Autumn Ridge features desirable location, schools

An excellent location and good schools draw buyers to Autumn Ridge, an upscale townhouse community on the east side of Schaumburg.

The subdivision sits south of Schaumburg and east of Meacham roads near Woodfield Mall, an area with great restaurants, movie theaters and all kinds of businesses — with quick access to expressways.

“The location is perfect for me because I walk to work,” said resident Richard Rix, who heads to the Verizon regional headquarters at Schaumburg and Meacham roads every weekday.

Rix works four hours a day, five days a week, and isn't planning to stop any time soon. “Retirement is for old people; I'm only 82,” Rix said. “I have no intention of getting old. I walk about 30 miles a week. And I'm working because I like it, not for the money.”

For commuters, the location is big, said Brian Zilinskas, real estate broker with Prudential American Heritage Realty. “Anyone traveling downtown from Autumn Ridge can jump on the Kennedy or Eisenhower or drive down Meacham and pick up the train in Medinah,” he said.

The area's good schools are another key asset for Autumn Ridge.

“People love Conant High School, and it's a very good school,” Zilinskas said. “Those who work with relocation companies and are transferred to the area from different parts of the country will ask for Conant.”

Autumn Ridge, developed by Town & Country Homes, features 140 townhouses with four different floor plans ranging from 1,481 to 1,662 square feet. The community offers homes with two bedrooms, two bedrooms with a loft, and three bedrooms with two or 2½ baths, some with full basement and all with a two-car garage.

The community features mostly two-story designs with a few ranch styles, which are really difficult to come by because a lot of people want them, Zilinskas said.

Also, he said the two-car garage is a big plus because a lot of townhouse communities offer only a one-car garage. People downsizing from larger homes want a two-car garage.

Rix had lived around Schaumburg for a long time and was familiar with and liked the area. When he was looking for a townhouse, a ranch end unit in Autumn Ridge happened to be on the market at the time.

“It's very nice with a good layout,” Rix said. “I've had several people come in here who think it's an individual free-standing house. It's very roomy and spread out. I'm on the ground level and have a huge patio.

“The neighbors are nice and friendly. And people stay here; they don't want to leave.”

The community also boasts attractive landscaping that is very well kept. The association maintains the exteriors and grounds and takes care of snow removal. Some homes back to a pond.

For recreation, the park district's Olympic Field south of Old Schaumburg Road is a huge area park with lighted soccer and softball fields that host a lot of organized sports. It also houses a skate park.

Other attractions in the area include the Prairie Center for the Arts, which offers quality theater, music and dance performances. At the Spring Valley Nature Center, visitors can see a working farm with live animals and enjoy several special events throughout the year.

A driving range sits nearby along with the Fox Run Golf Course.

Listing sheet

Price range: $250,000 to $350,000

Age of homes: 23 years old

Schools: Enders/Salk Elementary and Margaret Mead Junior High schools in Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54 and Conant High School in Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211

Parks: Schaumburg Park District