With the spring real estate season just around the corner, Meritus Homes has started construction on a showcase home slated for early summer move-in at The Reserve of St. Charles, the builder’s community of semi-custom and custom homes just three miles north of downtown St. Charles.

“Many people begin their home search at this time of year so they can move in and have most of the summer to settle into their new home,” said Brian Brunhofer, president of Deerfield, Ill.-based Meritus Homes. “That’s exactly what they’ll be able to do with this showcase home, since we’ve given them a head start on the typical new-construction timeline by getting through all the upfront permitting and planning work. Now that we’ve broken ground, buyers will find this home is a terrific new-construction option that will be available in the timeframe they want.”

Priced at $609,900, the new showcase home features the 3,716-square-foot Dunberry plan and has four bedrooms, 3½ baths, separate living and dining rooms, a first-floor den, family room, full basement with 9-foot ceilings and an attached split-bay three-car garage.

Brunhofer noted the home is situated on a prime lot located along a curve on Reserve Drive, which loops through the community.

“One thing buyers love about The Reserve of St. Charles is our oversized home sites, and this one measures in at nearly ½ an acre,” said Brunhofer. “It’s a wedge-shaped lot that grows wider as it gets deeper, which gives this home a terrific backyard. Plus, it backs up to a large parcel of protected green space, which makes the yard feel even bigger and gives homeowners plenty of privacy.”

In addition to a stand-out yard, the home will feature a charming exterior elevation with light gray brick and coordinating gray siding with white trim. Additionally, it has a turreted bedroom that adds exterior visual interest and creates a unique shape and ceiling feature in the home’s third bedroom. “This home will have plenty of curb appeal from the day buyers move in,” said Brunhofer. “Plus, the home site comes fully sodded and professionally landscaped, so buyers can enjoy their yard right away.”

Inside, the showcase home features many of the extra conveniences move-up buyers want in a home, such as a large mudroom with built-in lockers and garage access, a butler’s pantry, and plentiful storage, including walk-in closets in three of the four bedrooms. “This home offers those modern conveniences that most busy families want, and typically won’t find in a resale home in this area unless they’re willing to undertake a significant renovation project,” said Brunhofer.

The Meritus design team also has selected a custom-level package of finishes for the home. For example, the gourmet kitchen is complete with 42-inch white painted maple cabinetry with a pewter glaze, an oversized island with furniture molding, and upgraded granite countertops and glass tile backsplash that extend into the adjacent butler’s pantry. The kitchen also features stainless steel appliances, including a double oven and a 36-inch chimney-style hood over a 36-inch five-burner cooktop.

Other design touches include a fireplace with a traditional white mantel in the family room, site-finished 3¼-inch oak flooring, and custom oak treads as well as an oak and wrought iron staircase railing. The home will feature interior paint in warm shades of gray throughout, white painted solid doors, oversized white trim, and crown molding in the living room, dining room and foyer.

“It can be overwhelming for some people to think about selecting all the finishes for a new-construction home from top to bottom, but in this home our design team has done the heavy lifting and created a fully coordinated look,” said Brunhofer. “Of course, depending on when a buyer purchases, there still may be the opportunity to choose some selections to put their own stamp on the home.”

Set amid 56 acres of conservation areas and wetlands, The Reserve of St. Charles offers a scenic Fox River Valley setting complete with prairie grasses, mature trees and walking trails.

The Reserve of St. Charles is less than 1 mile from St. Charles North High School, one of the top public high schools in Illinois according to U.S. News & World Report. The community is served by the highly acclaimed St. Charles Community Unit School District 303.

The Reserve of St. Charles is located on the west side of Route 31 between Red Gate and Silver Glen roads. An on-site sales center, located at 745 Reserve Drive, is open Monday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (630) 549-6486 or visit www.MeritusHomeBuilders.com.

About Meritus Homes
Meritus Homes was founded by homebuilding veterans Brian and Karen Brunhofer. The couple has more than 30 years of combined homebuilding experience, during which time they led teams that delivered more than 10,000 homes to the Chicago area. Meritus Homes has built homes in many of Chicago’s most sought-after communities, including St. Charles, Long Grove, Park Ridge, Wilmette, Winnetka, Northbrook, Inverness and Naperville.