When buyers in North Shore Development’s Tantara project tell friends they’re moving to Green Oaks, they must emphasize that that’s the name of the village, not the subdivision.
Indeed, the village of Green Oaks, population 3,024, is a little known northern suburb, and residents usually identify their home base as “east of Libertyville.”
Green Oaks’ Tantara development, which will consist of 54 semi-custom homes, has 16 sites still available and some 30 homeowners have already moved in. The subdivision opened in 1996, and has been attracting buyers due to the affordability of its large semi-custom homes, says Ted Pickus, vice president of North Shore Development.
Originally, the base of the lowest priced model in the development was $350,000, says Pickus, but that has now been lowered to $320,000, offering buyers a chance to save money by passing up some options that had earlier been standard offerings, such as a whirlpool in the master bath, or a three-car garage (two-car is now standard).
When the Tantara development was in the planning stage, “We thought our target buyer would be an empty-nester or a family with older children,” says Pickus. “Surprisingly, we are finding that many buyers are families with very young children who are move-up buyers. More space was on their list, followed by custom details.”
In fact, Tantara blueprints render many of the features that move-up buyers crave: two-story foyers opening into arched, pillared living rooms and dining rooms, kitchens with island counters, pantries, master walk-in closets, and master bathroom suites.
The six models in Tantara range from 2,525 to 3,594 square feet. The ample footage allows for the spacious family rooms and kitchens and master suites. The footage is also spread in a number of nooks and crannies, such as laundry rooms large enough that they contain a closet, or second-floor hallways big enough in which to place a bureau.
In addition, extra footage is offered as an option for buyers who want to ante up extra dollars to get space to fit their lifestyle needs. The most popular model, the Arlington, for instance, offers an optional sun room (18 feet 6 inches by 6 feet 8 inches) off the family room for an additional $14,000. Also, in the Arlington, a niche between the family room and living room can be outfitted as a wet bar for $800, or homeowners can elect to use the standard cabinetry in that alcove for storage.
Pickus says he aims to offer buyers as much flexibility in designing floor plans as possible. Buyers also have a hand in how their home is situated on their lot. They can, for instance, choose a front-loading or side-loading garage.
The focus of Tantara is to provide luxury at relatively affordable prices. Several upscale developments have been built in Green Oaks over the last few years, says Elaine Palmer, village administrator, and the village is “now just about running out of space for new development,” she says. With a population of 2,100 just five years ago, Green Oaks has seen an injection of new residents buying into some developments where the prices are in the upper six figures, says Palmer.
The tiny town, which contains no businesses–not even a grocery store– still retains a hint of its rural past, with a few acres of farmland here and there. “We still call it country living,” maintains Palmer, a Green Oaks resident for more than a quarter century.
The buyers in Tantara are more apt to term it upscale suburban living, however. Many are transferees or transplants from nearby suburbs such as Mundelein or Vernon Hills, says Pickus. Although the development is far from mature, a tight-knit neighborhood is already in the making. “There is a `Wives Club’ where mothers–working mothers and stay-at-homes–go out to lunch with their kids,” Pickus says.
Children growing up in Tantara will attend nearby Oak Grove Elementary School, and Libertyville High School.
Young families will have plenty of room to grow; Tantara homes offer from four to six bedrooms. In addition, specialty rooms such as first-floor dens could be used as a home office or converted to a bedroom for a live-in relative or guest.
The two-story, 2,881-square-foot Arlington is the most popular model and features four bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths and a sitting room off the master suite and is based priced at $360,000. The second most popular model, the Churchill, has four bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths and a first-floor den and is based-priced at $350,000. All models come with basements as standard, says Pickus.
A conservancy area including two large ponds is included in Tantara. Pickus also points out that residents will soon be able to enjoy a preserve under development in nearby Libertyville, known as “Independence Grove,” which will contain a 113-acre lake, playgrounds, bike trails, and other recreational attractions.
The Village of Green Oaks contracts with the Libertyville Fire Department and the Lake County Sheriff’s Department for police and fire protection, says Palmer. Green Oaks homeowners pay a non-resident fee to participate in Libertyville Park District offerings. Pickus estimates that the annual real estate taxes on homes in Tantara amount to about 1.9 percent of the sales price.
To visit Tantara, take Interstate Highway 94 North to Illinois Highway 137 (Buckley Road), exit west to O’Plaine Road, go north one-quarter mile to Guerin Road, then west to the entrance. The sales center is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.. For more information, call 847-367-0008.
