Larger homes appealing to variety of buyers
While the typical home in 2007 measures 1,840 square feet, a growing number of homes top the 3,000-square-foot mark, according to the National Association of Realtors.
Recent data shows 12 percent of homes today measure over 3,000 square feet, compared with 9 percent in 2004. That comes as no surprise to several Chicago-area builders who say their largest floor plans consistently appeal to a broad spectrum of home buyers, from families to empty nesters.
Here are a few plans for buyers who believe good things come in big packages:
• Greywall Club and Talamore -- Lennar
At 3,177 square feet, the five-bedroom, three-bath Matisse is Lennar's largest floor plan at Greywall Club in Joliet and Talamore in Huntley.
The home is the right size for move-up buyers who need additional room for a growing family. Two of the secondary bedrooms have walk-in closets. The home also includes a bedroom on the first floor, adjacent to a full bath, creating a suite for live-in relatives or college students home for the summer. The Matisse is priced at $436,900 at Talamore and $311,990 at Greywall Club.
• Ingham Park -- Kimball Hill Homes
Two floor plans available at Ingham Park, a Kimball Hill Homes community of single-family homes in Aurora, give buyers more than 3,600 square feet of living space, as well as opportunities to personalize their home with optional features and upgrades.
Both the Westchester SL, a 3,601-square-foot home, and the Regency SL, a 3,838-square-foot plan, feature four bedrooms, a den, 2½ baths and a side-loading three-car garage. Available structural upgrades include a four-season sunroom, first-floor master suite, guest suites and extra bedrooms, per plan. Buyers also can elect to add fireplaces, a butler's pantry, curved staircases, wrought iron railings and architectural columns. The Westchester SL is priced from $378,990, and the Regency SL is priced from $397,990.
• Waterbury Place -- Edward R. James Homes
At Waterbury Place in Buffalo Grove, home buyers can choose from three single-family home designs that not only feature up to 3,793 square feet of living space, but also offer a maintenance-free lifestyle.
In addition to landscaping, the maintenance-free lifestyle at Waterbury Place also provides snow removal, exterior painting and tuckpointing.
Three single-family-home designs have three or four bedrooms, a loft or den, 2½ baths, a full basement and two-car garage. Select floor plans offer the option of an enlarged family room, screened-in porch and master suite sitting room. Homes are priced from the $700,000s.
• Burr Ridge Village Center -- Opus North
At Burr Ridge Village Center, a mixed-use community of luxury and estate condominiums in west-suburban Burr Ridge, select estate condominiums have up to 4,033 square feet of living space.
Many buyers are empty nesters coming from a large single-family home in the surrounding area. They want the easy lifestyle that comes with a condominium, without giving up the living space they're used to.
The extra space in the community's largest floor plans allows for up to four bedrooms, separate living, dining and family rooms, eat-in kitchens, guest suites with private baths, dens and full laundry rooms. Some plans include specialty features such as a butler pantry or media room. Estate condominiums are base-priced from $464,900 to $1.6 million.
For more information on Greywall Club and Talamore, call (888) 50-LENNAR or visit www.Lennar.com; for Ingham Park, call (630) 466-3728 or visit www.KimballHillHomes.com; for Waterbury Place, call (847) 955-1213 or visit www.TheWaterburyPlace.com; and for Burr Ridge Village Center, call (630) 321-1001 or visit www.BurrRidgeVillageCenter.com.