Quaint and cozy draws to Elgin's Highland Glen

Seventeen years ago during a casual drive through the Highland Glen neighborhood, Gail and David Olsen saw a piece of property for sale that they liked and eventually bought. David, an architect, designed the family's new home.

“The whole back of the house is all windows, and we love it because we have a nice view of the woods,” Gail Olsen said. “There are no houses behind us, just a lot of woods back there. We see deer out here now, and when the grandchildren come out, they love it.

“This isn't a huge subdivision; it's still quaint and kind of cozy. We're surrounded by forest preserve land, so it's like a little oasis. And there's only one way in and one way out, which makes it more private.

“We have very nice neighbors of various ages, and a lot of people have been here for quite a while,” Olsen said. “When we moved here, there were a lot of young families with children. We always say we wish we had moved here 10 years earlier so our kids could have grown up out here.”

Situated on the northwest side of Elgin, Highland Glen sits west of the Randall Road corridor at Stonehaven Drive and Highland Avenue, quite a change for the couple who moved from an older Elgin neighborhood.

Even though they don't participate in a lot of neighborhood groups, Olsen says the neighborhood is friendly. When they drive by, people wave, and when they're out walking, they run into people and say a few words. And the neighborhood hosts an annual block party.

Highland Glen is a highly desirable neighborhood that features custom, quality built homes, and that's appealing to a lot of people, said Bob Wisdom, Realtor with RE/MAX Professionals West. “It's very hard to find true custom homes any more.”

Homes include a good mix of ranch and traditional two-story homes along with a few duplexes near the entry. All the single-family homes are different and generally feature vaulted ceilings and two- or three-car garages.

“This is a wonderful subdivision to live in with the mature trees and the proximity to shopping, schools and churches,” Lisa Wisdom said. “There are a number of churches right there; and people like to be close to where they go to church.”

For recreation, Elgin offers many excellent parks including Lords Park and Wing Park and three public golf courses. The Fox River Trail and Illinois Prairie Path run through town, and forest preserves offer canoeing, fishing and equestrian trails. Sports and fitness facilities include The Centre of Elgin and Elgin Sports Complex.

Festival Park is set along the Fox River and features gardens, pathways and interactive play areas, and the park offers a great place for people to gather for festivals and other community events.

Highland Glen is just a short drive to downtown with its beautiful fountains and public art along with restaurants with cuisines from around the world, unique shops and boutiques selling everything from used books to antiques and collectibles, and myriad events including outdoor concerts and arts and cultural events.

Residents can enjoy the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, Elgin Opera and a mecca of theater and arts groups — the well-known children's chorus, children's theater groups and its youth orchestra that travels the world.

For commuters, the Northwest Tollway and the train station are both nearby.

Listing sheet

<b>Price range: </b>$250,000 to $500,000

<b>Age of homes: </b>20 years old

<b>Schools: </b>Creekside Elementary, Kimball Middle and Larkin High schools in Elgin Area School District U-46

<b>Parks:</b> Elgin Park District