Your Perfect Home Is On Reserve

Bonnie and Phil Jacobsen at home in their Eden ranch home. (Photo by Candace Porter)

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When Bonnie and Phil Jacobsen were looking for a new home, they knew what they wanted — a company that would take the time to understand their needs and offer a personal touch.

And they found just what they were looking for with Reserve One Homes.

“They were very, very considerate that this is more than a building process — it’s our home,” Bonnie says.

The couple wanted some customization done to their home, and they were thrilled when Reserve One was able to fulfill their requests.

“The customization was key,” Phil says. “They went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect.”

The Jacobsens turned their formal living room into a den/study; extended their garage; added a linen closet to their master bedroom; made their home wheelchair accessible; and rearranged outlets throughout their home.

“The layout of the model was outstanding,” Bonnie says. “When we saw it, we knew this was the way to go.”

A Distinctive Look
Homes of Distinction — that’s the Reserve One motto. Tom and Lisa Loftus founded the company in 1995 with the dream of building homes that have high specification levels and the value-added features discerning homebuyers seek.

With more than 75 years of combined experience in the homebuilding industry, the couple’s objective is to bring a wide variety of choices to residents in McHenry and Lake counties. Tom and Lisa have a vast background in the industry, but they wanted to add something more to their company — a personal investment in their clients’ homes.

“We started this company because others we were a part of were getting to be all about numbers and too far away from people,” Tom says. “It got away from the core of the business, which is housing people.”

What sets Reserve One apart is their close relationship with clients and their flexibility, service and ability to provide affordable and customized homes, Lisa says. They visit each one of their properties at least twice a week to check in. And they are truly involved with the communities in which they build, as they support community groups like Habitat For Humanity.

“The best part for me is at the end of the day, there’s something I can see,” Tom says. “It’s great to see something physical come from what started as a piece of paper. To know I’ve created something families will live in and enjoy means the world to me.”

Reserve One also builds offsite, depending on the location. They have five homes available for delivery at Running Brook Farm with special 4-and-3/8-percent, 30-year fixed rate financing with 5 percent down for qualified buyers. From start to finish, Reserve One can have you in your perfect home in four months.

“I love getting to know people and making their dreams come true,” Lisa says. “For us, we’re not just building a house. We’re building a home in which life will unfold for generations to come.”

Home, Sweet Home
Finding a home is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make. And you want to be sure you’re making the right choices. With all the foreclosures in today’s market, it can be tempting to jump into the seemingly low-cost option of buying a foreclosed home.

But, Lisa says, you have to consider all the costs.

“What we tell people is they’re buying a new, up-to-date home,” she says. “You’re getting modern materials and technology, and there are no repairs necessary. When all is said and done, you most likely will spend more time and money with short sales, buying a foreclosed home or remodeling your current home than you would building a new home.”

And, Lisa adds, the value of your home could decrease if there are too many foreclosures in your neighborhood.

Lisa and Tom offer the following tips to make sure you find the right home for you:
1. Buy new (not distressed or resale).
2. Get to know the community, school districts and recreation facilities.
3. Make sure your homebuilder is listening to your wants and needs.

Going Green
Reserve One homes have the newest energy-efficient features, including:

• 90-percent high-efficiency furnace (reduces the use of natural gas while heating your home, therefore reducing your gas bill)

• Programmable thermostat (allows more specific control of the heating and cooling system in your home, so you’re not using as much energy when you’re away or sleeping)

• Low-E glazing (Low-E glass has a microscopically-thin metallic coating that reflects heat radiation from the interior of the house back into the room, therefore reducing heat loss through the windows)

• R-38 attic insulation (most of the heat loss from your home is through your windows and your roof, so increasing the attic insulation by as much as 26 percent will cut down on the heat loss)

• R-11 insulation on crawl space walls and top 4 feet of basement walls (insulating the top 4 feet of the foundation walls where the ground temperature fluctuates the most ensures a more consistent temperature in the basement, therefore reducing the need to heat or cool the basement)

• Insulated hot water supply lines (reduces heat loss through the copper supply lines, which leads to a more efficient use of your home’s hot water)

• Sealed and insulated attic access panels (reduces the amount of heat loss through the attic access into your unheated attic)

• Sealed exterior insulated wall penetrations (reduces air leakage from your home through penetrations in the exterior insulated walls)

• Sealed joints on all supply and return duct lines (reduces air loss through the duct system, ensuring the heating and cooling supply reach the rooms in your home more efficiently)

• Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) (high-efficiency light bulbs reduce your home’s electric bill and last longer)

A Look Inside
RUNNING BROOK FARM
Town homes:
Reserve One has one court left to build of town homes. Each town home building has four homes. The Andalusian, Belgian and Connemara are two-story homes, and the Dartmoor is a ranch town home. These homes come with a full basement, two-car garage, air conditioning, ceramic floors in the foyers and bathrooms, a volume ceiling in the master bedroom, 9-foot first-floor ceilings, a patio with a privacy fence and more. They range from $156,875 to $169,990. They are 1,088 to 1,636 square feet. Grass cutting, snow removal, building maintenance and insurance is covered with the monthly association fee.

Country Gables:
The newest addition to Running Brook Farm are the Country Gables Maintenance Free Homes. These duplex and freestanding homes are a town home alternative. Reserve One offers three two-story homes that can be duplexes or standalone homes — the Ainsley, Bristol and Caden — and one ranch, the Dixon. These homes come with a full basement, two-car garage, air conditioning, ceramic floors in the foyers and bathrooms, a volume ceiling in the master bedroom, 9-foot first-floor ceilings and much more. They are 1,216 to 1,740 square feet. Base prices start at $169,990 to $189,990. Grass cutting, snow removal, building maintenance and insurance on the building is covered with the monthly association fee.

Single Family Homes:
At Running Brook Farm in the classic series, Reserve One offers three ranch homes and seven two-story homes ranging from $228,990 to $289,990. In the classic series, the homes include a basement, 9-foot ceilings on the first floor, a volume ceiling in the master bedroom, ceramic or hardwood flooring in the foyer and powder room, Clermont panel doors and trim painted white, 200 amp service, a laundry tub, a service door and much more. They are 1,660 to 3,450 square feet.

FOX LAKE
In Fox Lake, Reserve One has two communities that will be completed soon.

Duck Lake Crossing:
Same classic series homes as in Running Brook Farm, priced from $234,990 to $298,990. This is a beautiful community with home sites that are 1 to 2.5 acres. These homes include lake rights. There are only four lots remaining. They are 1,660 to 3,450 square feet.

Vern’s Landing:
Same classic series homes as in Running Brook Farm priced from $224,990 to $289,990. This great community has only five lots remaining and is by the Chain O’Lakes State Park. These homes are 1,660 to 3,450 square feet.

GLACIAL TRAILS
Glacial Trails:
Glacial Trails is in Ringwood. Reserve One is selling 1-acre and larger lots priced from $53,500 to $115,732. The company also can build homes with customization for the lot owners in Glacial Trails.

Reserve One Homes
Where: Running Brook Farm Sales Office, 2732 Kendall Crossing in Johnsburg

Info: Call 815-759-0808 or visit on the web at reserveonehomes.com.