FIRST TIME BUYERS FIND MORE THAN A HOME

Popular Lakewood Homes’ Clubhouse Community Makes Dream Of Homeownership A Reality For Many First Time Buyers

Joliet, IL - (July 1, 2008) - First time buyers have found more than just a brand new home at Lakewood Prairie, Lakewood Homes’ exciting clubhouse community located on Joliet’s new north side, thanks to this community’s fabulous on-site amenities and the outstanding customer service experience that Lakewood provides. Whether it’s a buyer that is currently renting or a young adult moving away from home, homeownership dreams do come true at Lakewood Prairie. The community has been planned for 214 attached style Country Homes that first time buyers have flocked to, priced from $179,990. More than half the Country Homes are already sold. There are also 551 single-family homes in a wide range of styles and sizes. The single-family homes are nearly one-third sold and start at $219,990. Decorated and furnished models of the various series are open daily for tours.

“Lakewood is famous for making homeownership dreams come true for many buyers and at Lakewood Prairie, we have lots of customers who are either renting or living at home and are ready to make their first home purchase. Many of these would-be buyers are happy to discover that often times they can purchase a new home at this community for a monthly payment equal to or even less than they might be spending on rent,” said Robin Johnson, vice president of sales for Lakewood Homes. “We try to make the entire home buying experience as easy as possible, from financing with our in-house mortgage company, LHI Mortgage, to our multi-step communication process during the construction of each home, to a prompt and thorough closing and delivery. We have extremely high customer satisfaction ratings and many first time buyers can’t believe things go so smoothly.”

First time buyers who are on a tighter budget have embraced the exciting Country Home Series at Lakewood Prairie. Think of the Country Homes as a “hybrid” single family. It combines the best elements of single family living with the price of a townhome. They are very popular with “gen x” and “gen y” buyers who are looking for their first dream home…privacy, space, room to grow, just the right amount of everything. The way Lakewood value engineers these homes allow for great energy efficiency which will save money on utilities while leaving a smaller environmental footprint than a conventional single family home.

These homes are a great way for buyers to start out in a home of their own with the advantages of a single-family type design but with the efficiencies of a townhome. About half the Country Homes sold at Lakewood Prairie have been purchased by first time buyers.

The Country Home series are attached single-family homes sized from 1,250 to nearly 1,900 square feet, with prices starting in the $180s. These homes offer the benefits of single-family living with private yards, two-car attached garages and optional basements.

The Country Homes are available in both ranch and two-story designs and feature two to three bedrooms, one to 2-1/2 baths, spacious master bedroom suites with walk-in closet and private or shared access baths, two-car attached garages and much more.

Country Homes are built in pairs and are only attached at a small section of each garage, giving each layout terrific light and ventilation on all four sides along with the look and feel of a traditional single-family home. The unique design of the Country Homes even gives each two-car garage its own generous storage area.

Two of the Country Home designs, the Georgetown and Richmond, are featured in the model park area at Lakewood Prairie and are presented as fully furnished and decorated homes that are open everyday for tours.

For first time buyers who want a high quality traditional single-family home, Lakewood Prairie has a great selection of 15 single-family homes sized from over 1,600 up to nearly 4,000 square feet. There are four Premier Series plans priced from the $220s and four Classic Series homes priced from the low $230s. Any of these plans are ideal for first time buyers, young couples and newlyweds with growing families. These homes are two-story designs with three to four bedrooms, 2-1/2 baths, luxury master suites, basements and attached two-car garages.

There are also seven large Executive Series homes starting in the $260s. These spacious homes are perfect move-up homes for people who may be renting in an upscale community who have decided they want to their own yard or for first time buyers that want a home they can grow into and stay in for years to come.

Executive Series plans are two-story homes with up to four bedrooms, 2-1/2 baths, luxury master bedroom suites, large family rooms, basements and two or three-car attached garages as included features. Some of the plans include second floor family rooms.

Decorated and designer furnished single-family models are displayed at the community and shoppers are invited to take tours of these beautiful homes at their leisure during business hours.

“Another reason first time buyers have found Lakewood Prairie so attractive is our one-stop shopping approach to financing, selecting options, scheduling closing and all the other details involved in purchasing a new home. For many first time buyers, it can all seem overwhelming, but we guide every customer through the process and educate them along the way on what to expect,” Johnson said.

First time buyers at Lakewood Prairie can get expert financial and mortgage advice from the professionals at LHI Mortgage, Lakewood’s award winning in-house mortgage lender, ranked highest in satisfaction in the Chicago market in the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 New-Home Builder Mortgage Originator StudySM. LHI’s experts will provide free credit consultations, loan pre-qualifications and tips on how to improve credit scores.

Shoppers can also review the wide variety of attractive finance programs that are available, including special programs designed for first time buyers. Incentives include receiving up to $2,000 in closing costs when buyers finance through LHI Mortgage. Complete information on the finance programs LHI offers is available by stopping by the LHI office located inside the Lakewood Prairie sales center.

“Lakewood Prairie has also attracted so many first time buyers because of the outstanding on-site amenities of the neighborhood. A common misconception of a first time buyer is that they think they can only afford a home with no other amenities and that
is just not true. At Lakewood Prairie, first time buyers are pleasantly surprised to find out that they not only can purchase a brand new home, but also have use of a beautiful clubhouse and pool without any additional cost,” said Johnson.

The private resident clubhouse at Lakewood Prairie measures 3,000 square feet and features a resort-style outdoor pool with sundeck, toddler pool plus tennis and sand volleyball courts. Summertime fun is going strong with residents enjoying the pool on a daily basis.

Inside, the clubhouse highlights a furnished great room with big screen television, fireplace and kitchen, which can be reserved by residents for parties and family gatherings. Best of all, the clubhouse and recreational amenities are available to all residents who live at the community without daily fees or extra cost. There’s even an activities director who helps plan events and holiday parties for residents to enjoy.

Another aspect of homeownership that is of prime importance to first time buyers is a convenient location. Lakewood Prairie effortlessly combines an outstanding location on Joliet’s growing new north side with a neighborhood layout that has ponds, parks and open green space.

Commuting is easy, with I-55 close by, making for quick trips to downtown Chicago or other suburbs, as well as easy connections to Midway Airport. For rail commuters, Metra trains traveling to Chicago’s Loop are available in downtown Joliet, making the trip in about an hour. Heritage Corridor trains also depart from nearby Lockport and Lemont.

The growing Route 59 corridor is just minutes from the community and offers all sorts of conveniences, from shopping and services to entertainment and dining. Nearby towns include Bolingbrook and Plainfield.

“Lakewood Prairie is a must-see for first time buyers who want the most value for their new home purchase. This community represents a chance for first time buyers to truly get everything they could ask for in one neighborhood, while remaining within their budget. Our Country Homes have been extremely popular with first time buyers and we are the only community in the area that offers such a unique and innovative home design. Summer is a great time to stop by Lakewood Prairie, tour the models, visit the clubhouse and talk to our finance professionals to see how easy and affordable owning a new home at this community can be,” Johnson said.

Lakewood Prairie is located on Ridge Road, one mile south of Caton Farm Road in Joliet. To visit, take Route 59 to Caton Farm Road west four miles to Ridge Road, one mile south to the community on the left. The sales center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment. For more information, call 1-815-439-5777 or visit lakewoodhomes.com.