Covington Lakes in neighborhood profile
Linda and Michael Hicks moved 2½ years ago from South Carolina to Covington Lakes in Huntley.
"We wanted a new house, and this was an up-and-coming area at the time with a lot of new development," Linda Hicks said. "We also liked having streetlights and sidewalks and living on a cul-de-sac.
"My husband researched the school system, so we knew the schools were good, and we liked that the kids could walk with friends or ride their bikes to school in the neighborhood. We also like being able to go to St. Mary's Catholic Church."
Covington Lakes, built between 2006 and 2012 by Cambridge Homes and D.R. Horton, features single-family homes ranging from 2,100 and 2,800 square feet with four bedrooms, basements and two- to three-car garages, said Lora Mahnke, real estate broker with Century 21 New Heritage in Huntley.
"Most homes have an open floor plan with a great flow. And kitchens are bigger because everyone tended to gather in the kitchen at the time the homes were built. Some homes feature beautiful and amazing upgrades," she said.
Features Hicks loves about her home are the very open floor plan, abundance of windows and the large kitchen and breakfast area.
"We have great neighbors, too," Hicks said. "And I like the diversity of the neighborhood; it's more interesting."
The community also offers townhouses that range from 1,350 to 1,546 square feet with two to three bedrooms.
Situated on Reed Road just east of Route 47, Covington Lakes features 50 acres of open space including several ponds, natural conservation areas and a park with baseball field, picnic pavilion, sitting area and playground.
These amenities are a draw to the community, and Hicks especially likes the picturesque ponds where people do catch fish, as well as the walking and biking paths around the subdivision.
"It's charming," she said.
The subdivision sits close to I-90 and the Randall Road corridor, which was also important to the couple for commuting and shopping. "We're in a rural setting, but it's not in the middle of nowhere," Hicks said.
The schools and park district are attractive to buyers moving into the area, Mahnke said.
"The schools are excellent; they're top rated in the state and fiscally solvent. The park district is great, and it bought Pine Crest Golf Course, an excellent golf course that is now owned by the community."
For recreation, one of Huntley's jewels is Deicke Park with its duck pond and three play areas: a discovery zone for toddlers, a treehouse playground with a very long metal slide, and a sand volleyball pit.
The park, maintained by the Huntley Park District, hosts community concerts and all kinds of free events for the whole family such as an Easter egg hunt and community night out. It's also home to the Huntley Fall Fest, which is growing by leaps and bounds, Mahnke said. This year's fest will be held Sept. 23-25.
With the beautification of the downtown area, a lot of people are out walking, Mahnke said. "It's just stunning."
"The community has a lot of neat things going on," Hicks said. "It's nice to live in an area where we have a beautiful, historic downtown yet all the shopping on Randall Road a few miles away."
Listing sheet
<span class="fact box text bold">Price range:</span> $235,000 to $365,000
<span class="fact box text bold">Age of homes:</span> 4 to 10 years
<span class="fact box text bold">Schools:</span> Chesak and Martin Elementary, Marlowe Middle and Huntley High schools in Huntley Unit District 158
<span class="fact box text bold">Parks: </span>Huntley Park District