Round Lake · Lake County · IL
Homes for sale in
Emerald Bay.
- Active listings
- 2
- Median list
- $275K
- Avg time on market
- 19 days
- Sold · last year
- 13
Active listings
2 homes on the market
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About the community
Attainable, low-maintenance townhomes in the Chain O'Lakes region.
Emerald Bay is a townhome and attached-home community in Round Lake, in Lake County, on the north side of Route 120 (Belvidere Road) east of Wilson Road. It was built out between roughly 2006 and 2014 by Ryland Homes, a national production builder, so it is a well-established, quiet residential pocket with sidewalks, a children's playground, and walking access to nearby open space. The format is low-maintenance by design: the association handles lawns, snow, and exterior upkeep, which appeals to first-time buyers, downsizers, and commuters who would rather spend weekends on the water than behind a mower. It sits in far-northern Chicagoland's Chain O'Lakes region, Illinois' densest cluster of natural lakes.
At a glance
Low-maintenance townhomes
Attached homes built 2006 to 2014 by Ryland, most with two bedrooms and attached garages.
HOA handles the upkeep
Dues typically cover lawn care, exterior maintenance, common-area insurance, water, and snow removal.
Playground and sidewalks
A children's playground and sidewalks within the community, with trail access nearby.
Chain O'Lakes at hand
Boating, fishing, and beach days at Lakefront Park and Chain O'Lakes State Park are close.
Confirm the school district
Subdivision data points to Big Hollow SD 38 and Grant Community High School District 124, not CUSD 116. Confirm by address.
Two Metra options
The Round Lake (Milwaukee District North) and Round Lake Beach (North Central Service) stations both reach Chicago Union Station.
Lake County hospitals
Advocate Condell in Libertyville and Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital are a drive south.
Park district recreation
The Round Lake Area Park District runs pools, a sports center, a community center, and Renwood Golf Course.
What’s close
Emerald Bay sits on the north side of Route 120 near Wilson Road in Round Lake, with Routes 134 and 83 the other main connectors through the Chain O'Lakes area.
- Amenities on-site
- A children's playground and sidewalks, with walking access to nearby trails and forest-preserve open space.
- Recreation nearby
- The Round Lake Area Park District (pools, sports center, community center, Renwood Golf Course) plus Lakefront Park's swimming beach and Chain O'Lakes State Park.
- Highway
- Route 120 (Belvidere Road) east-west, with Routes 134 and 83 through the area and Route 60 to the south toward Libertyville and Mundelein.
- Schools
- Subdivision data indicates Big Hollow School District 38 for elementary and middle grades and Grant Community High School District 124, not Round Lake CUSD 116. Confirm by address.
- Train
- Two Metra stations reach Chicago Union Station: Round Lake on the Milwaukee District North line and Round Lake Beach on the North Central Service (weekdays only).
- Hospital
- Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville (a Level I trauma center) and Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, both a drive south.
What it’s actually like to live here
Emerald Bay suits buyers who want an affordable, low-maintenance foothold in Lake County without the price tag of the county's eastern lakefront suburbs. The townhome format means the association handles lawns, snow, and exterior upkeep, which appeals to first-time buyers, downsizers, and commuters. Day-to-day life leans practical and quiet: a playground in the neighborhood, sidewalks, and quick access to Route 120 for errands, with the Round Lake Area Park District's pools, sports center, and golf course a short drive away.
The setting is the real draw. This is the Chain O'Lakes, Illinois' densest cluster of natural lakes, so boating, fishing, paddling, and beach days at Lakefront Park are part of the local rhythm from late spring into early fall. Large forest preserves nearby add trails and open space, and Chain O'Lakes State Park anchors the outdoor scene. For a commuter, two Metra options to downtown Chicago give real optionality, though the trip is a long one and the North Central Service in particular is weekday-only.
The honest tradeoffs: property taxes run high, as they do across Lake County, so underwrite the tax bill and the monthly HOA dues together rather than just the purchase price. Commutes to Chicago or to job centers can be lengthy by car, and Metra schedules are limited outside peak weekday hours. School assignment is genuinely worth verifying before you fall for a unit, because Round Lake's district lines are split and this subdivision does not clearly fall in the district many buyers assume. And as a production-built townhome community from the 2006 to 2014 era, homes are practical rather than architecturally distinctive, with floor plans that repeat across the neighborhood.
The questions buyers actually ask
Emerald Bay FAQ
The questions I get most from buyers shopping Emerald Bay. If yours isn't here, text 224-385-8779, same-day reply.
- How much is the HOA?
- townhomes and condos are $300 per month.
- What does the HOA actually cover?
- Emerald Bay is a townhome community with a mandatory homeowners association. Reported monthly dues fall in an approximate range from the mid-200s to low-400s of dollars, varying by unit and over time, and per an HOA directory they typically cover landscaping and lawn care, exterior maintenance, common-area insurance, water, and snow removal. Confirm the current dues and management company, and review the budget and reserves, for the specific unit before purchase.
- What are property taxes like?
- Roughly $5,000 – $9,000 per year, depending on home size and value. Lake County assessor records are the source of truth. Happy to pull a specific bill on any home you're considering.
- When was Emerald Bay built?
- Ryland Homes built the community between 2006 and 2014. Ryland Homes stopped new construction in 2014, so every sale today is a resale.
- 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.
- Who built Emerald Bay and when?
- Emerald Bay was built between roughly 2006 and 2014 by Ryland Homes, a national production builder. It is an established townhome-style community in Round Lake.
- What kind of homes are in Emerald Bay?
- Primarily attached townhomes, with some units classified as condos, generally two bedrooms and about two and a half baths with attached garages. Documented Ryland floor plans range from roughly 1,300 to 1,700 square feet, with a few larger configurations.
- Is there an HOA, and what does it cover?
- Yes. Monthly dues have been reported in an approximate range from the mid-200s to low-400s of dollars and typically cover landscaping and lawn care, exterior maintenance, common-area insurance, water, and snow removal. Confirm the current dues and management company for the specific unit.
- What schools serve Emerald Bay?
- Subdivision-level sources indicate Big Hollow School District 38 for elementary and middle grades and Grant Community High School District 124 for high school, rather than Round Lake CUSD 116. Because Round Lake is split among districts, confirm the exact assignment by address with the districts before relying on it.
- How do people commute to Chicago?
- Two Metra stations serve the area, both ending at Chicago Union Station: Round Lake on the Milwaukee District North line and Round Lake Beach on the North Central Service. Route 120, Route 134, and Route 83 handle local driving, with Route 60 to the south. Note the North Central Service does not run on weekends or holidays.
- What do homes cost, and how is the market?
- Emerald Bay is an attainable, mid-market community for Lake County. For current prices, inventory, and how quickly homes are selling, see the live Market snapshot on this page rather than a fixed figure.
- Who is the real estate agent for Emerald Bay?
- Joe Keegan is the local licensed Illinois real estate broker who covers Emerald Bay in Round 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 Emerald Bay 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 Emerald Bay
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
- Round Lake specialist
- Honest local market take
- Brokerocity
Market snapshot
Emerald Bay, 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
$274,950
Typical sale price · last 90 days
$281,000
Homes for sale right now
2
Avg time on market
19 days
Sold in the last year
13
This representation is based in whole or in part on data supplied by Midwest Real Estate Data, LLC for the period August 9, 2025 through August 9, 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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