Island Lake · McHenry County · IL
Homes for sale in
Fox River Shores.
- Active listings
- 0
- Median list
- $325K
- Avg time on market
- 10 days
- Sold · last year
- 21
Active listings
0 homes on the market
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About the community
An affordable, water-and-woods neighborhood on the Fox River.
Fox River Shores is a mature subdivision on the McHenry County side of Island Lake, set off Route 176 near the Fox River and an adjacent open-space preserve. It is a blend of detached single-family homes and attached townhomes built from the mid-1980s into the late 1990s, with sidewalks, curbs, and a neighborhood elementary school inside the community. The draw is straightforward: an attainable price point for the northwest suburbs, a community pool and park, dock and river-access rights, and a green, quiet setting that trades big-city convenience for lake-and-river living.
At a glance
School inside the neighborhood
Cotton Creek Elementary sits within the subdivision, part of Wauconda District 118.
Community pool and park
A neighborhood pool, playground, and park maintained for residents.
Fox River access
Dock and water-access rights tied to the Fox River, plus an adjacent preserve.
Homes and townhomes
A mix of detached houses and attached townhomes, mostly three-bedroom plans.
Attainable price point
One of the more affordable footholds in the northwest suburbs.
Mature, tree-lined streets
A settled 1980s and 1990s subdivision with sidewalks and curbs.
Route 176 corridor
Fronts Route 176 with Route 59 and US 12 nearby toward Wauconda and Crystal Lake.
Drive-to Metra
No station in town; UP-NW park-and-ride stations sit roughly 8 to 12 miles west.
What’s close
Fox River Shores sits on the far northwest edge of the metro in Island Lake, off Route 176 near the Fox River.
- Amenities on-site
- The community pool, park and playground, and Fox River dock and access rights.
- Shopping
- Everyday grocery and retail in Wauconda (Woodman's, Jewel-Osco) and larger national stores in Crystal Lake.
- Hospital
- Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, Advocate Good Shepherd in Barrington, and Advocate Condell in Libertyville are the nearest options.
- Highway
- Route 176 is the main arterial, with Route 59 and US 12 nearby.
- Schools
- Wauconda Community Unit District 118: Cotton Creek Elementary on-site, then Matthews Middle and Wauconda High School.
- Train
- No Metra station in Island Lake; commuters drive to UP-NW stations at Crystal Lake, Pingree Road, or Fox River Grove.
What it’s actually like to live here
Fox River Shores fits buyers who want an affordable foothold in a water-and-woods setting rather than a polished, master-planned enclave. The perks are tangible: a neighborhood elementary you can nearly walk to, a community pool and park, dock and river-access rights on the Fox River, sidewalks for evening walks, and a preserve that keeps the edges green. The housing stock, a mix of townhomes and modest single-family homes from the 1980s and 1990s, tends to be attainable for the area, which makes it a natural fit for first-time buyers, downsizers, and anyone who values outdoor access and value over square footage.
The honest tradeoff is location and commute. Island Lake sits on the far northwest fringe of the metro, and there is no Metra station in town, so rail commuters drive 8 to 12 miles to a park-and-ride and a car is essentially required for daily life. Route 176 is convenient but is a two-lane arterial for much of its length, so peak-hour travel toward job centers can be slow.
The second tradeoff is the age and variety of the homes. This is a mature subdivision, so condition and updating vary house to house, lot sizes are modest, and townhome owners share association responsibilities. Water rights and a dock are a genuine perk, but confirm exactly what pool, dock, and boating access the HOA provides and what the dues cover. For the household that prizes quiet, nature, a neighborhood school, and an affordable entry point, Fox River Shores delivers a distinctive, river-adjacent lifestyle.
Market trends
Why this market moves the way it does
Fox River Shores is a value-tier neighborhood where price is driven by home type, condition, and water access rather than prestige. Townhomes anchor the affordable end and updated detached homes set the ceiling, so condition and updates matter as much as address.
What holds value
The fundamentals matter more than the cosmetics here. Buyers want floor plan, lot, and basement, in that order. Cosmetics are the tiebreaker.
- Home type
- Detached single-family homes carry a premium over the attached townhomes in the community.
- Condition and updates
- These are 1980s and 1990s homes, so renovated kitchens, baths, and systems separate the top sales from the rest.
- Water access
- The dock and Fox River access rights are a durable draw that supports value versus inland subdivisions nearby.
- The neighborhood school
- Cotton Creek Elementary inside the community is a repeatable demand driver for young families.
- Affordability
- An attainable price point in a higher-tax county keeps steady buyer interest at the entry level.
Real talk
Who shouldn’t buy here
Here is the honest version before you tour.
This is far-northwest-metro living, so the commute is the real cost of the lower price. There is no train in town and Route 176 can crawl at peak, so drive your actual commute before you commit.
McHenry County property taxes run high relative to the national norm, which offsets some of the low purchase price. Pull the specific parcel's tax history rather than estimating.
Homes here span two decades and two product types, so condition varies widely. Confirm what the HOA covers, and get any home inspected rather than assuming the community is uniform.
One piece of advice
“Fox River Shores is one of the more affordable ways into a water-oriented neighborhood with a school inside it, and that combination keeps entry-level buyers interested. Just drive the commute from Island Lake, confirm the HOA and what the dock and pool access actually include, and buy the specific home on its condition. Do that and it is a solid value play.”
The questions buyers actually ask
Fox River Shores FAQ
The questions I get most from buyers shopping Fox River Shores. If yours isn't here, text 224-385-8779, same-day reply.
- How much is the HOA?
- Single-family homes are $68 per month.
- What does the HOA actually cover?
- Aggregator listings show modest monthly HOA dues in roughly the $60 to $75 range, funding common-area and open-space upkeep and any shared water access or recreation. Dues and coverage can differ between the townhome and single-family sections, so confirm the current assessment and rules with the association before closing.
- What are property taxes like?
- Roughly $6,500 – $9,500 per year, depending on home size and value. McHenry County assessor records are the source of truth. Happy to pull a specific bill on any home you're considering.
- What's the typical closing timeline?
- 30 to 60 days from accepted offer to keys. Cash deals can close in two weeks. Conventional financing is usually closer to 60.
- What city and county is Fox River Shores in?
- It is in the Village of Island Lake, on the McHenry County side of the village (Island Lake spans both Lake and McHenry counties), in ZIP code 60042.
- What schools serve the neighborhood?
- Wauconda Community Unit School District 118. The neighborhood elementary is Cotton Creek School, essentially inside the subdivision, feeding Matthews Middle School and Wauconda Community High School. Confirm the exact assignment for a specific address with the district, since boundaries can change.
- Is there an HOA, and what does it cost?
- Yes, there is a homeowners association with modest monthly dues (roughly $60 to $75 on aggregator listings). Confirm the current amount, what it covers, and the rules directly with the association, and request the disclosure documents before closing.
- What kind of homes are in Fox River Shores?
- A mix of attached townhomes and detached single-family homes, mostly three-bedroom, built from the mid-1980s into the late 1990s, ranging from compact townhome plans to larger detached houses.
- What do homes cost and how is the market right now?
- Prices and activity change constantly, so this page pulls current figures live. Check the Market snapshot tiles above for up-to-date list prices, sold data, and inventory. In general terms, the neighborhood is considered attainable for the northwest suburbs.
- How is the commute, and is there a train?
- There is no Metra station in Island Lake. Rail commuters drive roughly 8 to 12 miles to Union Pacific Northwest Line stations at Crystal Lake, Pingree Road, or Fox River Grove. Route 176 handles local driving, with US 12 and Route 59 nearby, so a car is needed for daily life.
- Who is the real estate agent for Fox River Shores?
- Joe Keegan is the local licensed Illinois real estate broker who covers Fox River Shores in Island Lake, IL through Subdiview, a neighborhood-first home search for the Chicago suburbs and collar counties. Joe prices and negotiates from the live MRED sold comps for Fox River Shores specifically, not national averages, and can help you buy or sell here. Reach Joe at 224-385-8779 or joe@joekeeganhomes.com.
Your local agent
Joe knows Fox River Shores
Most agents will list anything. I focus on the places I actually know, and the things that move value here don't show up in the MLS write-up: which streets and buildings hold demand, what the HOA or assessments really cover, how the comps read once you account for condition and location, and where buyers consistently want to be.
When you're ready to tour or list, you want someone who has read the last 50 closed comps in this specific market, not a national average, and can tell you what they actually mean for your price. That's how I work. Text or call any time, and I'll give you a real take, not a brochure.
- Licensed Illinois broker
- Comp-driven pricing
- Island Lake specialist
- Honest local market take
- Brokerocity
Market snapshot
Fox River Shores, by the numbers
Live MRED data, refreshed daily. The numbers below tell you what this market is doing today, not what Zillow's algorithm thinks it might be doing six weeks from now.
Typical list price
$325,000
Typical sale price · last 90 days
$314,000
Avg time on market
10 days
Sold in the last year
21
This representation is based in whole or in part on data supplied by Midwest Real Estate Data, LLC for the period September 23, 2025 through September 23, 2026. Midwest Real Estate Data, LLC does not guarantee nor is it in any way responsible for its accuracy. Data maintained by Midwest Real Estate Data LLC may not reflect all real estate activity in the market.
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Schools serving Fox River Shores
Where Fox River Shores homes go to school
Homes in Fox River Shores are most often zoned to Wauconda HS. Open a school to see its area, the district, and every home for sale that feeds it.
School assignment is derived from the school the MRED listing agent entered and is not a guarantee. Always verify current attendance boundaries with the district before writing an offer.
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