Wilmington · Will County · IL
Homes for sale in
Shadow Lakes.
- Active listings
- 10
- Median list
- $180K
- Avg time on market
- 67 days
- Sold · last year
- 6
Active listings
10 homes on the market
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About the community
A gated private-lake community in southwestern Will County.
Shadow Lakes is a gated, lake-oriented community with a Wilmington mailing address, sitting in a rural pocket of southwestern Will County between Wilmington and Braidwood, roughly an hour southwest of Chicago. Built around spring-fed, stocked private lakes where boating, fishing, and swimming are the organizing idea, it began in the late 1980s and filled in over the following decades. The housing stock ranges from modest seasonal cottages to full year-round homes, and the community reads as an affordable, water-oriented getaway that many owners have turned into permanent residences.
At a glance
Private stocked lakes
Multiple spring-fed, stocked private lakes for fishing, boating, and swimming, with an active fishing club.
Gated community
A gated entry with security, where the association describes electric golf carts as a preferred way to get around.
Pool and beach
A swimming pool and separate kiddie pool plus a sandy swimming beach and fishing piers.
Mixed housing stock
A genuine mix, from modest cottages and park models to full year-round single-family homes, on a wide range of sizes.
Reed-Custer schools
The Coal City Road area generally maps to Reed-Custer CUSD 255-U in Braidwood, not Wilmington schools. Confirm by address.
Outdoor recreation nearby
Minutes from the Kankakee River and about 15 minutes from Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie and its bison herd.
Amenity center
A community amenity center and covered pavilion for events, plus playgrounds, a dog park, and sport courts.
What’s close
Shadow Lakes sits off Coal City Road between Wilmington and Braidwood, close to I-55 and a short drive from the Kankakee River and Midewin prairie.
- Schools
- The Coal City Road area generally maps to Reed-Custer CUSD 255-U in Braidwood (Reed-Custer elementary, middle, and high school), even though the mailing address is Wilmington. Confirm by address, since boundaries can split here.
- Amenities on-site
- Gated entry, the private stocked lakes, the pool and beach, the amenity center and pavilion, playgrounds, a dog park, and sport courts.
- Highway
- Close to Interstate 55 at the Wilmington and Braidwood interchanges, with Route 53 through Wilmington and Route 113 on the Braidwood side.
- Nearby cities
- About 15 miles to Joliet, the nearest larger city, with its commuter options, shopping, and services.
- Outdoors
- The Kankakee River in Wilmington, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie about 15 minutes away, and Kankakee River State Park and state wildlife areas nearby.
- Hospital
- Full-service hospitals are a drive away, generally toward Joliet. Confirm the nearest current facility by address.
What it’s actually like to live here
Shadow Lakes trades suburban polish for something more relaxed and outdoorsy. The whole community is oriented around its stocked, spring-fed lakes, so daily life here looks like fishing off a private pier, taking a boat or kayak out, cooling off at the sandy beach or the pool, and puttering between neighbors on an electric golf cart. The association keeps a real calendar of activities, and the fishing club, pavilion events, and community center give it a small-resort, everybody-knows-everybody rhythm. For buyers who want water access and recreation at an attainable price point, it is a distinctive option in the far south suburbs.
The tradeoffs are real and worth being upfront about. This is rural, exurban living, so you are a drive from full-size grocery, big-box retail, and hospitals, and commuting to Chicago or even Joliet is a genuine trek best paired with I-55 and the Metra at Joliet. Because the housing stock ranges from small seasonal cottages to full year-round homes, quality, size, and condition vary a lot from street to street, and some infrastructure, like the seasonal water system, reflects the community's origins as a recreational retreat.
This is gate-and-lake living, which cuts both ways. The gated entry and private amenities are a big part of the appeal and the value, but they come with association rules, dues, and the shared-governance realities of a property owners association. People who want that built-in community and water access tend to love it, while people who want maximum privacy and no rules may not. It rewards buyers who actually intend to use the lakes and amenities. Read the covenants and architectural guidelines carefully and budget for the mandatory assessment.
The questions buyers actually ask
Shadow Lakes FAQ
The questions I get most from buyers shopping Shadow Lakes. If yours isn't here, text 224-385-8779, same-day reply.
- What does the HOA actually cover?
- Shadow Lakes is governed by a mandatory property owners association (the Shadow Lakes II Association) whose assessments fund gated entry and security, the private stocked lakes and lake rights, the amenity center and pool, the beach, playgrounds, common-area maintenance, and a calendar of community activities. The community also runs a seasonal water on and off schedule. Ask the association office for the current assessment amount and copies of the covenants and architectural guidelines before you buy.
- 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.
- Is Shadow Lakes actually in Wilmington?
- The mailing address is Wilmington, but the community sits in a rural part of Will County between Wilmington and Braidwood, off Coal City Road, and its own association markets it as being in the Braidwood area. Confirm the exact jurisdiction with Will County for any given lot.
- What are the lakes like, and can I use a motorboat?
- They are private, spring-fed, stocked lakes used for fishing, boating, and swimming, with fishing piers and beach access. Whether gas motorboats are permitted or boating is limited to electric or no-wake is not published online, so confirm the current boating rules directly with the Shadow Lakes II Association before buying with a boat in mind.
- Is there an HOA, and what does it cover?
- Yes, a mandatory property owners association (the Shadow Lakes II Association) governs the gate, the lakes, the pool and beach, common areas, a seasonal water system, and community activities. Ask the association office for the current assessment amount and a copy of the covenants and architectural guidelines.
- What schools would my kids attend?
- The Coal City Road area generally maps to Reed-Custer CUSD 255-U in Braidwood (Reed-Custer elementary, middle, and high school), even though the mailing address is Wilmington. District lines can split in this area, so confirm the assignment for your exact address before you rely on it.
- What is there to do nearby?
- Plenty of outdoor recreation: the Kankakee River in Wilmington, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie with its bison herd about 15 minutes away, Kankakee River State Park, and state fish and wildlife areas, plus antique shopping in Wilmington and Morris. It is a short hop to I-55 and about 15 miles to Joliet.
- What do homes cost, and how is the market right now?
- Prices vary widely because the community mixes small seasonal cabins and park models with full year-round houses, so it tends to be attainable and entry-level for the area. For current pricing and activity, see the live Market snapshot on this page. Will County effective tax rates run above the state average, so verify a parcel-specific figure before you buy.
- Who is the real estate agent for Shadow Lakes?
- Joe Keegan is the local licensed Illinois real estate broker who covers Shadow Lakes in Wilmington, 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 Shadow Lakes 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 Shadow Lakes
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
- Wilmington specialist
- Honest local market take
- Brokerocity
Market snapshot
Shadow Lakes, 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
$179,950
Typical sale price · last 90 days
$270,000
Homes for sale right now
10
Avg time on market
67 days
Sold in the last year
6
This representation is based in whole or in part on data supplied by Midwest Real Estate Data, LLC for the period August 7, 2025 through August 7, 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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