Many town home buyers who are empty-nesters or on their way to becoming seniors are seeking to scale down from expansive single-family homes. But at The Ivy Club in Northbrook that isn’t necessarily the case.
Ivy Club sales manager Lynn Kelly says its buyers, usually from neighboring communities, are upgrading when they purchase these homes, which are in the $350,000 to $450,000 range.
“A lot of our customers are upgrading,” said Kelly. “They are selling homes in the $200,000 range and buying much more expensive homes.”
However, the buyers are by no means limited to retirees or elderly couples. Kelly said there is also a mix of single professionals, young marrieds and families, including those with children, attracted by the Northbrook school system.
There are 65 homes, featuring five floor plans. About half have been sold. Standard features include air conditioning, wall-to-wall carpeting or ceramic flooring, double garage, wood deck, landscaping, asphalt driveway and smoke detectors.
The Dartmouth model is a good example of the spaciousness of the floor plans. Two-story windows in the downstairs rooms flood the family room, kitchen, living room and dining area with light. There is no separate entry hall; instead, a small, tiled area, which is part of the living room, is partitioned off from the carpeted area.
Although the living room is only average in size (13 feet, 5 inches by 15 feet) it appears to be much larger, probably because it flows right into the dining room area, which measures 11 feet, 5 inches by 10 feet.
The model is decorated in a somewhat formal style but because the rooms are mostly open to each other, it is easy to imagine it adapting very well to a more casual decor.
The kitchen (10 feet by 15 feet, 7 inches) has only a half wall dividing it from the family room, making it easy for a host or hostess to be part of a party. Standard in this model, which is priced at $369,900 (but which climbs to $445,000 as shown with all its upgrades), is a self-cleaning gas oven, dishwasher, built-in microwave, garbage disposer and a choice of cabinetry.
A breakfast room measures 10 feet, 2 inches by 8 feet, 5 inches and opens to the deck and also overlooks the family room.
There is a powder room conveniently located almost in the middle of the house. It comes with a decorative pedestal sink. Equally convenient is the laundry room, next to the powder room.
In this model the master bedroom is located on the first floor at the back of the unit, creating the feeling of being its own private suite. Its generous size (16 by 14) is almost matched by the two large walk-in closets with mirrored folding doors and the master bath with its separate shower and large soaker tub. Cultured marble-topped vanities help create a glamorous look. On the practical side, the linen closet is entered right from the bathroom.
There are two bedrooms upstairs, but to reach them one must pass through the loft, one of those intriguing areas that can be used for anything from a den to an office to a library.
Kelly said one couple placed a grand piano there, creating a music room. It is 19 feet, 10 inches by 13 feet, so there is enough room to try a lot of decorating ideas. The area has no windows but gains its light from those two-story windows soaring up from the lower level.
The bedrooms–measuring 12 feet, 2 inches by 14 feet and 14 1/2 feet by 13 feet, 2 inches–each have a walk-in closet. They share a bathroom with cultured marble top vanity and ceramic flooring.
A full, unfinished basement is shown in the model.
The Ivy Club can be reached by taking Interstate Highway 94 to Lake Cook Road. Go west on Lake Cook to the first stoplight. The Ivy Club is located on the southwest corner of Lake Cook and Sanders. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends. For more information, call 847-562-8899.
