Ashbury in neighborhood profile
Seventeen years ago, when Christine and David Champion moved from the city to the Ashbury subdivision in Naperville, they told relatives how much they loved it - and their relatives soon became their neighbors.
David's cousins were transferred to the area from Tennessee and his brother was moving back to the area from Australia; they both moved into the subdivision and still live here, Christine Champion said.
"We loved that Ashbury was a newer community at that time with a lot of young families, many either pregnant or having babies. And we liked the pool community where we could go to the pool with the babies," she said.
"When we outgrew our home, we moved to a larger home in the subdivision. We couldn't leave the neighborhood because we had family here. We love the open design of our house now, and my husband wanted a three-car garage. In our first house, the rooms were more closed off, so this is very nice with an open beautiful entryway that opens to the family room and kitchen.
Situated on 95th Street east of Book Road in Will County, Ashbury features 514 acres of land and 1,000 single-family homes with a variety of architectural styles by several different builders.
Champion said her neighbors help make the community a nice place to live.
"Everyone is so nice here. They say it takes a village to raise a child. When someone is sick, a neighbor will bring you chicken noodle soup. I'll call a neighbor to borrow eggs. They watch our house when we travel," Champion said.
"The school system has been awesome for our three children. Everyone has a bike or they walk with friends. And it's so easy to get around."
Although most homes are two-stories with a two- or three-car garage, the subdivision features a variety of styles, and there are a number of larger homes on cul-de-sacs, said Joan Jocke, real estate broker with Baird & Warner in Naperville.
"Many residents have updated their homes with what buyers are looking for today, such as granite countertops and stainless steel appliances," Jocke said.
"The biggest draw to the subdivision is that it's a pool community with a very nice pool and water slide. It's a friendly, active community where the social committee plans a lot of family-oriented activities and annual events. Another attraction is the very good school system."
The community also features tennis courts, ball fields, a pond with fish and walking trails. It is home to the Ashbury Alligators swim team that promotes fun, friendly competition and camaraderie with friends in and outside the subdivision.
"There is a very nice area being developed at Route 59 and 95th Street, so we don't have to go to the north side or downtown because there is plenty of shopping here, and we're several minutes into Oswego where there is also a lot of shopping," Jocke said.
With the southwest Naperville population growing, the area continues to offer new amenities for residents. Naperville Crossings features a mix of entertainment, restaurants, shops and businesses, including the AMC Showplace movie theater.
Residents who want to head north can enjoy Naperville's dynamic downtown with the downtown Riverwalk, Centennial Beach aquatic facility, skate park and inline skating rink, fine dining and shopping, which has made the city a destination for people from all around.
Listing sheet
<span class="fact box text bold">Price range:</span> $385,000 to $590,000; $600,000 to $1.1 million for newer and larger homes.
<span class="fact box text bold">Age of homes: </span>Built in early to mid-1990s with newer homes built in mid-2000s.
<span class="fact box text bold">Schools:</span> Patterson Elementary, Crone Middle and Neuqua Valley High schools in Indian Prairie Unit District 204
<span class="fact box text bold">Parks:</span> Naperville Park District