Neighborhood profile: White Oak
Eight years ago, Barbara and Don Hilton were looking for a new home when they happened to drive through an area of Hoffman Estates where houses were going up in a new subdivision.
The couple found a gem in White Oak that backs up to a grove of magnificent, 50-year-old oak trees. The residence also features 35 huge windows, 20-foot high ceilings in the extended family room and a nice oak fireplace. They found the house was irresistible.
"I love our house, the way it's styled, and the archways," Barbara Hilton said. "And I love that we're smack dab in the middle of the block with people on each side of us, and we have exceptional neighbors."
Don Hilton echoes his wife. "Our house is beautiful," he said. "All the homes here are beautiful. The views are great, and in the winter they're even more spectacular with snow and ice on the trees."
Although the subdivision is tucked away off main streets, residents sit just a few minutes from I-90, which was important to the Hiltons when they moved to White Oak because they both worked in Niles and took the expressway every day.
"My parents and sister live in an age-restricted community, but I like the ethnic and age diversity that we have here," Barbara Hilton said.
White Oak is located west of Rohrssen Road and south of Shoe Factory Road in Hoffman Estates. It offers a convenient location for executives and professionals working at nearby Sears Centre, Allstate and AT&T, so it is popular with transferees. Business travelers are only 20 to 30 minutes from O'Hare International Airport.
The subdivision, built by Kimball Hill Homes, offers upscale houses with three to five bedrooms, two to 4½ baths and two- or three-car garages in a family-oriented neighborhood where 50 percent of residents have children, said Susan Klatt, broker associate with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.
Homes feature quality two-story and ranch designs with a variety of options, such as first-floor masters, an office or den, butler pantries and formal dining rooms. Most homes have basements, many finished or partially finished.
"White Oak stands out from other subdivisions in the area because of its wooded home sites," Klatt said. "Also, homes feature beautiful landscaping, which is a hallmark of any Kimball Hill development. The builder's goal was to create an attractive community - a nice place for families to live.
"The subdivision also includes a park with a Frisbee golf course at the end of Red Oak (Drive). People walk there every day, and it's a nice way to connect with neighbors."
Shopping abounds in the area and includes the Route 59/I-90 Entertainment District filled with retail and dining options, and The Arboretum of South Barrington at Routes 59 and 72.
For recreation, White Oak sits near the Poplar Creek Forest Preserve with a paved bike trail that loops about nine miles around the preserve through scenic forest areas and meadows.
Buyers seeking open space of the far Northwest suburbs need go only as far as Hoffman Estates. More than a third of the village is bordered by forest preserves, including two major preserves with biking and walking trails, and there's an abundance of open space with lots of recreation.
With its strong corporate presence, entertainment and retail development, forest preserves, excellent park district and location near the tollway, Hoffman Estates has proved to be a sought-after place to live.
Listing sheet
<span class="fact box text bold">Price range:</span> $375,000 to $425,000
<span class="fact box text bold">Age of homes:</span> 8 to 12 years
<span class="fact box text bold">Schools:</span> Timber Trails Elementary, Larsen Middle and Elgin High schools in Elgin U46.
<span class="fact box text bold">Parks: </span>Hoffman Estates Park District