Sherwood Oaks featured in neighborhood profile
Fifteen years ago, Sharon and Bill Lavalie moved from a tract house in Des Plaines to a larger, custom home near the far east side of Elgin where they have almost an acre of land.
"We had been looking for a while for a larger house farther out with space for gardening," said Bill Lavalie of their home in Sherwood Oaks.
"This was far above our expectations of what we wanted," Lavalie said. "It's beautiful here, off the beaten path and quiet."
Broker Bob Brandt introduced the couple to the unique subdivision that he refers to as a "little secret" tucked away in a private spot.
Situated at the intersection of W. Irving Park and Sherwood roads with Streamwood its east border, the subdivision resides in unincorporated Cook County with an Elgin mailing address.
After moving to Sherwood Oaks, the Lavalies began making their new house their home.
"We did some landscaping and gardening and built a path through the yard and garden to make it our own," Lavalie said. "We both enjoy gardening and being outdoors, and we have a nice yard and patio."
Brandt loves singing the praises of Sherwood Oaks. "Anyone who takes a Sunday drive through the subdivision will fall in love with it and want to move there," he said. "Residents have unbelievable views; it's like a vacation setting year round. It's gorgeous."
The subdivision features custom homes constructed in 1960 through 1980 along with some newer homes built in the late 1990s, with recent sales at $450,000 and $480,000," Brandt said.
"Homes sit on one-acre lots with rolling hills and mature hardwood trees - beautiful oaks and hickories," he said.
Houses here offer both quality and character, with differing styles including sprawling ranches, split-levels and two-story homes with some unusual contemporary designs. With the abundance of land, there are a number of ranches. Because of the slope of hills, some houses have walkout basements. Many feature beautiful stone work.
The streets - Lady Marian Drive, Nottingham Lane, King Arthur Court, Little John Drive - are all named after "Robin Hood" characters and are sure to put a smile on your face.
Brandt is now marketing a ranch home on a corner lot with cathedral ceilings, walls of windows overlooking nature; a custom, multi-sided brick fireplace; four bedrooms, 2½ baths, finished walkout basement and two-car garage. This is an unusual find in a rustic and beautiful unincorporated area of Cook County, he said.
For a fee, residents have the option of joining the Sherwood Oaks Athletic Club, a neighborhood nonprofit organization that maintains a private pool, tennis club and organizes many social activities for residents.
Homeowners also have nonresident access to activities and facilities of the Elgin's Parks and Recreation Department and the Streamwood Park District. Each offers a wide selection of classes and activities for all ages, including aquatics, state-of-the-art fitness equipment, sports leagues, after-school programs and a variety of summer camps.
Poplar Creek Forest Preserve, just north of the subdivision and bordering Streamwood, contributes to the area's beauty and natural atmosphere. It also offers recreation galore including hiking, biking, horseback riding, picnicking and fishing in its streams and lakes.
The subdivision sits in a convenient location just three blocks from Route 59, where there's a Target and plenty of other shopping, restaurants and a future grocery store going up at Route 59 and Irving Park Road.
Listing sheet
<span class="fact box text bold">Price range:</span> $250,000 to $450,000
<span class="fact box text bold">Age of homes: </span>35 to 55 years and newer
<span class="fact box text bold">Schools:</span> Hilltop Elementary, Canton Middle and Streamwood High schools in Elgin U46.
<span class="fact box text bold">Park district:</span> None