Array of finished homes ready in three Mill Creek neighborhoods

For some new home buyers, seeing is believing ... literally.

Shoppers hunting for a well-built home with plenty of amenities don't always prefer building a personalized residence from the ground up. Instead, many opt for a finished product right from the start, a pre-built inventory home that's move-in ready sooner vs. later. And offering a variety of finished homes that cater to robust customer demand is one of Shodeen Residential's specialties.

"We've always been known for having a healthy selection of early to immediate occupancy residences to choose from at our Mill Creek master-planned community in Geneva," said Mark Thomas, president of Shodeen Residential. "It's what helps distinguish us from the competition, the fact that we offer so many different kinds of pre-built homes, priced from the low $200,000s and up, that fit nearly every budget."

Unlike other builders, who remain saddled with unsold inventory due to the real estate downturn, Shodeen provides a fresh variety of move-in-early homes at different stages of construction. Some are available for immediate delivery, while others can be occupied within 90 days or less.

"The current range of inventory homes we offer at Mill Creek speaks to the fact that we're not afraid of this market," Thomas said. "We're continually replenishing our stock of pre-built homes by starting construction on new ones to keep up with strong demand. The bottom line is that being able to offer more choices and wider variety equates to greater opportunities and better value to our customers."

Thomas said that inventory homes serve as "the perfect choice for home shoppers who are eager to move in soon or who want to see exactly what they're getting before they sign on the dotted line. These pre-built homes are particularly popular among the risk averse in this market -- meaning those people who want to sell their current home first and have something to move into soon -- which ensures a quicker financial transaction and a safer transition for the buyer."

Additionally, Thomas said, "finished homes are ideal for buyers such as transferees who don't have the time to wait for a new home to be built. And an inventory home is the domicile of choice for buyers who have difficulty visualizing the completed product. They can actually walk through and get a feel for the finished home they're going to buy."

Indeed, early move-in homes are often the simplest, easiest pick altogether "because buyers don't have to spend time choosing colors, finishes, exteriors and other selections that can be difficult for some to narrow down," he said.

Shoppers can select from a plethora of inventory homes in three different Mill Creek neighborhoods: Oakmont, Tanna, and Pinehurst.

Oakmont has several early delivery residences, each of which features significant upgrades, from hardwood floors and granite countertops to deep-poured basements and extra-large homesites: including:

• A two-story Remington II, at 38W482 McQuire Pl., and a Remington II at 38W538 Berquist Dr. Both offer four bedrooms, 2½ baths, three car garage and 2,948 to 3,210 square feet, ready for immediate occupancy and priced at $424,500 and $539,900, respectively.

• A Benjamin II at 0N564 Morrill Dr., available for immediate move-in and featuring four bedrooms, 2½ baths, three-car garage and up to 2,988 square feet, priced at $460,325.

• The Abbey ranch, at 38W322 Berquist Dr., which offers three bedrooms, two baths, a three-car garage, full basement, formal living room, family room and 2,378 square feet, ready for delivery in December and priced at $475,000.

• A two-story Franklin I at 0N631 Keenan Dr., and a Franklin I at 0N634 Morrill Dr., each offering four bedrooms, 3½ baths, three-car garage, gourmet kitchen, and fireplace. The former spans 3,382 square feet and latter spans 3,364 square feet. Both are priced at $499,900 and ready for immediate delivery.

Buyers also can select from several other distinctive luxury single-family floorplans at Oakmont, base-priced from the upper $300,000s.

In Mill Creek's Tanna neighborhood, buyers can pick from several inventory homes available, each of which comes with significant upgrades like hardwood floors, fully sodded homesite and 42-inch cabinets, stainless steel appliances and granite countertops in the kitchen, including:

• A two-story Kaneville, at 39W687 Schoolhouse Ln., and a Kaneville at 0N629 Bowdish Dr. Both include four bedrooms, 2½ baths, eat-in kitchen, basement, three-car garage and 2,262 square feet. The former is priced at $363,509 and can be moved into immediately; the latter is priced at $342,959 and has an October delivery date.

• The Prairie Ranch I, at 40W041 Chadsworth Dr. and ready for immediate delivery; this home boasts three bedrooms, two baths, three-car garage and 2,035 square feet and is priced at $390,557.

• A Payton, at 40W032 Wellington Way, that includes five bedrooms, 2½ baths, three-car garage, full basement and 2,689 square feet, available for November delivery and priced at $394,529.

• A Parker XL, at 0N473 King Dr. Available for December occupancy, this home provides four bedrooms, 2½ baths, full basement, three-car garage and 2,732 square feet and is priced at $422,645.

• A Payton XL, at 0N483 King Dr. with five bedrooms, 3½ baths, full basement, three-car garage and 2,807 square feet--slated for December move-in and priced at $423,818.

Buyers also can select from several other distinctive luxury single-family floor plans at Tanna, base priced from the upper $200,000s.

For those with a well-equipped new townhome or duplex in mind, Mill Creek has a handful available without the wait in its Pinehurst neighborhood, including:

• Three Potomac townhomes, at 0N296 Dooley Dr., 0N316 Dooley Dr., and 0N320 Dooley Dr. Each is loaded with three bedrooms, two baths (luxury master bath in the latter two units), basement with roughed-in plumbing, upgraded features in the kitchen, and 1,742 to 1,871 square feet, each priced at $239,900 and ready for immediate occupancy.

• Two Flagstaff duplex homes, at 0N451 Ford Dr. and at 0N415 Ford Dr. Each duplex includes two bedrooms, two baths, basement with roughed-in plumbing, Trex and cedar deck, numerous upgrades in the kitchen and 2,078 to 2,198 square feet. The former is priced at $279,900 and the latter at $284,900. Both can be moved into immediately.

Shodeen's Mill Creek iboasts a country club lifestyle, offering 36 collective holes of golf, on-site schools and retailers and quality-built residences spread across several different neighborhoods.

Homeowners appreciate two premier golf courses providing breathtaking views -- including Tanna Golf Club, which recently expanded from a nine- to 18-hole course; a Village Center offering convenient on-site retailers, such as a grocery store, dry cleaners and a dentist; a clubhouse and outdoor swimming pool; a restaurant; two churches; and Geneva Community Unit School District 304 schools, including Mill Creek Elementary and Fabyan Elementary.

In addition, an estimated 800 acres of the community, a whopping 45 percent is open space dedicated to outdoor recreation and ecological preservation. Mill Creek features 127 acres of preserved wetlands, 195 acres of open parks and 17 miles of nature and bike trails. The property also is loaded with mature trees, picturesque lakes and ponds, scenic landscaping, lush grasslands and rolling hills with up to 80-foot elevations.

Residents prefer Mill Creek's picturesque setting, which is easy to reach and accessible to popular destinations, from historic downtown Geneva to Randall Road shopping to the Metra train station just minutes away. The nearby Geneva Commons shopping center also has a variety of shops, stores and restaurants.

To reach Mill Creek, take I-90 west and exit Randall Road; proceed south toward Geneva; turn west on Keslinger Road; proceed west to Prairie Clover Drive; turn left and head south to the models. Or, take I-88 west to Orchard Road; head east to Randall Road; proceed north to Keslinger Road; and head west to the models.

Hours at all neighborhoods are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday. For more information about Oakmont, Mill Creek or Shodeen Residential, visit www.shodeenhomes.com.