As incredible as it may seem, since the beginning of the year seven new families have made the decision to purchase new homes in St. John’s Saddle Creek, a unique community where residents are already enjoying the many included amenities. Expertly designed by developer Olthof Homes to seamlessly compliment the vast open spaces of its incredibly convenient location, Saddle Creek offers new homebuyers a tranquil retreat defined by a spectacular entryway, incredible water features and plenty of well-landscaped common areas.

“You definitely would not know that we recently endured such a lengthy period of sub-zero temperatures by the number of people who have been out to Saddle Creek,” Carmen Ware, Olthof Homes sales manager, said. “This community has been on fire recently. People are attracted to Saddle Creek because of the beautiful country setting and central St. John location that falls within the boundaries of the highly-desirable Hanover School district. For such a new community, we’re already seeing an impressive number of referrals.”

Strategically nestled between Indianapolis Boulevard (US Route 41) & Calumet Avenue on 101st Avenue, Saddle Creek provides residents with easy access to a unique mix of well-known national retailers and restaurants as well as established locally-owned and operated businesses. Plus, Chicago and the south suburbs are equally accessible via nearby I-394.

A peaceful retreat for homeowners, Saddle Creek features a number of amenities designed to enhance the enjoyment of its natural setting. These include a central family playground where children can frolic while their parents mingle on nearby benches, scenic walking trails, winding bike trails, picturesque ponds and an open green space with inviting gazebo and picnic tables. Combining Olthof’s Estate Collection of single-family homes and Easy Living Collection of maintenance-free villas, Saddle Creek is truly a unique gem in the Olthof portfolio, according to Ware.

“This community is truly unique, offering homebuyers the option of single-family homes on spacious single-family home sites that start at 1/3 of an acre or maintenance-free villas that include association services for routine work including lawn care and snow removal,” she said. “Right now the premium home sites that back up to water features, wooded areas or cul-de-sacs are proving quite popular. Many of these locations also offer homebuyers the option of dramatic lookout basements.”

All total, there are 5 single-family home floor plans to choose from at Saddle Creek. Starting in the $260,000’s through the mid-$300,000’s with luxury options, such as fireplaces, deluxe kitchens, built-in entertainment centers, sunrooms, decks and 3-car garages. They include 2-stories, 1 _-stories and sprawling ranches with 3-5 bedrooms and 2-2 _ bathrooms ranging from 2,100 to 3,000 square feet.

The villas at Saddle Creek start just under $200,000 and range through the upper $200,000’s with luxury options offering four 2-3 bedroom floor plans with 1,455-1,670 square feet of living space.

For those people requiring a quicker move, Olthof has one single family Ready To Move In home, a 2,220 square foot ranch with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, sunroom, fireplace, tray ceilings and crown moldings in the master bedroom and dining room, an extended 2-car garage and many more upgraded options for $312,608, and four Ready To Move In villas all with 2 bedrooms and 2 baths plus a variety of desirable options for prices between $193,900 and $221,261.

“Right now we’re introducing our New Home … New Style promotion,” Ware said. “We’re offering new home buyers the opportunity to show their style with $500 toward new furniture from either DeYoung Interiors or Groen’s Fine Furniture. This offer is good on all new homes for a limited time. Complete details are available at the Saddle Creek information center.”

All of the single family homes from the Estate Collection and villas from the Easy Living Collection at Saddle Creek include standard features such as thoughtfully-designed open floor plans, 9’ ceilings, convenient main-floor laundry rooms, luxurious master bedroom suites and plenty of comforting natural light throughout. In addition, there are dozens of interior and exterior custom finish options to meet the needs of individual home owners that ultimately give each home a truly unique feel.

These range from exterior color options, landscape options and outdoor living areas to light fixtures and fans, electrical, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, garages, interior trim and doors, cabinetry, kitchen countertops, sinks and faucets, bathroom faucets, tubs, showers, shower doors, commodes and mirrors, painting, flooring and appliances.

According to Ware, once a customer has purchased their Olthof home, they can spend as much time as needed viewing additional options at the Olthof Homes Design Center, located on Route 41 in St. John, across from Lake Central High School. Staffed with knowledgeable designers who guide buyers step-by-step through the selection process, the center showcases samples of the products used throughout the building process.

In the meantime, because there are 22 possibilities of exterior looks, with each floor plan having several options, all of them can be viewed and instantly changed onsite at Saddle Creek using a state-of-the-art, touch-screen computer system.

“The touch-screen computer is a great new tool that allows us to actually demonstrate how a customer’s specific preferences will look,” Ware said. “It truly brings the home to life each time an exterior option is considered, from siding or cedar color to shutters and brick or stone selections.”