Former St. Charles residents Dan and Mindy DeVito moved into this 3-bedroom, 4-bathroom home in 2017. Situated on a corner lot, the house was built by Havlicek Builders.

Your Guide to Everything Real Estate

Are you in the market for a new home? Read about the luxurious, new construction projects two local homebuilders have recently completed, and find out what’s in store for the future.

Elburn Station is one of Shodeen’s latest projects. The community includes single-family residences and low-maintenance properties.

Shodeen Homes: Creating a New Kind of Community

As area homebuilders continue to bounce back, Geneva-based Shodeen Homes is laying a firm foundation for the future. This family-owned construction and land development firm has been building several new communities throughout the northwest suburbs.

Elburn Station is Shodeen Homes’ newest master-planned community in the far west suburbs. Located west of Randall Road and east of Illinois Route 47, this 505-acre project is named for its setting surrounding the Elburn Metra train station. The mixed-use community is planned for development over a 20-year period.

Elburn Station features an attractive residential setting with several ponds, parks and miles of walking and biking trails. It’s also on AT&T Fiber, which makes it ideal for telecommuting, with its high-speed internet and the ability to use multiple devices simultaneously.

Last year, Shodeen opened its first phase of Elburn Station with three distinct communities, each at various price points. Single-family homes start at $300,000 in the Crossings neighborhood and $270,000 in the Settlements community. Low-maintenance, single-family homes in the Village Homes neighborhood start at $220,000.

“We’ve built a state-of-the-art sales and design center in a commercial building at Elburn Station,” says Anna Harmon, marketing director for Shodeen. “Our designers work with our buyers to make sure they get what they’re looking for in a new home.”

Shodeen recently opened a new phase of lots in the Reston Ponds community in Sycamore. The development includes 15 acres of parks and six ponds in a quiet, pastoral location mere blocks from downtown.

“We’ve released a new phase of lots, and several of them are on the pond,” Harmon says. “Everyone in the community is excited about the new phase because of the new floor plans, different pricing and new features.”

Ranch and two-story homes in Reston Ponds range from $250,000 to $320,000. Several homes are move-in ready, but custom and semi-custom homes are always an option.

In St. Charles, Shodeen has begun a new development at Prairie Centre, a $100 million, 27-acre community that will include 670 luxury apartments and roughly 116,000 square feet of commercial space on the former site of the St. Charles Mall. Designed to be pedestrian-friendly, with green spaces and underground parking, the mixed-use community includes dedicated space for 70 senior residences.

Harmon says the first residential buildings are already under construction, with plans for the 130 luxury residences to be completed by approximately November 2019.

“Prairie Centre will be a wonderful project and a great asset to St. Charles once it’s completed,” Harmon says. “Since it will have a mix of retail, office and commercial, it creates a walkable community which is really popular with almost every age group.”

At one time, Shodeen Homes only worked in the St. Charles/Geneva/Batavia area. Now, the company has a presence beyond the Tri-Cities, in places including Oswego, Maple Park, Lake Geneva and Fontana. Each new development seeks to replicate Shodeen’s philosophy.

“We really try and go above and beyond and make sure our homebuyers are happy with their home, no matter where they live,” Harmon says.

Former St. Charles residents Dan and Mindy DeVito moved into this 3-bedroom, 4-bathroom home in 2017. Situated on a corner lot, the house was built by Havlicek Builders.

Havlicek Builders: Excellence is in the Details at Cooper Woods

The reputation of Havlicek Builders is what lured Mindy and Dan DeVito to Cooper Woods, but their stylish new home is what’ll keep them there for years to come.

Married for 19 years, the couple decided to leave an older home in St. Charles and purchase a brand-new, custom-built home on one of the 21 lots in Cooper Woods, a new, picturesque subdivision nestled in the heart of Geneva.

“Some people say building a house is a pain, but working with Havlicek was a great experience for us from beginning to end,” Mindy says. “I would turn around and I would do it all again tomorrow.”

Each home in the growing subdivision is built by Havlicek Builders, a Geneva-based homebuilder that’s been serving the area for 35 years.

The remaining 14 parcels in Cooper Woods range in size and price, with fully custom-built homes starting in the upper $900,000 range.

The DeVitos moved into their 2,500-square-foot, 3-bedroom, 4-bathroom home in August 2017. They’re positioned near the third hole of Geneva Golf Club, on a corner lot that’s surrounded by trees and other landscaping.

Through every step of the building and moving-in process, owner George Havlicek and his team found ways to make life easier for the DeVitos.

“Everyone who works for him is so nice, and they’re also perfectionists,” Mindy says.

The couple especially appreciated the Havlicek team’s persistent attention to detail, which showed itself in many ways.

“This place took 10 months to build, but I know it’s done right,” Dan says. “Before they drywalled, they put in the studs, they got the furnace in and got the humidity down to about 10 percent, so everything was dried out. Other places take three to four months to build a house and, when the wood isn’t dried out, nails pop.”

Finishes inside and outside are meticulously detailed. A brick paver driveway, neatly manicured yard, and perfectly placed greenery welcome guests.

The interior of the house features an open floor plan that lets in plenty of natural light. The foyer leads to a spacious vaulted-ceilinged great room, kitchen and dining room, perfect for entertaining. Custom cabinetry and professional appliances are designed and provided by Lynn Havlicek of Geneva Cabinet Gallery. The sunroom and multi-level deck provide beautiful views of the golf course.

The master bedroom suite has a private location on one side of the home, while the two guest bedrooms, each with their own bath, share the space on the opposite side of the house. Mindy loves the convenience of the laundry area, which is accessible from the master closet.

Head down to the basement and enjoy Dan’s self-proclaimed man cave. A wet bar with four elegant barstools occupies one side. Tucked into the other side is a large children’s bedroom and another bathroom.

Havlicek Builders also works closely with its clients to select all of the elements that personalize a new home, including light fixtures, flooring, paint colors and fireplaces.

The DeVitos are eagerly waiting for more company in their new subdivision.

“We love this neighborhood,” Mindy says.