For Dawn Recchia, Thornwood will always feel like home. She and her husband Jim, married for 27 years, raised their three children — Cole, Carson, and Belle — in two different Thornwood homes over the course of 12 years. Their Thornwood story began on Chasewood, moving in when Cole was just six months old. When their twins were six months old, the family moved to Ashton Lane, continuing to build a life surrounded by friends, neighbors, and community traditions. 

From Thornwood Thunder swim meets to pumpkin frolics, Easter egg hunts, and afternoons walking to Corron Elementary, Dawn embraced the neighborhood as the perfect place to raise a family. “When the kids were little, it was everything we could have wanted,” she recalls. Now living just minutes away off Crane Road in St. Charles, Dawn still treasures her time in Thornwood and the lifelong connections made there.

Before real estate, Dawn built a successful corporate career at Lucent Technologies in Naperville, selling voice and data systems to Fortune 500 companies. But when the twins were born, she felt the pull to be home more and turned to what she thought would be a part-time career in real estate.

Within two months, that “part-time” plan turned into a thriving, full-time business. Dawn began working with a builder in Highland Woods, spending every weekend at the model home in Elgin. The steady stream of visitors became the foundation of her client base. “Business grew much faster than I expected,” she says. “But I loved every minute of it — helping families through such an emotional and important transition is incredibly rewarding.”

Her deep connection to Thornwood gave her an edge. She wasn’t just selling homes — she was sharing a lifestyle she had lived herself. In a market competing with new construction, Dawn works hard at open houses to highlight not just the property but the community. She tells stories of neighbors who text if your garage door is left open, friends who bring dinner when someone is sick, and kids who can head to the pool and instantly find a playmate.

She believes Thornwood is unmatched in the Fox Valley, offering both a small-town feel and unbeatable convenience. “Being able to walk to Village Squire for dinner, let the kids head to Sweetness for a cookie, or be at Target in 20 seconds — it’s priceless,” she says.

Dawn has also been part of Stroll Thornwood from the very beginning, sponsoring the Real Estate Resource page every month for 16 years. Through it, she educates residents on one of their most important investments — their home. “Partnering with Stroll has been such a meaningful part of my career,” Dawn shares. “It’s more than advertising; it’s a way to stay connected to a community I love, to share knowledge, and to be a trusted resource for my neighbors year after year.”

Over the years, Dawn has proudly helped more than 200 families move into — and out of — Thornwood, always with the same care she would give her own family. Her heart for the neighborhood, her dedication to her clients, and her love for what she does makes her an enduring part of Thornwood’s story. “I truly love what I do,” she says, “and I feel honored to have played a role in helping so many families find their place in this wonderful neighborhood.”

Contact Dawn if you’re looking for a trusted realtor  in the Fox Valley:

847-917-5296