Neighborhood profile: Lakeside Estates

About 16 years ago when Carmelia and Frank Venuti happened upon the Lakeside Estates subdivision in Palatine, they were so impressed they purchased a homesite and built their dream home.

"It was such a beautiful new, up-and-coming neighborhood with a lot of young families," Carmelia Venuti said. "It's a gorgeous place to live, exclusive and private.

"My kids were 2 and 5 years old when we moved here. It's a very comfortable home and great for entertaining. It also has an in-law arrangement possibility with a bedroom and adjacent bath on the first floor."

Lakeside Estates, situated on Lakeview Drive and Quentin Road south of Dundee Road, is a secluded oasis tucked off a main thoroughfare amid woods and nature areas. Many of its homes circle two ponds.

The subdivision features custom and semi-custom homes with 2,800 to about 6,000 square feet of living space and four or five bedrooms. Most houses have a den or office on the first floor, a deck, fireplace and a two- or three-car garage, said Michael Machlet, real estate broker with RE/MAX Destiny.

"This is an upscale area that is beautifully maintained and laid out with a lot of cul-de-sacs," Machlet said. "Many homes feature professional landscaping that adds to the curb appeal of the subdivision. It's a great family area and a safe neighborhood with no through traffic, which a lot of people with kids like."

The neighborhood has an active homeowners association that organizes many events for both children and adults who live here.

"We have great block parties where they close off a whole section of the subdivision and bring in a fire department truck for the kids," Venuti said. "We have an Easter egg hunt, progressive dinners, Christmas ornament exchange and deck parties where we walk from one deck to another for cocktails. We also have a gardening group.

"This is a great family neighborhood. If you have children, this is where you want to be."

There are also many nearby amenities for residents to enjoy. "We can walk to Deer Grove Forest Preserve where there are miles of great bike trails. We see deer in the wintertime, and big bucks gracefully walking through the woods," Venuti said.

The location is convenient. It's close to everything - shopping, Route 53, the Palatine Golf Course and the Metra station. Revitalized downtown Palatine offers several restaurants, boutiques, hair salons, coffee shops and community events.

For a night out on the town close to home, nearby Deer Park Town Center also offers shopping, good restaurants and a movie theater.

Palatine provides plenty of recreation with a community aquatic center, parks, lakes, golf courses, festivals and concerts. The park district offers a full slate of activities for residents of all ages.

In the district's southeast corner, the Twin Lakes recreation area features a walking path, nine-hole golf course and driving range, paddleboats and fishing. It also has a concession house with good food and picnic tables. Many people enjoy sitting outside looking out on the lake.

Listing sheet

<span class="fact box text bold">Price range: </span>$550,000 to $1 million

<span class="fact box text bold">Age of homes:</span> 19 years to more recent

<span class="fact box text bold">Schools:</span> Paddock Elementary and Sundling Junior High schools in Palatine Township Elementary District 15 and Palatine High School in Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211.

<span class="fact box text bold">Parks: </span>Palatine Park District