advertisement

Winston Knolls a quintessential suburban neighborhood

Winston Knolls reminds Terri Hunt of the kind of neighborhood you see in the movies — the picture perfect family neighborhood — and she imagines Jimmy Stewart living there.

“Residents have a lamp post on all night at the end of their driveways, so when you drive through the neighborhood, it's a warm and cozy feeling,” said Hunt, a real estate broker with RE/MAX Suburban.

“After dinner, you see a lot of people outside out walking, some with their dogs, babies in buggies and kids on bikes.”

This pleasant neighborhood ambience appealed to Kathy and Fred Knowles, who have lived in Winston Knolls for 20 years.

“I've always loved this area, and I wanted my daughter to go to Fremd High School,” Kathy Knowles said. “The schools were a big draw — Fremd (High School) and (Palatine Township Elementary) District 15.

“I like that It's nice and quiet here, yet we're minutes from everything. I was very impressed with the home and with the people. And I always feel safe coming home; it's a very comforting feeling.”

Situated north of Algonquin and west of Ela roads, Winston Knolls' convenient location is also a big draw for homebuyers, Hunt said.

“It's close to shopping and services along Algonquin or Palatine roads with major shopping at Woodfield Mall,” Hunt said. “It's also near the forest preserve, train and expressways.

“The Willow Rec Center and grade school are within the subdivision, so kids can walk or ride their bikes there. People really like that. The new walking/biking trail goes from the subdivision to the (Paul Douglas) Forest Preserve across the street (Algonquin Road).”

“I walk all the time at the parks and forest preserve,” Knowles said. “It's so pretty. You see deer, and it feels like you're in the country.”

Homes in Winston Knolls, the first neighborhood built in north Hoffman Estates, feature nine different floor plans including two-stories, ranches, split levels, Cape Cods and midlevel houses with 1,600 to 2,400 square feet, many with basements and most with a two-car garage.

The Knowleses like their Cape Cod's floor plan and finished basement. “We do a lot of entertaining; we've had a lot of get-togethers and parties,” Kathy Knowles said.

The couple also enjoys socializing in their large yard. “In the summer, we barbecue all the time. We have a fire pit, and we sit around with the neighbors and enjoy a glass of wine. I've got flowers in the back, and it's very relaxing to sit outside.

“There are a lot of first- or second-time buyers here. I like that everyone takes pride in their property. Many are making improvements to their homes with new roofs, exterior doors.”

Hunt, who has been selling in the neighborhood since 1986, finds in recent years that many buyers were once kids who grew up in the neighborhood. They've had their own apartments, moved to the city, and now they're getting married and moving back out to the suburbs.

“That says something about a neighborhood when kids who grew up there want to come back to the neighborhood and schools.”

  The Hoffman Estates Park DistrictÂ’s Willow Recreation Center is in Winston Knolls. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  This home on North Firestone Drive is typical of the houses found in Winston Knolls. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Winston Knolls was the first neighborhood built on the north side of Hoffman Estates. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com

Listing sheet

<b>Price range: </b>$225,000 to $360,000

<b>Age of homes: </b>40 years

<b>Schools: </b>Jefferson or Whiteley Elementary and Sandburg or Plum Grove Junior High schools in Palatine Township Elementary District 15 and Fremd High School in Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211

<b>Parks: </b>Hoffman Estates Park District

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.