Neighborhood profile: Manchester Lakes Estates
With beautiful entryways, bodies of water and scenery, Manchester Lakes Estates offers residents a serene setting minutes from the Randall Road corridor in Algonquin.
“The magnificent, immaculate upkeep is what really drew me to the community,” said 12-year resident Philip Ferrari, who lives with his wife Marilyn in a club villa. “In the summer, the lakes and everything are so well manicured, and it's maintenance-free living. I don't have to do anything.”
The couple's two children live in neighboring communities, and their daughter introduced them to the area.
Philip Ferrari also likes the subdivision's location near Randall Road and the expressway. “We have every type of store you could hope for — and Caputo's (market). Being Italian, I don't know what I'd do without Caputo's.
“My wife loves the shopping; all the stores and restaurants have moved out here. We have every convenience. It's a wonderful place to live.”
Built in the late 1990s and early 2000s by Pulte Homes, Manchester Lakes Estates features single-family homes and club villas, 100 acres of open space, six lakes, and five miles of walking and biking paths.
The homes feature spacious floor plans with 1,972 to 2,634 square feet for the single-family homes and 1,500 to 1,900 square feet for the attached club villas.
The designs give you the feeling of an upscale community, said Toni Spena, Realtor with RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest. “The homes are very beautiful; they're open and nice and bright, and the exteriors are very appealing.
“The club villas offer a first-floor master suite, library and finished basement,” Spena said. The Ferraris like the idea of the first-floor master and having all the living space, including an office, on the first floor with secondary bedrooms housed upstairs. Moving from the Medinah area, Ferrari said it would be difficult to get this arrangement there without paying double the price.
“There are some wonderful buys there with some homes ready to move in,” Spena said. “It's not transitional; it's a very stable community. When people move, it's for a reason; they're either upsizing or downsizing. People like it there and want to stay. There are very few listings.”
In Algonquin, the village oversees parks and recreation and offers all kinds of programs and special events, family trips, athletic programs and Red Cross swimming lessons for people of all ages.
People like to walk along the Fox River, sit on park benches, watch boaters and fishermen and bike through town. The popular Port Edward Restaurant offers a river view, nautical ambience and museum with artifacts and collectibles.
Boutiques, specialty shops, art galleries and restaurants bring people to the quaint downtown area. Towne Park hosts several community events including the popular Founders' Day, a popular summer festival.
Golf enthusiasts have two courses in town, Terrace Hill Golf Course and The Golf Club of Illinois and other courses in neighboring suburbs.
Listing sheet
<b>Price range:</b> $228,500 to $385,000
<b>Age of homes:</b> 11 to 15 years
<b>Schools: </b>Mackeben Elementary, Conley Elementary, Heineman Middle and Huntley High schools in Huntley Unit District 158
<b>Parks: </b>Algonquin Events and Recreation Department