Couple finds spacious first home at Lakewood Crossing

Vince Giannelli and his fiancee, Angelica Bellisario, started searching for a home of their own last summer.

"We were living with our parents in Schaumburg and when we started our new home search, we knew right from the start that we wanted to get the best bang for our buck," Vince said.

"We looked at just about every builder west of Schaumburg, but it wasn't until we stopped in at Lakewood Crossing that we felt at home," he added.

Lakewood Crossing is Lakewood's popular clubhouse community located in Northwest suburban Hampshire.

Both Vince and Angelica fell in love with the single-family Ridgefield model, signed the contract and moved in this June.

Vince works in media services in Oak Brook and says he has found his commute to be a breeze, with easy access to I-90. Angelica is a home-care nurse who works throughout the Chicago area.

The Ridgefield model they chose is part of Lakewood's Executive series and one of its most popular plans. The home, nearly 4,000 square feet in size, has four large bedrooms, 2 baths, twin family rooms, a corner den; a master suite with sitting area, private bath and his-and-hers walk-in closets; a large basement and a three-car attached garage.

"We wanted a home with a large kitchen because Angelica loves to cook, along with a family room with plenty of space because we both have large families and we entertain quite frequently," Vince said.

"We loved the layout of the kitchen and family room in the Ridgefield," he added. "Another item that really impressed me was the second-floor family room; this was the first time I had seen this feature in a home and it offers endless possibilities on how we can utilize this space."

Vince and Angelica's home is situated on a quiet cul-de-sac, within walking distance to the development's new clubhouse and pool. Their Ridgefield features beautiful brick trim and has the space the couple was looking for as the two plan to start a family after their wedding in October.

Their new home has a stunning oak mantel fireplace in the first-floor family room, hardwood floors throughout most of the first floor and a kitchen with granite countertops, deluxe cabinets and sleek black appliances that Angelica is already putting to good use.

Upstairs, the couple's master suite is more like a retreat, featuring a sitting area with a fireplace, along with his-and-hers walk-in closets and a sumptuous master bath with a corner whirlpool tub, his-and-hers vanities and a separate walk-in shower.

They also have a full basement that Vince is planning to finish off to create a game room and possibly a home studio where he can practice his drums.

During the purchase and construction of their new home, the couple said they had such an outstanding experience with Lakewood that it is something they both will remember for a long time. As first-time buyers, they had a lot of questions and made many calls to the sales center with requests for room measurements. Lakewood's personnel were always ready to accommodate every request, according to Vince, which made them feel they were in good hands.

"At no time did we ever feel pressured. We were always able to take our time and were treated extremely well. Lakewood really made our transition to becoming homeowners and the entire home-buying process much easier than we both anticipated it would be, and we will always remember their great service from a great staff," Vince said.

Both Angelica and Vince agree that their new home at Lakewood Crossing has the space, style and flexibility to meet their needs for many, many years to come and they are looking forward to raising a family in Hampshire.

"Aside from the incredible experience we received from Lakewood, we love our new home and the location of this community. We definitely will be living here for a long time," Vince said.

Lakewood Crossing offers home buyers a choice of four different attached-style Village homes plus 16 traditional single-family designs like the one Vince and Angelica chose. The attached homes are priced from the $160,000s and the single-family homes start in the $240,000s. Fully furnished models are open daily for tours.

The clubhouse that will open shortly at Lakewood Crossing is a 3,000-square-foot facility with a resort-style outdoor pool, separate tennis and sand volleyball courts, a tot lot and a picnic area that features tables and grills.

The clubhouse features a great room with fireplace, a big-screen television and a kitchen. Residents will also be able to reserve the clubhouse for private parties, bridal and baby showers or family get-togethers.

To visit Lakewood Crossing, take I-90 to Route 47 south to Big Timber Road. Drive west on Big Timber Road to the community. The sales center is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily or by appointment. For more information, call (847) 683-3379 or visit www.lakewoodhomes.com.