within minutes of The Villas at Madison Lanes as is Advocate Sherman Hospital.

“This is my first time building new construction,” said Risley. “The Meritus Homes team made the process trouble-free—the sales manager was so accommodating and just a fun, nice guy. Having someone to trust made my decision to build here easy.”

The promise of personal connection, attentiveness, confidence, and creating an exceptional customer experience is what Meritus Homes prides itself on. The family run business has decades of experience crafting homes throughout Chicagoland and an unrivaled understanding of what it takes to build a home that offers extraordinary quality, comfort and value.

For instance, all Meritus homes feature energy-efficient construction with Tyvek® house wrap, ice and water shield protection for the roof, a damp-proofed foundation, 90-percent-efficiency gas forced-air furnace, 40-gallon high-efficiency water heater, R-21 wall and R-49 ceiling insulation, and 2-by-6 exterior wall construction.

Home shoppers can view Meritus Homes’ workmanship firsthand by touring a decorated model of the Geneva or one of three Quick Move-In Homes at The Villas at Madison Lane ready for immediate delivery, priced from $418,208 to $424,956.

The sales center is located at 558 Madison Lane in Elgin. To reach the community, take Randall Road and turn east onto West Highland Avenue. Travel approximately one-half a mile and turn north onto Trinity Terrace, then east onto Madison Lane.

The Geneva model is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday (closed Thursday and Friday).

For more information, call (847) 877-1123 or visit www.MeritusHomebuilders.com.

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