New construction in Prairie Grove, IL
Walnut Hollow
A new Lennar community in Prairie Grove, between McHenry and Crystal Lake
A brand-new Lennar neighborhood is taking shape on Route 31, just north of Ames Road in Prairie Grove, Illinois, on the corridor between McHenry and Crystal Lake. Grading and infrastructure are underway, the roads are in, and utilities are stubbed for the first phase. Models are expected in late 2026 or early 2027. Lennar has not released pricing or floor plans yet, so the smartest move right now is to get on the interest list and be first to know the moment details go live.
- Builder
- Lennar
- Location
- Prairie Grove, IL
- Models
- Late 2026 / early 2027
- Status
- Under construction
About the community
A new Lennar neighborhood on Route 31
Walnut Hollow is a new construction community by Lennar going up along the Route 31 corridor in Prairie Grove, Illinois, between McHenry and Crystal Lake. It sits north of Ames Road on Route 31, which puts it within minutes of downtown McHenry, the Fox River, and the retail and restaurants that have filled in along Route 31 over the last several years. As of now the site is in active development, graded and roaded with utilities stubbed for its first homes, and model homes are anticipated in late 2026 or early 2027.
Lennar is one of the largest homebuilders in the country and has been steadily expanding across McHenry County, with active communities just up and down Route 31 in Johnsburg and Crystal Lake. Lennar builds under its Everything's Included approach, which bundles the features most buyers would otherwise pay to upgrade, things like stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, and a suite of smart home technology, into the base price of the home at one transparent number. Instead of a long design-center upsell, you get a well-equipped home without negotiating every finish. The exact Everything's Included package for Walnut Hollow has not been published yet and typically varies by community and floor plan, so confirm the specifics for this neighborhood before you write an offer.
For buyers, a new Lennar community in this part of McHenry County lands in a spot that is increasingly hard to find in this area: a brand-new home, under warranty, with current energy efficiency and a layout built for how people live now, in a county where most of the housing stock is decades old. Walnut Hollow's home designs, square footage, lot sizes, and pricing are all still to be announced. Rather than guess, I will pass along verified details the moment Lennar releases them, which is exactly what the interest list below is for.
Location and lifestyle
On the Route 31 corridor, minutes from the Fox River
Route 31 is the main north-south spine through this part of McHenry County, and Walnut Hollow sits right on it north of Ames Road in Prairie Grove. That location puts you a short drive from historic downtown McHenry along the Fox River, with its riverfront restaurants, parks, and the boating culture that defines this part of the county. McHenry is the gateway to the Chain O' Lakes, the busiest recreational waterway in Illinois, so summer weekends here mean boating, fishing, and lakeside dining without a long drive.
Everyday errands are easy. The Route 31 and Route 120 retail corridor covers the big-box and grocery anchors, the kind of Walmart, Meijer, and Home Depot run that new residents make weekly, plus a growing list of local restaurants and coffee shops. Crystal Lake, with its larger shopping and dining, is just down Route 31 to the south, and Woodstock with the McHenry County seat is a similar hop to the west.
Commuters have options. McHenry has its own Metra station downtown on the Union Pacific Northwest line, which runs a weekday rush-hour branch into Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago, and the larger Crystal Lake station down Route 31 offers all-day service. On schools, as a Prairie Grove address Walnut Hollow is expected to be served by Prairie Grove Consolidated School District 46 for elementary and middle school and Crystal Lake-based Community High School District 155, home to Prairie Ridge High School. Those are the same well-regarded districts that serve Lennar's nearby Crystal Lake community. Boundaries are set by the districts, so confirm the exact schools before you buy, and I will publish them here once they are assigned.
Market context
Why new construction in McHenry County, right now
McHenry County has spent the last few years catching the overflow of buyers priced out of the closer-in suburbs, and the Route 31 corridor through McHenry, Prairie Grove, and Crystal Lake is one of the clearest beneficiaries. Buyers get Fox River and Chain O' Lakes lifestyle, real downtowns, and Metra access at a price point well below comparable new construction in Lake or DuPage County. That math is a big part of why McHenry County new construction is having a moment in 2026.
National builders go where the land, the rooftops, and the demand line up, and the Route 31 corridor checks all three. Lennar already builds at Remington Grove in Johnsburg just up the road and Woodlore Townes in Crystal Lake to the south, and Walnut Hollow extends that footprint into Prairie Grove right between them. When a builder the size of Lennar commits to a new site here, it is a strong signal about where the corridor's growth is heading.
For a buyer, the opening phase of a new community is usually the best time to get in. Early releases tend to be priced to build momentum, you get the widest pick of lots, and you are buying a home built to current code with a full builder warranty and none of the deferred maintenance that comes with a resale. Walnut Hollow is still early, which is precisely the window worth watching if a new Lennar home in the McHenry and Crystal Lake area is on your radar.
What you need to know
Buying with a Lennar builder
Here is the single most important thing to know before you visit any Lennar model: the friendly person at the builder's sales desk works for Lennar, not for you. Their job is to represent the builder and sell the builder's homes. You are allowed, and smart, to bring your own agent to represent your side, and in almost every case it costs you nothing, because the builder has already budgeted a co-broke commission into the deal whether you bring an agent or not.
The catch is timing. Most builders, Lennar included, require your agent to be with you or to register you on your very first visit to the community. If you walk the models alone first and come back later with an agent, the builder can refuse to recognize them, and you lose your representation. So the process is simple: get connected with a buyer's agent before you ever set foot in the sales trailer, then have them register you and guide you through contract, lender, inspections, and the final walkthrough.
That is where I come in. I'm Joe Keegan, a McHenry County broker with Brokerocity, and Subdiview is how I track new construction across the county. I represent buyers at Walnut Hollow and every other Lennar community in the area at no cost to you, I read the builder contract and addenda so you know what you are actually signing, and I make sure you are not leaving money or protections on the table. Get on the interest list and I will make sure you are registered correctly before your first model visit.
Compare your options
Walnut Hollow vs. other Lennar communities nearby
Walnut Hollow is not Lennar's only McHenry County community, and the right fit depends on what you want and what you want to spend. Here is how the three closest Lennar neighborhoods along the Route 31 corridor stack up.
| Community | City | Product | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walnut Hollow | Prairie Grove | To be announced | Under construction, models late 2026 / early 2027 | Newest of the three. Between McHenry and Crystal Lake. Pricing and plans not yet released. |
| Remington Grove | Johnsburg | Single-family homes | Selling now | Just north on Route 31, single-family plans, near McHenry Park. |
| Woodlore Townes | Crystal Lake | Townhomes | Selling now | South on Route 31, lower-maintenance townhomes from the mid-to-high $300s, lawn care included. |
If you want to be in the Prairie Grove area between McHenry and Crystal Lake and you can wait for models, Walnut Hollow is the one to watch. If you need to buy now and want a single-family home, Remington Grove in Johnsburg is the closest active Lennar option. If you want lower-maintenance, lock-and-leave living or a more attainable price point, Woodlore Townes in Crystal Lake is worth a look. I can walk you through all three so you are comparing them on the same terms.
Questions and answers
Walnut Hollow Prairie Grove FAQ
- When will Walnut Hollow models open?
- Lennar is targeting late 2026 or early 2027 for model homes, based on the current pace of site work. That timeline can move. Join the interest list and I will tell you the moment a model opening date is announced.
- What will homes at Walnut Hollow cost?
- Pricing has not been released. Lennar typically publishes pricing closer to the model opening. For context, Lennar's nearby Woodlore Townes in Crystal Lake has been selling from the mid-to-high $300s, but Walnut Hollow's product type and pricing are still to be announced. I will share verified numbers as soon as they are public.
- What floor plans will be available?
- Not yet announced. Lennar has not released the home designs, square footages, or lot sizes for Walnut Hollow. I will post the plans here once they are official rather than guess at them.
- Do I need my own agent to buy new construction at Walnut Hollow?
- It is strongly in your interest. The salesperson at the builder's model represents Lennar, not you. A buyer's agent represents your side, usually at no cost to you, because the builder has already budgeted the commission into the deal. The one catch: your agent generally has to register you on your first visit, so get connected before you tour.
- Can Lennar require me to use their lender?
- Lennar cannot require you to use Lennar Mortgage to qualify for a home. They can, and often do, offer incentives such as closing-cost credits or rate buydowns that are tied to using their in-house lender. You are free to compare that package against an outside lender, and you should. I can help you run the comparison so the incentive is a real savings and not just a headline.
- What is included in a Lennar Everything's Included home?
- Everything's Included is Lennar's approach of building popular upgrades into the base price instead of selling them one at a time at a design center. Across Lennar's Chicago-area communities that has typically meant features like stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, and smart home technology as standard, but the exact package varies by community and has not been published for Walnut Hollow yet. Confirm the specific inclusions for this neighborhood before you write an offer.
- Where exactly is Walnut Hollow?
- On Route 31 north of Ames Road in Prairie Grove, Illinois, on the corridor between McHenry and Crystal Lake. It is minutes from downtown McHenry and the Fox River.
- Is Walnut Hollow in Prairie Grove, McHenry, or Crystal Lake?
- Its address is Prairie Grove, the community on Route 31 between McHenry and Crystal Lake, so all three come up when people search it. For schools it is the Prairie Grove area (District 46, with Prairie Ridge High School in District 155), and for shopping, dining, and Metra you have both McHenry and Crystal Lake within easy reach.
- What schools will Walnut Hollow be zoned for?
- As a Prairie Grove address, Walnut Hollow is expected to be served by Prairie Grove Consolidated School District 46 for elementary and middle school, and Crystal Lake-based Community High School District 155, home to Prairie Ridge High School. School boundaries are set by the districts, so confirm the exact assignment before you buy. I will post the confirmed schools here once they are official.
- How do I get updates on Walnut Hollow?
- Join the interest list on this page. You will get a note from me the moment Lennar releases pricing, floor plans, or a model opening date, and I will make sure you are registered correctly before your first visit so you keep your representation.
Be first in line
Get on the Walnut Hollow interest list
Lennar has not put Walnut Hollow online yet. Right now it is a sign on Route 31 and a job site. The buyers who get the best lots and the cleanest deals are the ones who are ready before the models open. Join the interest list and I will keep you ahead of it: pricing, floor plans, model dates, and a heads-up before the first release, plus your registration handled so you are represented from day one.
Questions before then? Text or call me, Joe Keegan, anytime at 815-355-0582.