Sometimes, homebuyers have no time to wait

Many of today's young homebuyers belong to the instant gratification generation. They send and receive messages instantly. They get their information without opening a reference book. They sometimes even order their food online and wait for the door bell to ring.

So waiting for months to have a home built can be more than they want to tolerate.

Purchasing a newly constructed "spec" home - one a builder has constructed on speculation, without having a buyer lined up beforehand - can be a great option for many people.

It also works well for those of all generations who want to purchase new construction, but have a limited time frame. Maybe they've sold their existing home quicker than expected and need a place to live; or are relocating from another city; or their leases are ending and they have decided to become homeowners again or for the first time.

Shodeen Homes, for instance, has about 15 single-family houses available for quick delivery, and at discounted prices, in three different neighborhoods within the Mill Creek community in Geneva.

Many of the homes allow buyers to make color selections and other choices with the Shodeen design center. All of them include the latest energy efficiencies that only new homes can offer.

"We're offering the promotion this year because we want to close our year-end on a strong note and enable homeowners to enjoy the tax benefits of moving into a new home in 2014 - it's a win-win for everyone," said Nathan Amidon, sales director.

"These move-in ready homes represent outstanding values to those lucky buyers who capitalize on the promotion," he said. "Typically, Mill Creek's inventory residences are sold before they are completely finished, so if history is any indicator, these homes won't last long."

The homes available in Mill Creek range in price from $299,990 to $726,994.

Mill Creek offers a pool/clubhouse, two golf courses, a Village Center and on-site schools, as well as 900 acres of mature trees, lakes and ponds, scenic landscaping and lush grasslands. For more information, call (630) 232-8181 or visit www.ShodeenHomes.com.

William Ryan Homes also has a nice selection of quick delivery single-family homes in seven different new home communities throughout the suburbs.

Debbie Beaver, vice president of operations for William Ryan's Chicago division, said the homes are priced to sell and appointed with luxury inclusions that vary by home and community.

"In a rapidly changing market, we realize that people might find themselves ready to move more quickly than they planned," she said. "Since we pledge that 'we make it easy,' we can meet our buyers' modified timetables with homes that will delight them."

Beaver said the homes William Ryan Homes has for quick delivery feature popular designs and quality construction with luxury inclusions such as the company's signature morning rooms, hardwood floors, granite counters, arched doorways and more deluxe features per home. They can be found at White Ash Farm in Plainfield; Highland Woods, a pool and clubhouse community in Elgin; Kainer Court executive homes in downtown Barrington; The Coves in Algonquin; Walnut Glen in Island Lake; Lake Vista in Lake Villa; and McDonald Woods in Lindenhurst. Prices range from $289,990 to $792,300.

Among the builder's available inventory is a two-story home with 2,240 square feet of space, three bedrooms, 2½ baths and a two-car garage priced at $309,990 and located in Highland Woods, a master-planned recreational community in Elgin. It includes a full basement, mud room, second-floor laundry, flex room and spacious informal living area with a large kitchen island and breakfast bar and walk-in pantry.

For more information, call (888) 357-7186 or visit williamryanhomes.com.

D.R. Horton Homes now has more than 50 homes in ten different communities available for quick move-ins, said Chris Naatz, vice president of sales and marketing. They include both active-adult and family-oriented communities and are located all around the suburbs, from Johnsburg in the north to New Lenox and Crown Point, Indiana, to the south.

"The homes range in price from the mid-$100,000s to the mid-to-upper $300,000s and because D.R. Horton always has so many quick delivery homes, we can offer buyers a good variety of colors and choices within our inventory," Naatz said.

"We have found that many people are very visual. They like to see what they are getting so they come to us and ask to only see houses that are complete and ready to buy. We also see a surge in relocations at this time of year as corporations reposition people as they get ready for the new year. So, those people are anxious to find a home and get settled," he said.

"We all have to keep in mind that the affordable prices and low interest rates can't last forever, so if you are in the market for a new home, it is smart to buy now."

Naatz said D.R. Horton also has a luxury home line called Emerald Homes. It specializes in buying vacant lots or tearing down older homes in established suburbs and building new, state-of-the-art luxury homes in their place.

Emerald Homes now has 30 houses, ranging in price from the mid-$400,000s to more than $1 million, available in communities like Lake Bluff, Arlington Heights, Naperville, St. Charles, Northbrook and Hinsdale.

For more information about a D.R. Horton's inventory of available homes, visit www.drhorton.com/Illinois/Chicago. Information on Emerald Homes is available at www.emeraldhomes.com.

Rock Creek Homes has one ranch home now available in Henning Estates in Huntley, a conservation community featuring scenic, open spaces such as preserved wetlands, sparkling ponds and fields of prairie grasses.

All of the homes at Henning Estates are set on spacious homesites offering beautiful scenic views of the west side of Huntley, yet they are only a two-mile drive from both the eastbound and westbound ramps to the I-90 expressway, said Jennifer Arndt, marketing director.

Once complete, Henning Estates will feature 103 luxury ranch homes situated on one-third acre lots and featuring high-end touches both inside and out. Four unique floor plans designed with open-concept living spaces, private master suites, large kitchens and full basements are offered.

The home that is available for immediate occupancy is the Rockport model, a 2,353-square-foot house with two bedrooms and two baths, which lists for $439,500.

For more information, call (847) 975-5800.

Smith Family Construction has three condominium units available for immediate occupancy at Prairie Park in Wheeling, located on Wolf Road just west of Milwaukee Avenue.

All three of the units feature two bedrooms, two baths and 9½-foot ceilings. They range from 1,418 to 1,522 square feet. One is a fully-decorated model boasting Brazilian cherry hardwood floors, exposed brick, cherry flat-panel cabinets, porcelain tile, wood closet shelves from California Closet, granite countertops, stainless steel kitchen appliances, custom paint and fixtures, a vaulted ceiling in the living room and many other amenities. It lists for $325,000.

The other two condominiums are finished spec units that are listed for $314,900 and $329,900, respectively. One features wide-planked walnut floors while the other has cherry hardwood floors. The kitchen cabinets also differ in wood finish but both include granite countertops, porcelain tile, tile based showers, heavy glass swing shower doors, brushed nickel hardware, vaulted ceilings in the living rooms and stainless steel kitchen appliances.

There are currently 306 condominiums built at Prairie Park in four separate Prairie-style buildings. Two more buildings are planned. There is also a community center with an indoor pool, exercise rooms and party room.

For more information about these condominiums, visit www.prairieparkatwheeling.com or call (847) 541-9433.

Lexington Homes has completed construction of two immediate-delivery homes at Woodleaf at The Sanctuary Club, a community of 26 custom and semi-custom luxury homes in Kildeer.

"The beauty of building at Woodleaf at The Sanctuary Club is that because buyers can make practically any change they want to our plans, they theoretically end up with a custom home, but without the custom price," said Jeff Benach, co-principal of Lexington Homes. "And now, with the completion of these two move-in ready luxury homes, buyers can own a home with the most desirable features and finishes in a much shorter time frame."

While the layout and custom design features are different between the two immediate delivery homes, each house has four bedrooms, four baths, an open floor plans and side-loading, three-car garages. Also, both homes showcase the community's top-of-the-line standard features, including Viking appliances, custom on-site stained and finished oak wood flooring throughout the main floor, oak stairs with oak and iron rails, and a free-standing luxury soaking tub in the master bath.

One of the available homes, priced at $869,990, is a Tudor-style house featuring a brick and stone exterior, 4,138 square feet of space and a deep lot surrounded by mature trees. Benach said the thoughtful use of space throughout the home can be seen in areas like the sunny breakfast nook, walk-in kitchen pantry and expansive mudroom, all of which are conveniently designed to meet the needs of busy families with school-age children.

Also available for immediate delivery is a Craftsman-style home that features a large covered front porch, a brick and stone exterior and 3,860 square feet of living space. Priced at $939,990, the home rests on one of the community's deepest lots and includes a walkout basement that adds more viable living space and views of the heavily wooded backyard's natural and lush private setting.

For more information or to make an appointment to visit Woodleaf at The Sanctuary Club, visit www.lexingtonchicago.com or call (847) 531-6300.