VIDEO - 605 Webster in walkable Naperville
Very few teardown/rebuilt homes are going to be considered environment-friendly housing, but 605 Webster in Naperville has at least one big thing going for it: it's in a very walkable neighborhood. (See the complete listing at 605Webster.)
That's hard to find in Naperville, which despite its frequent placement on "best places to live" lists, is more car-friendly than pedestrian-friendly.
Because of its proximity to just about everything that makes Naperville popular, Webster Street has attracted a lot of custom home builders in recent years, who have torn down many of its small and mid-size houses in favor of bigger homes and "McMansions."
For a re-build, this 4-bedroom, 3,700-square-foot home is smaller than most, and has a two-car detached garage. It also has a somewhat unusual floor plan, with a large, open kitchen in the middle of the first floor.
Builder Micon Construction designed the home with a stone/brick exterior and a raised front entry and rear deck. Inside, it has a traditional old-fashioned foyer with side stairs, and a wood-paneled front office on the other side.
The home has no furnishings, so it may be difficult for home shoppers to imagine how the rooms would be used. That may be one reason why the home has been on the market since 2007 and has had one price reduction, from $999,000 to $993,000. Another reason may be that there are more than 200 homes priced over $1 million on the market in Naperville. The home also can be rented for $4,500 a month.
When the home does lure a resident, its location is bound to be a factor. Both Washington Junior High School and Naperville North High School are within a 10-minute walk. The Metra station is about four blocks away, and given that there is a seven- to 10-year waiting list for parking spaces at the station, walkers definitely have an advantage.
Also within a few blocks are the Saturday farmers market and a quaint corner grocery store, Kreger's Central Foods. Within a 10- to 15-minute walk are a Jewel Foods and the popular Naperville downtown area, with its plethora of restaurants, bars, salons and shops.
