Cedar Creek in neighborhood profile

John Wallor has lived in Lake Zurich since 1979, so when his family outgrew their three-bedroom home in the Countryside neighborhood, there was no question they would remain in the community.

In 1992, he and his wife Katie bought a larger home with four bedrooms on a nice-sized lot in the Cedar Creek subdivision.

"This is one of the nicest places in Lake Zurich," John Wallor said. "It has the guard house; it's very well maintained and is a great place to raise kids."

What does Wallor especially like about Cedar Creek? "Everything," he said "We have a nice backyard, a large deck and great basement." The family's pets, two boxers and a golden retriever, have plenty of space to run around in the fenced yard.

Cedar Creek backs to Knox Park, which is a bonus for the area.

"Our kids played football, baseball and all kinds of things at Knox Park. They could just walk between the homes, and they were right there.

"This is a close-knit community where neighbors watch out for each other. When we moved here, there were mostly young people with kids, so all the kids grew up together," Wallor said.

Situated on Route 22 west of Quentin Road, Cedar Creek was built in two phases by DiMucci Builders in the late 1980s and early '90s. The subdivision has 143 homes with up to 2,628 square feet of living space, three to four bedrooms, two to three baths and two-car garages. The newer, larger homes sit in the rear of the subdivision.

It's nicely landscaped and very well-kept, and residents take a lot of pride in their property, said Penny Silich, real estate broker with RE/MAX Prestige in Long Grove.

"This is a popular subdivision with a real good community feel," she said. "It's in a convenient location in the far east part of Lake Zurich where you have access from Half Day or Quentin roads without getting caught in the Rand Road traffic. There are several subdivisions off Quentin and Route 22 that intertwine, and it's easy for kids to get around from one subdivision to another."

With the subdivision backing to Knox Park, children can walk there for a variety of sports and activities. The park offers football and baseball fields, tennis courts, a roller hockey rink, playground equipment, picnic benches and concession stand. The park is home to the Lake Zurich Flames Youth Football program.

Other nearby recreation spots include the lake area with 41-acre Paulus Park, skate park, sledding hill and the beach. Paulus Park hosts many community events such as Fourth of July Family Day and Ela Festival of Arts.

Good schools are another draw to the neighborhood, although Lake Zurich schools in general attract homebuyers. They're just the right size where children aren't a number, Silich said.

Lake Zurich has come a long way since it began. The village continues its downtown improvements to bring new life to the community and draw more shopping and restaurants to the area.

For a night out, what could be better than dinner and a good movie? Lake Zurich offers several ethnic restaurants, bistros and casual dining spots. And the Regal Cinema features 12 movie screens where people are sure to find a flick that suits their tastes.

Listing sheet

<span class="fact box text bold">Price range:</span> $350,000 to $425,000

<span class="fact box text bold">Age of homes:</span> 23 to 30 years

<span class="fact box text bold">Schools:</span> Sarah Adams Elementary, Lake Zurich Middle-South Campus and Lake Zurich High schools in Lake Zurich Unit District 95

<span class="fact box text bold">Parks:</span> Lake Zurich Parks and Recreation