Affordable homes, award-winning schools and a convenient location make Green Meadows a sought-after neighborhood in Arlington Heights.

Homes are affordable, and a lot of young families are moving into the neighborhood to get their kids into Arlington Heights’ schools, said Michelle Cochran, real estate broker with Picket Fence Realty in Arlington Heights.

“The walk-to-elementary school is a big attraction for families with children, and they like the sense of community with other young families living around them,” she said.

Located on Prindle Avenue off Kensington Road, Green Meadows features well-tended homes typically with four bedrooms, 2½ baths and a two-car garage. The subdivision features a variety of home styles, many of which have been updated with current features that today’s homebuyers want.

The subdivision was constructed during the suburban population explosion of the 1960s, which was a result of the expansion of the Chicago-area economy.

Lena Joseph, a 30-year resident of the neighborhood, is the second owner of her home. Her husband worked in Mount Prospect at the time they bought their four-bedroom house, and they wanted their kids to go to Prospect High School.

They also sought an in-law arrangement where Joseph’s parents could move from the city and reside there. “This house fit the bill,” Joseph said.

“I wasn’t a great cook, so I told my mother the kitchen was all hers, and I would be the chauffeur. She made things the old-fashioned way with a pinch of this and a pinch of that and never wrote out recipes that I could follow,” she said.

Joseph likes the neighborhood feeling of living in Green Meadows, where her two children had many neighborhood friends grew up together.

“My neighbors are fantastic and especially my next-door neighbor, Carol Niccoli. I call her Mother Teresa. When my husband had a heart transplant, which gave him another eight years, I was the caretaker. Now I’m having some health problems, and neighbors are always asking whether they can go to the store for me or can they do this or that,” Joseph said.

“I feel safe here especially because our backyard neighbor is a retired police officer, and he’s a good guy.”

The subdivision features many beautiful neighborhood parks and playgrounds that are within walking distance. Berbecker Park offers a picnic area, baseball diamond and basketball courts.

For shopping, residents are close to downtown Arlington Heights with its boutiques, specialty shops and galleries. The downtown area also features an eclectic mix of restaurants and pubs, live theater performances and outdoor concerts in the summer.

The village offers many community events that draw people together.

Residents of Green Meadows also live near Randhurst Village in Mount Prospect, an open-air shopping center that features retailers, restaurants and a state-of-the-art AMC movie theater. There are also many stores and businesses along Rand Road in both towns.

A popular amenity on the north side of the village is Arlington Lake with the feel of a private lake in Wisconsin. Here you see people enjoying sailing, paddle boating and walking and riding their bikes around the lake.

Other attractions in the village include Arlington Park racetrack, a beautiful facility that offers fun for the whole family; a strong park district that is a vital part of the community with facilities and activities for all ages; and the Arlington Heights Memorial Library, which has one of the largest collections in the state.