Looking for your first home can be a daunting task. Rookie homebuyers face new vocabulary, a myriad of questions, and, of course, a significant financial investment.

The often-overwhelming nature of one’s maiden voyage into real estate can hamper decision-making and drive unnecessary stress. But with a little education, planning, and market understanding, first-time homebuyers can navigate their home-buying journey with increased confidence and smarts.

Mistake #1: Not understanding what you can – or are willing – to afford

For the vast majority of first-time homebuyers, making a six-figure purchase is a new experience. And far too often, first-time buyers waste precious time looking at homes beyond – or, in some cases, below – their price range.

Avoid it:

While digging into finances isn’t the most enjoyable of experiences, it’s a critical early step. Get a handle on your finances and what you are comfortable paying by tallying current expenses and getting pre-approved for a mortgage.

Mistake #2: Overlooking additional expenses

Homeownership comes with a litany of expenses beyond the mortgage payment. From taxes and homeowner’s insurance to home furnishings, rookie homebuyers who neglect to account for additional expenses can quickly find themselves stretched thin.

Avoid it:

Gather information on local taxes, get quotes on insurance and closing costs, and create a realistic budget for home goods and maintenance needs.

Mistake #3: Compromising on the important things

First-time buyers frequently fall into the trap of insisting on having everything or letting rather trivial wish-list items derail an otherwise promising deal. It’s important to know what really matters and the true non-negotiables.

Avoid it:

Compromise is commonplace in homebuying, so create a list of wants and needs and prioritize accordingly. Then, honor that list while exploring homes.

Mistake #4: Failing to consider the future

Some rookie homebuyers are so focused on the present that they overlook the future. While no one has a crystal ball, some educated assumptions can inform home choice. Perhaps a potential in-law situation makes a first-floor suite attractive. With the potential of kids looming in the near future, schools gain added importance.

Avoid it:

Consider where you might be in 5-10 years and make thoughtful, forward-thinking decisions about your home choice. Also, research the community and town to understand what’s in the pipeline. Are town leaders contemplating a new school? Is a sprawling apartment complex in the works for that nearby vacant field?

Mistake #5: Thinking a new home is beyond your reach

The real estate market is full of options and first-time homebuyers frequently think they’re confined to the resale market. While existing properties might carry a lower price tag, potential renovations, repairs, and maintenance can consume one’s finances.

Avoid it:

New home construction covers the entire pricing spectrum. Be educated about your options and tour promising new home communities. Ask questions about standard features, upgrades, and warranties to better understand the total investment.

The now-ubiquitous Environmental Protection Agency credential is for more than household appliances and electronics

While Americans are accustomed to seeing the ENERGY STAR label attached to refrigerators, dishwashers, furnaces, and other household staples, new residential homes can also carry the moneysaving, environmentally conscious credential.

New homes claiming the ENERGY STAR label have been designed, built, and independently tested to meet strict requirements set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In hitting these marks, ENERGY STAR-certified new homes use 15-30 percent less energy on an annual basis, which translates into cash savings for the homeowner and a reduced environmental impact.

To earn the ENERGY STAR certificate, an independent energy rater analyzes the home at three distinct phases: pre-insulation; pre-drywall; and a blower door test upon completion. Tests examine key elements such as the tightness of the home’s envelope, the effectiveness of insulation systems, and the efficiency of heating and cooling equipment.

Though all new Gallagher & Henry single-family homes are ENERGY STAR certified, only three out of every 100 newly built homes in Illinois earned the credential in 2017.

An ENERGY STAR-certified home includes:

• High-efficiency heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems: ENERGY STAR homes are required to have high-efficiency HVAC equipment. Such mechanicals provide lower utility bills, increased comfort, decreased noise levels, and a constant source of filtered air to minimize indoor air pollutants.
• A thermal enclosure system: By sealing air leaks and installing high-performance windows and insulation, ENERGY STAR homes provide consistent temperatures throughout the home and optimize energy usage.
• A comprehensive water management system: Utilizing proven building practices and materials that protect foundations, roofs, and walls from water damage, ENERGY STAR homes limit the stress and expense moisture can inflict on a home.
• Energy efficient appliances and lighting. Packing homes with ENERGY STAR-certified appliances, lighting, fans, and more sparks savings on monthly utility bills and delivers quality performance.

Enjoy peace of mind with an ENERGY STAR home

When homebuyers purchase an ENERGY STAR-certified home they can rest assured that the home’s construction followed industry-leading construction practices that drive quality, durability, comfort, and, perhaps most importantly in today’s dollar-conscious world, lower cost of ownership and greater resale value since the ENERGY STAR certificate remains with the home.

Video Link: ENERGY STAR Certified Homes – Better is Better

In many Chicago area homes, basements remain an afterthought. Award-winning homebuilder Gallagher and Henry, however, continues taking that convention to task…

At four single-family home communities across Chicago’s southwestern suburbs, Gallagher and Henry offers premium lots with walkout or lookout basements, injecting natural light, ventilation and personality into a traditionally overlooked area of the home.

“The walkout and lookout basements we can offer our homebuyers provide them added living space that can be customized to their specific needs,” Gallagher & Henry principal John Gallagher said.

In fact, existing Gallagher & Henry homeowners have turned these often “discarded” spaces of the home into a range of personalized retreats ranging from children’s playrooms to an in-law suite, man caves to mom caves, exercise rooms to home theaters.

While some buyers of new construction certainly elect to finish their basement at a later date, Gallagher & Henry works alongside its buyers to help define the space, including integrating any necessary plumbing or electrical elements, and to reach their desired result amid the homebuilding process.

“When our homebuyers have one of these premium walkout or lookout lots, it’s an exciting opportunity for them to leverage what’s present and transform that space into something creative, something truly for them,” Gallagher said. “It’s a blank canvas for our homeowners to make it whatever they want.”

Smashing the idea of basements as uninspired, rough spaces, Gallagher & Henry’s walkout basements now feature 9-foot ceilings, insulated walls, patio doors and Anderson 400 Series windows. Gallagher & Henry also includes a low-maintenance PVC deck off the rear of the home’s main level on its walkout lots as well.

“The walkout lots, in particular, give the feeling of an entirely new level of the home,” Gallagher and Henry sales manager Alice Burgston said, adding that finished basements also give an immediate boost to home values as well.

On Gallagher & Henry’s lookout basements, sometimes referred to as daylight or English basements, Anderson 400 Series windows sit at least 4 feet above the exterior ground. The windows ensure the presence of natural light and airflow, two difficult-to-find elements in traditional basements.

On many lookout lots, Burgston adds, Gallagher & Henry can place an exterior door from the basement to the rear yard. This enhances safety and provides an additional access point as well.

Premium walkout and lookout lots are currently available at four Gallagher & Henry single-family home communities across Chicago’s southwest suburbs: Kingston Hills in Homer Glen; Radcliffe Place in Tinley Park; Covington Knolls in Lemont; and Farmingdale Village in Woodridge. Single-family home prices with Gallagher and Henry start at $412,400.

Inside the sales office at Gallagher and Henry’s Radcliffe Place, Vic Plastiak hears a familiar refrain from many prospective buyers exploring the community’s single-family homes.

“Tinley Park is the place they want to be,” said Plastiak, who oversees sales at Radcliffe Place.

In fact, nearly 80 percent of recent buyers at Radcliffe Place, Plastiak reported, are current Tinley Park residents eager to buy their “move up” home in the village or hold longstanding ties to the southwest suburban village. Many others are from neighboring communities similarly sold on Tinley Park’s present and its future as well as the marketplace credibility of Gallagher and Henry.

“Tinley Park is the community they’ve come to love and a community they believe in,” Plastiak said.
With a limited amount of new single-family home construction available in Tinley Park, Gallagher and Henry’s Radcliffe Place stands in an enviable position that continues driving consistent traffic and sales. Approximately 25 home sites remain in the 367-home community.

“And we give our buyers a lot of bang for their buck,” Plastiak said. “Our standard lot is 85 feet wide at the building line and all homes include three-car garages, Energy Star certification, Andersen 400 Series windows, brick construction, 10-inch foundation walls and more.”

Radcliffe Place buyers can select from one of Gallagher and Henry’s five Lifestyle Series home plans. Released to fanfare in 2011, Lifestyle Series homes were built with contemporary homebuyers top of mind. The homes feature open-concept layouts and in-demand amenities such as luxury master suites and mudrooms.

“These home plans resonate so well because they reflect the needs and desires of today’s homebuyers,” Plastiak said. “When you can combine relevant home plans and the appeal of Tinley Park with the high-quality construction Gallagher and Henry has been known for providing since 1954, it creates a winning formula.”

Over the last decade, Tinley Park has routinely appeared on independent lists touting America’s best towns to live, including a chart-topping nod in Businessweek’s 2009 list of the nation’s best places to raise a family. The Businessweek honor recognized Tinley Park’s high-performing schools – Radcliffe Place residents can attend a trio of highly regarded schools in Millennium Elementary School, Prairie View Middle School and Andrew High – as well as the village’s low crime rate, job growth figures and local amenities such as parks and museums.

Earlier this year, meanwhile, the National Council for Home Safety and Security named Tinley Park one of the 100 Safest Cities in America. Tinley Park, which ranked 46th, was the top-rated south suburban community on the list that factored in FBI Crime Report statistics and other safety data.

But the village isn’t resting on its laurels.

Village leaders champion the community’s prospects, including the redevelopment of the village’s historic downtown, infrastructure and road improvement projects and a new downtown plaza that will feature some 250 activities each year.

“When it comes to a family-oriented community, Tinley Park checks all the major boxes,” Plastiak said. “The village has such a rich history to celebrate, but its future is just as bright, and that continues to draw people to Radcliffe Place.”

For additional information on Radcliffe Place or Gallagher and Henry, please visit www.gallagherandhenry.com. The Radcliffe Place model home and sales office is located just west of 84th Avenue and 175th Street in Tinley Park. The office is open Thursday to Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Whenever Sandie Kanakes asks prospective homebuyers about their interest in Woodridge’s Farmingdale Village community, the answer is almost always the same.

“The schools and the opportunity to get a high-quality new home,” said Kanakes, the lead sales manager at the Gallagher and Henry community. “Getting both in this area is nearly impossible unless it’s a teardown and that’s cost prohibitive for many.”

Since its debut last March, homebuyers continue showing strong interest in Farmingdale Village Unit 26A, the latest phase of development in Gallagher and Henry’s prized single-family home community. Of the 22 single-family home sites available, numerous already host completed homes while others are in various stages of construction.

“That speaks to the demand,” Kanakes said.

For many buyers, the area’s accomplished schools are the primary draw.

Serving some 1,000 elementary school students, Center Cass School District 66 is among the region’s most well regarded school districts. With an average class size of 22, the district, which includes Elizabeth Ide Elementary (K-2), Prairieview Elementary (Pre-K, 3-5) and Lakeview Junior High (6-8), outpaces state averages in academic progress and student academic growth.

Downers Grove South High School, meanwhile, ranks among the top 10 percent of high schools in Illinois according to U.S. News & World Report. The 2,700-student school exceeds state averages for college readiness and more than 80 percent of its graduates enroll in higher education. Devoting more than $11,000 per pupil to instructional spending, the school features more than 200 courses offered through 10 departments.

Beyond the classroom, Downers Grove South boasts a rich tradition of excellence in extracurricular activities, including athletics and performing arts. Nearly 60 percent of the student body in involved in one of the school’s 28 varsity sports or 65 clubs and student activities.

“Vibrant, high-achieving schools drive many home buying decisions and those looking at Farmingdale Village can rest assured that they will be able to take advantage of these top-notch schools,” Gallagher and Henry sales consultant Allie Fescina said.

In addition to the schools, Gallagher and Henry’s hard-earned reputation as one of Chicago’s top homebuilders also attracts buyers. Founded in 1954, the family-owned firm packs its homes with standard quality features that transcend today’s norms, including brick construction, 10-inch foundation walls, concrete driveways and sidewalks and Andersen 400 Series windows. All homes also carry the ENERGY STAR label.

“When it comes to construction, we don’t take shortcuts and believe in providing our buyers the best value right out of the gate,” Gallagher and Henry principal John Gallagher said.

Gallagher added that a number of Farmingdale Village’s most recent buyers previously lived in a Gallagher and Henry home.

“That’s a testament to our work and the greatest endorsement we could ever receive,” he said.

At Farmingdale Village, homebuyers can select from one of five Lifestyle Series home plans. Launched in 2011, Lifestyle Series homes feature open-concept floor plans and include many of today’s most sought-after elements, including three-car garages and spacious master suites. Prices start at $448,300 with numerous premium walkout and lookout lots available.

“Our Lifestyle Series home plans were built with today’s homebuyers top of mind and that’s clear in the diversity of the plans as well as the standard features we offer with each home,” Gallagher said.

Sitting in the southeast corner of Woodridge, Farmingdale Village residents enjoy close proximity to I-55 and I-355 as well as an increasing array of shopping, dining, entertainment and recreational options in the immediate area.

“Woodridge has really shown itself to be a thriving community and that further drives interest in Farmingdale Village,” Kanakes said.

For additional information on Farmingdale Village or Gallagher and Henry, please visit www.gallagherandhenry.com. The Farmingdale Village model home and sales office is located at 9041 Gloucester Road in Woodridge and open Saturday through Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or by appointment by calling (630) 985-9500.

Throughout the 20th century, Homer Glen was largely a sleepy little unincorporated town in the shadow of its more heralded Southland peers.

Here in 2017, however, those days are fading – and fast.

In the 16 years since Homer Glen incorporated as a village, the southwest suburb has asserted itself a prominent mover-and-shaker that provides its residents a high quality of life and rising optimism for the future.

For Gallagher and Henry sales managers Tina Plastiak and Alice Burgston, both of whom spend their days talking to prospective homebuyers interested in building a new home at the Goodings Grove or Kingston Hills communities in Homer Glen, the appeal of the village is easy to define.

A Little Country, a Little City

Located in the northeastern corner of Will County, approximately 35 miles from downtown Chicago, Homer Glen covers 22 square miles. That makes Homer Glen one of Will County’s largest municipalities in land area and provides the village’s 24,000 residents plenty of room to spread out. At Kingston Hills, for instance, the average lot size is 75-by-150 feet while the Gallagher and Henry-built homes cover upwards of 3,400 square feet.

Homer Glen pairs that serene living with quick access to modern-day conveniences. A short drive brings residents to nearby regional shopping centers, convenient local dining and several entertainment options, while I-355 sits close as does Metra Southwest service to Chicago’s Union Station.

“Homer Glen is such a unique place in that it offers some of the peace and quiet of country life alongside all of the modern conveniences one would need,” Plastiak said.

Happy, Healthy Residents

Earlier in 2017, Homer Glen released results of its first National Citizen Survey, an objective study of residents’ feelings on community livability.
More than 90 percent of Homer Glen’s current residents rated the village as a “good” or “excellent” place to live and raise a family. Residents also gave the village stellar marks for safety, ease of travel, K-12 education and the natural environment. Yet more, 84 percent of survey respondents intended to remain in Homer Glen while 85 percent said they would recommend Homer Glen to others.

“The number of generational families you see in Homer Glen speaks to the high character of the community and that’s something others are continuing to pick up on,” said Burgston, adding that Homer Glen has yet to impose a property tax on its homeowners.

A Family-Oriented Spirit

With families seeking high-achieving schools and safe environments for their children, Homer Glen distinguishes itself.

According to U.S. News & World Report, Lockport Township High School ranks among the top 10 percent of high schools in Illinois, while Homer Community Consolidated School District 33C, which serves some 3,700 elementary school students, outpaces state averages in preparing students for the next level and instructional spending per pupil.
This summer, Safewise also rated Homer Glen among the 25 safest cities to live in Illinois.

“Parents wanting a safe community with high-achieving schools find that and more in Homer Glen,” Plastiak said.

A Growing Village

In the last 16 years, Homer Glen has added a Village Hall, bike trails, community parks, community events and approximately 2,000 residents. The village has also begun construction of its biggest municipal project to date: the 103-acre Heritage Park.

When complete, village leaders believe Heritage Park, the former home of the Woodbine Golf Course, will become “the heart of the village” with its 1.5-mile multipurpose trail, interactive water feature, nature-themed creative play area, picnic groves, courts for tennis, sand volleyball and horseshoes, sled hill and multifunctional Village Green space designed to host farmer’s markets, community celebrations and movie-in-the-park events.

Gallagher and Henry’s Goodings Grove community, meanwhile, will soon welcome Goodings Grove Park, a 3.5-acre recreation area that includes a walking path, playground, basketball court and picnic shelter.

“Homer Glen hasn’t stayed static,” Burgston said. “It’s very much a village on the move that keeps its residents’ quality of life top of mind.”

For additional information on Kingston Hills or Goodings Grove, Gallagher and Henry’s two single-family home communities in Homer Glen, please visit www.gallagherandhenry.com.

Grand Opening Event – Saturday, March 18th from 10am to 2pm
9041 Gloucester Road, Woodridge, IL 60517

New Phase of Woodridge Community Features 22 Lots and Five Plans from Homebuilder’s Heralded Lifestyle Series

Farmingdale Village is introducing its next phase of development.

On Saturday, March 18, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Gallagher and Henry will celebrate the Grand Opening of Unit 26A, the newest phase in the established and sought-after Woodridge community. In a nod to pent-up demand for the community’s newest 22 single-family home sites, construction is already underway, if not complete, on numerous home sites.

“Given all that this particular area has to offer, people have been waiting for this area of Farmingdale Village to open for some time and we’re proud to be officially unveiling it on March 18,” Gallagher and Henry principal John Gallagher said.

Undoubtedly, the newest phase of Farmingdale Village boasts a number of prized elements led by Center Cass School District 66 and the award-winning South High in Downers Grove as well as ever-swelling shopping, dining and entertainment options at The Promenade Bolingbrook and other nearby commercial centers. The area also sits near major transportation thoroughfares such as I-55 and I-355 to ease travel throughout the greater Chicagoland area.

“This particular area of Woodridge has seen tremendous growth in recent years and that’s made it a lively, energetic and convenient place for residents to enjoy,” Gallagher said.

Farmingdale Village homebuyers can select from one of five home plans starting at $448,300. All five plans were developed as part of Gallagher and Henry’s Lifestyle Series, which launched in 2011 to resonate with the needs and wishes of today’s homebuyers. All Lifestyle Series homes feature open-concept, family-orientated floor plans alongside the most desired elements of contemporary homebuyers, such as three-car garages, luxurious master suites and mudrooms.

“Our Lifestyle Series of homes are developed with our homebuyers top of mind,” Gallagher said. “We studied what our customers wanted and needed, asked them questions to better understand their mindset and then designed homes that reflected these insights.”

At the upcoming Farmingdale Village Grand Opening event, Gallagher and Henry will showcase the Calysta, the third home to debut in the Lifestyle Series lineup. The 3,300-square foot home features four bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms as well as a gourmet, open-concept kitchen outfitted with Silestone quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances, a large dining room, dramatic two-story foyer and cozy, first-floor study. The home’s second level includes a Jack-and-Jill bathroom, laundry room and a stunning master suite punctuated with high-end features like a Kohler freestanding tub.

“The Calysta perfectly represents the Lifestyle Series in that it provides our homebuyers floor plans and standard features that match today’s expectations,” Gallagher said.

True to its heritage as one of Chicagoland’s most trusted homebuilders, Gallagher and Henry provides added value with expert craftsmanship and beyond-the-norm construction protocols. Farmingdale Village homes feature concrete driveways, full landscaping, brick construction, architectural roofing shingles, Andersen 400 Series windows and insulated garage walls. All homes also carry the Energy Star credential.

“Since we built our first homes in 1954, we’ve always prided ourselves on going above and beyond with construction, and that includes many things those visiting our homes won’t necessarily notice,” Gallagher said. “Our homebuyers put a lot of faith in us and we work to respect and honor their investment with the best quality in the marketplace.”

 

The Danbury has arrived.

The fourth – and latest – new home plan in Gallagher & Henry’s revered Lifestyle Series, a collection of cutting-edge home plans built explicitly for contemporary living, the Danbury will be available for “sneak peek” viewings starting March 6 in Tinley Park’s Radcliffe Place community.

A four-bedroom, 2.5-bath home, the Danbury packs more than 2,600 square feet with the hallmarks of modern living: an open floor plan anchored by a chef’s kitchen that overlooks a spacious family room with nine-foot ceilings; a luxurious master suite featuring volume ceilings, separate shower and tub; the ease of second-floor laundry; ample storage with a mudroom, a full basement and walk-in closets; a three-car garage; and various flex spaces that allow homeowners the freedom to define areas to their precise needs.

“Keeping today’s homebuyers top of mind, the Danbury emphasizes luxury, convenience and flexibility,” Gallagher & Henry principal John Gallagher said.

While the Danbury model will be housed at Radcliffe Place, the new two-story home plan will be available for construction at any of Gallagher & Henry’s eight single-family home communities across the southwest suburbs. The Danbury will start at $392,300.

Over the last 60 years, Gallagher and Henry has developed more than 40 Chicagoland communities and constructed nearly 15,000 homes.

“That’s a lot of lives we’ve touched,” said John Gallagher, a principal with the family-owned construction firm his father, Bob Gallagher, and uncle, Dan Henry, started in 1954.

Motivated to build on that foundation, Gallagher and Henry stands poised for an energizing 2015.

This spring, the homebuilder will debut its latest Lifestyle Series home plan, the Danbury, in Tinley Park’s Radcliffe Place community, before opening the Calysta model in Homer Glen’s Kingston Hills community in the summer. Later in 2015, Gallagher and Henry will begin taking lot reservations at Farmingdale Village in Woodridge, the first phase of that established community’s next 107-lot development.

“We’re continuing to charge forward and excited about what the future has in store for us and, more importantly, our homebuyers,” Gallagher said.

Gallagher and Henry is currently offering new single-family homes in eight different southwest suburban communities as well as condominiums in Homer Glen in Woodridge. Single-family home prices start at $379,200, while condominiums begin at $189,900.

When local homebuilder Gallagher and Henry celebrated its 60th Anniversary in 2014, John Gallagher embraced the opportunity to reflect on the family-owned construction firm his father, Bob Gallagher, and uncle, Dan Henry, started in 1954.

In business, Gallagher noted, longevity doesn’t come from leaders taking shortcuts or favoring short-term gains, but from earning trust, executing on promises and exceeding expectations time and time again. That, in a single sound bite, is the Gallagher and Henry story.

“I believe my father and uncle would be proud of where we are today,” said Gallagher, now a principal with the company based in west suburban Countryside. “We continue their legacy of helping people enjoy the American Dream and employing local tradesmen, stabilizing and supporting people and local communities by building homes that last.”

60 years in the Making

The Gallagher and Henry story begins on the city’s southwest side. There, in shadow of Midway Airport, Gallagher and Henry, a pair of blue-collar, Chicago-bred entrepreneurs, built their first brick homes, creating an enterprise built on trust, professionalism and quality.

From there, the partners traveled south and west, constructing residences in Midlothian and Oak Lawn, Evergreen Park and South Holland, and, more recently, villages such as Orland Park, Lemont, Tinley Park, Woodridge and Homer Glen. Over the last six decades, Gallagher and Henry has built nearly 15,000 local homes.

“It’s truly remarkable and, frankly, an honor to think about how many people, families and lives we’ve touched,” said Gallagher and Henry, Director of Operations, Linda Staszak, who began working with the homebuilding firm in June of 1972.

Throughout its 61 years, Gallagher and Henry has adhered to a simple, unshakable mission defined by its co-founders and still engrained in the company’s DNA: build the best homes in the best communities. Purchasing large tracts of land in both proven and up-and-coming villages with strong school systems and sound governance, Gallagher and Henry has provided homebuyers long-term value with strict quality control standards for everything from a home’s foundation to its front door.

“A lot of people say ‘They don’t make ‘em like they used to,’ but we do,” Gallagher said. “While we’ve certainly evolved with building codes and technology, our commitment to expert craftsmanship that will survive for generations remains the top priority.”

Looking into the Future

Today, a new generation of buyers, many raised in a Gallagher and Henry home themselves, is discovering the can-do attitude that has characterized Gallagher and Henry since 1954. The firm continues providing its homebuyers personal attention and evolving with an ever-changing real estate market, highlighted by the 2010 launch of the Lifestyle Series, a portfolio of home plans designed for contemporary living.

With the past serving as a sturdy foundation, Gallagher and Henry continues to capture new market opportunities.

Last year, Gallagher and Henry launched two new homes in its Lifestyle Series – the Calysta and the Danbury – and both will debut models in 2015. The Danbury will open in Tinley Park’s Radcliffe Place community this spring, while the Calysta model is slated to open this summer in Homer Glen’s Kingston Hills community.

Later in 2015, Gallagher and Henry will also begin taking lot reservations at Farmingdale Village in Woodridge, the first phase of that established community’s next 107-lot development.

“We’re continuing to charge forward and excited about what the future has in store for us and, more importantly, our homebuyers,” Gallagher said.

Gallagher and Henry is currently offering single-family homes in eight different southwest suburban communities as well as condo living at Goodings Grove in Homer Glen and Farmingdale Village in Woodridge. Single-family home prices start at $379,200, while condominiums begin at $189,900.

In today’s America, customization and choice are prized commodities, consumers largely rejecting one-size-fits-all offerings that ignore individuality or personal needs.
Gallagher & Henry, a family-owned and operated homebuilder in the Chicago area for 61 years, knows this well and has long relayed a simple company mantra to prospective homebuyers: “Although our homes are made of brick, our dimensions are not etched in stone.”

Unlike many other homebuilders offering a defined home plan with limited variations, Gallagher & Henry allows its homebuyers to make custom changes to any of the company’s 40-plus floor plans ranging from adding a sunroom, shifting the kitchen layout and creating related-living suites to extending walls, heightening ceilings and even installing an in-home elevator.

“Without that expensive custom home price or the investment of time and effort it takes to create plans from scratch, our homeowners can start with our foundation and then work side-by-side with us to get their home to where they want it,” Gallagher & Henry principal John Gallagher said.

Gallagher & Henry currently has eight new single-family home communities across the southwest suburbs with home prices starting at $379,200.

From restaurant meals to automobiles, today’s American society favors customization, not one-size-fits-all offerings that ignore individuality or personal needs.
And while the broader residential construction market has largely been slow to account for this swelling consumer trend, Gallagher & Henry, a family-owned and operated firm for 61 years, has long embraced home customization as a marketplace differentiator in the Chicagoland area. More than a decade ago, in fact, Gallagher & Henry ran a newspaper advertisement carrying a now-familiar message in the company vernacular: “Although our homes are made of brick, our dimensions are not etched in stone.”

Unlike many other homebuilders offering a defined home plan with limited variations, Gallagher & Henry has built its reputation on architectural professionals and quality craftsmen making custom changes to any of the company’s more than 40 floor plans.

“Our homebuyers are allowed to move a wall, add a wall or reconfigure a space as it fits their specific needs,” Gallagher & Henry principal John Gallagher said. “So without that expensive custom home price or the investment of time and effort it takes to create plans from scratch, our homeowners can start with our foundation and then work side-by-side with us to get their home to where they want it.”

In recent years, Gallagher & Henry has completed hundreds of customer requests ranging from modest, on-the-fly adjustments to more elaborate and intricate architectural changes, such as: adding a sunroom; extending a wall, heightening ceilings and widening doorways; increasing the number of windows and skylights; installing massive walk-in spa showers in lieu of tubs; restyling the kitchen cabinet layout; and creating related-living suites with private bathrooms and larger bedrooms. In one recent project, Gallagher & Henry even installed an elevator transporting the home’s residents and guests to a finished basement.

“We offer our homebuyers the ability to make the changes they want, which provides our clients a greater sense of pride in their home and gives them the personal touch they desire,” Gallagher & Henry sales manager Sandie Kanakes said.
Currently building eight new single-family home communities across seven southwest suburban towns – Homer Glen, Lemont, Orland Park, Palos Heights, Palos Park, Tinley Park and Woodridge – Gallagher & Henry promises to have something for everyone and the construction know-how to complete even the most ambitious of tasks. Single-family home prices start at $379,200.

“In today’s real estate market, homebuyers want a homebuilder who will be responsive to their own concerns and desires and then execute that plan,” Gallagher said. “For decades, we’ve been doing just that, taking what our clients want and making it happen.”