One hundred fifty years ago, Elijah Haines wrote the charter that incorporated Hainesville, making it the oldest village in Lake County. It stayed a tiny village until recently. But now builders such as Deer Point Homes Development are transforming it into a suburb.
The Sanctuary, a 56-home subdivision, is one of three projects Deer Point Homes has established here since 1993. The others are Deer Point Trails, a 200-home project that sold out in 1995, and The Settlement, which now has 16 sites left out of a total of 122.
Adjacent to each other and rising from former farmland, these subdivisions are helping boost Hainesville’s population from less than 200 seven years ago to some 1,600 now.
Having broken ground in spring of 1995, The Sanctuary is nearing closeout with only nine lots left. Affordable housing is what’s luring buyers to this heretofore little known hamlet, situated just west of Grayslake. The three- or four-bedroom homes at The Sanctuary are priced from $147,990 to $189,990, and are somewhat larger and more expensive than homes in the neighboring Settlement, which had offered a ranch-style home on a slab that started at $110,990 (slab lots are no longer available), says Mike Menas, vice president of Deer Point Homes. Homes in The Sanctuary range from 1,234 to 2,298 square feet. The Settlement’s largest offering is 1,598 square feet.
Driving through the subdivisions, however, it’s difficult to discern the boundaries between the two projects, given that the exteriors of the homes have similar traditional styling. That seamless transition is just what was intended, Menas notes.
Many of the nine plans available at The Sanctuary are also what’s offered in another Deer Point subdivision, The Greenbrier in Crystal Lake. Although several of The Sanctuary designs are traditional two-story plans, the Edwards, a tri-level that is a furnished model at the project, has proved the most popular among Sanctuary buyers, Menas says.
“On the main level (of the Edwards model) is the kitchen, living room, and dining room,” he says. “Then there’s a railing and an open area that overlooks a step-down family room. People like that kind of separation because it allows them to have the kids play in the family room, while they can be on the main floor, but still keep an eye on things.”
Indeed, families with children are probably the predominant buyers in The Sanctuary, according to Menas. Many are moving up from smaller residences in nearby communities such as Mundelein and Vernon Hills, he says. The subdivision also has its share of empty-nesters and newlyweds, although these households are more prevalent in the adjacent Settlment, Menas says.
Families with an abundance of bikes, tools, lawn equipment and other household accouterments are frequently taking an option for a three-car garage on Sanctuary models. Attached to the side of the house, the extra garage doesn’t augment living space, but it does free up the basement from clutter, Menas notes. Many of the residents are also using the garage for boats, motorcycles and campers, he says.
Hainesville is close to many recreational lakes, and despite the recent development, there’s still enough farmland around to give one the feeling of being out in the country.
In fact, Hainesville was such a rural outpost that Deer Point Homes had to put in a water and sewer system for its developments. (Early residents live in another part of town, says Menas, and Hainesville has had an agreement with the Village of Round Lake to use its water systems).
Given that Deer Point Homes has invested so much in infrastructure, the company will be breaking ground this fall on another development around a lake in another section of Hainesville. Although a name hasn’t yet been selected for the project, Menas says it will incorporate town homes as well as single-family designs from The Sanctuary and The Settlement.
Sanctuary buyers may also need ample garage space for cars. Although it’s a short jaunt, says Menas, residents must travel to nearby towns for shopping. Ditto for schools. Sanctuary residents will use the Grayslake schools. Even though Hainesville is growing, says Menas, there isn’t enough available land to accommodate too much more population, and the village will probably not build its own schools.
Deer Point Trails is located on the north side of Illinois Highway 120, two miles west of Illinois Highway 83 in Hainesville. The sales center and models are open daily from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. For information call 847-548-2400.
