Island Lake offers affordable waterfront homes

Island Lake's centerpiece - the picturesque 78-acre Island Lake - offers residents waterfront living, scenic views and year-round recreation.

"It's a beautiful body of water," said Patricia Taylor, broker-owner of RE/MAX American Dream. "I like Island Lake because it has a feeling of tranquillity, yet it's close to several larger communities."

Established as a resort community of small cottages, Island Lake today offers a variety of housing to satisfy homebuyers' needs.

Homes on the water range from $130,000 to $699,900 and include everything from old cottages built in the 1940s to newer upscale homes, said Lisa Slawny, broker with RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest.

"For $77,900, buyers can get in a cozy one-bedroom townhouse with garage, or for $199,900, they can buy a lovely two-bedroom, two-bath townhouse with a two-car garage.

"For buyers who prefer single-family living, homes begin as low as $100,000 for a cute two-bedroom cottage and go up to $699,900 for a beautiful custom home with four bedrooms, four baths and three-car garage."

Rolling Oaks and Campbell Woods are upscale subdivisions that feature custom homes.

"Affordable housing is what led me to Island Lake when I started my career 15 years ago," Slawny said. "I was working with a first-time buyer and realized how much the town had to offer and was surprised at how much more you could get for your money here."

Buyers choose to settle in Island Lake for a variety of reasons. Some say it's the location, others for the sense of community, and still others want to upgrade and remain in town because of the schools: Cotton Creek Elementary, Matthews Middle School (a new facility everyone raves about), and Wauconda Community High School.

Known as the "Community of Friendly People," the village offers several family-oriented activities throughout the year, including a concert in the park, Fourth of July parade and community picnic, and Island Lake Fest.

This year, fund raising brought out many residents and local businesses. A car wash sponsored by 3-D Bowl and Steam Force Carpet Cleaning and a community pizza party sponsored by Nancy's Pizza raised funds for the incredible fireworks display. All proceeds from Island Lake Fest are also donated to this fund, Slawny said.

Residents don't need to leave town for fun and entertainment. Sideouts is a popular spot that offers bowling, outdoor sand volleyball leagues, live music, great food and private parties. A popular sports bar, Mother Murphy's, serves pizza, hamburgers and 32 varieties of beer.

Island Lake offers a bounty of recreation. Besides its lakes, the village has a lot of parks for a small town, and the Island Lakes Parks and Recreation Department provides quite a bit for residents, Taylor said.

Also, several golf courses, Fox River Forest Preserve, Lakewood Forest Preserve and Moraine Hills State Park are just a short drive away.

Island Lake has been expanding, and even with the downturn in the economy, new stores have opened along Route 176, Slawny said.

Taylor refers to Island Lake as a community on the grow. "The current leadership is really trying to expand the business base and to offer residents good leadership," she said. "The chamber of commerce is growing itself, which is great to see. As businesses do better, it's better for the community."