Drive around the region and you can see increased levels of new home construction. DR Horton the nations largest homebuilder has moved into the area. Theres also chatter about a second national builder poised to set up shop in Sullivan County. And local builders say theyre busier than theyve been in a long time.

But only a 3% increase in permits?

If you look at just the numbers, the regions new home permits have been flat for three years. The permit level has been slightly over a 1,000 a year since 2017. And its the best performance since 2008. Last years total was about 29% off the 2008 pace. But four years ago, the new home sector was performing at about half of its pre-recession capacity.

And if you step back and look at regional patterns, new home construction has also plateaued in the Chattanooga and Asheville metro areas. Only Knoxville is seeing an increasing growth rate.

Whats going on has several drivers.

Theres also the standard material cost increases and a construction labor shortage headwind.

And then theres the weather.

The weather is killing us, said Kelly Wolfe of Wolfe Development while being interviewed on a rainy afternoon. When you work outside, moving dirt, laying brick youre heavily dependent on good weather to accomplish your sales quotas. And, weve had a couple of the rainiest years in history. You simply cant get enough work done with this weather pattern. There are lots of good things going on. But the weathers not one of them.

Some of the fundamentals for continue new home gains are in place. The secession of lot development that occurred during the Great Recession has ended. While it has returned, it has not gotten ahead of immediate demand, Wolfe said. A similar dynamic exists with spec home construction. Wolfe said he doesnt see any slack at least in the area where he builds where theres more building that what the market will bear.

The distribution of 2019 permits also says a lot about how the region is developing.

Last years biggest new home permit gain came in Carter County were permit pulls were up 18%. Combined with Washington Countys 9% gain, you can see the geographic preference the market is setting. Together the two accounted for a little better than half of the new home permits in the seven counties included in the Market Edges 2019 year-end residential building permit trend report.

Sullivan County had 276 new permits last year a 5% increase. It has been in the 200 plus new permits range for eight years. Its the most stable permit pattern in the region. The 2019 count was the highest in those eight years by one permit. But its not leading the pack and the counties in its sphere of influence didnt see the same stability last year. Hawkins Co. permits declined by 41%, Scott Co. VA was down 30% and Washington Co. VA was down 20%.

Greene County is another example of a slow, steady new home permit pattern. Last years permit total was down by 3%, down four from the previous year. Greene Co. permits have been in the 100 a plus new permits a year for four years.

The permit data begs the question. If the soggy weather pattern is a major headwind, how much new home growth is being bogged down?

Like Loading...

Categories: REAL ESTATE

Read the original post:
Why is the new home permit situation looking anemic? - donfenley.com

By MEGAN HUSSEY[emailprotected]

For about 30 years, the Nature Coast Builders Association has hosted the Parade of Homes for the Nature Coast; a tour of some of the most beautiful and stylish modern homes in Hernando County. And while the home tour, hosted by an organization that represents the interests of the building industry and the general public in Floridas Hernando and Citrus counties, always has been a showcase of virtual radiance and excellence in the art of homebuilding, this year's tour is 'virtual' in a second important sense.

This year's parade, co-sponsored by Sunrise Propane and scheduled February 29 - March 15 10am 5pm Monday thru Saturday, 12noon 5pm on Sundays throughout the duration of the Parade, features a total of 13 homes from seven area builders. And while you can visit 10 of these models at their tour locations, three of the models are presented in virtual tours, online at https://www.paradeofhomesnaturecoast.com/index.php. Also at the site, you can see high definition photo galleries and detailed floor plans of every home featured, and access pertinent facts such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage, address, maps, directions, and contact info.

This new way of presenting model homes to the public seems very much in line with the theme of this year's Parade of Homes.

"The tour starts on Leap Day," said Nita Beckwith-MeLaugh, Certified Executive Officer, NCBA. "We can leap into the New Year and a new decade with a new home."

Since its inception, the Parade of Homes--a partnership and collaboration of builders association members and community sponsors--has served a dual purpose in the community.

"For builders, the Parade is an opportunity to show the community their new homes, the top of their game. " said Beckwith-MeLaugh. "For the public, this is the chance to find their dream home."

Although no set criteria is established for model entries, parade organizers pride themselves on presenting beautiful and affordable homes. Many of this year's models boast a two-bedroom, three-bathroom floor plan and approximately 2,000 square feet or more of living space.

"This is a showcase of new and existing models with many different features," said Beckwith-MeLaugh. "In many models, we see more open spaces for family gatherings and entertaining, and full and very convenient spaces and electrical outlets available for home offices."

Many models also feature accents such as fashionable, tropically influenced home designs, innovative home products, elegant decor, technology, energy efficiency, modern gourmet kitchens, relaxing owners' suites that include spa like baths, broad sparkling swimming pools, fireplaces, vaulting ceilings and marble countertops, etc.

Many of these features are customizable; and whether taking a self-guided tour of the parade on foot, or taking a virtual tour online, those interested can request the changes that they need to turn a parade model home into a dream home.

"Some prospective buyers like to customize options, like the number of bedrooms or other aspects of the floor plan," said Beckwith-MeLaugh. "Others walk into their dream home and buy on the spot."

As an added bonus, those who complete the parade on foot and visit all entries can qualify for a drawing to win a $300 Visa gift card.

Robin Pastore, Chairwoman of Parade of Homes and Owner, Pastore Custom Builders, Inc., says that today's home market is showing renewed signs of promise and growth.

"There is a real excitement in the building industry," she said. "The market is strong again, and it's good for everybody."

And so, says Pastore, is the parade itself.

"We have homes for everyone here, from starter homes to retirement homes," she said. "All the work of great builders."

This year's Parade of Homes features St. Martens by Pastore Custom Builders, Ocho Rios by Pastore Custom Builders, Camilla by ProBuilt U.S., Cabana Key by Palmwood Construction, Cabana Cay by Palmwood Construction, The Verona by Hartland Homes, Don Calais by Dream Custom Homes, Don Crystal by Dream Custom Homes, Don Valencia by Dream Custom Homes, Grand Floridian by Artistic Homes, Grand Bahama by Artistic Homes, Grand Cayman by Artistic Homes, and Goya by Alexander Custom Homes.

Andrew L Carr, vice president of Growth and Development at Sunrise Propane in Hudson, says that Sunrise Propane is proud to be sponsoring the Nature Coast Builders Association's Parade of Homes.

"This is our fourth year being the Platinum Presenting Sponsor," he said, "and we're looking forward to a great event this year."

Carr says that the parade provides a prime showcase, not only for his company's product, but for some amazing homes in this area.

"Being involved in the Parade of Homes gives us the opportunity to introduce the many efficient money saving features of using propane for residential use," said Carr. "The builders we work with take great pride in the homes they build, and we enjoy working with them on a daily basis."

And ultimately, said Carr, the Nature Coast Builders Association's Parade of Homes serves as a beautiful showcase for the Hernando community."We hope everyone who's interested in a new home will come out and take a look at what's available in our beautiful community."

Website:https://www.paradeofhomesnaturecoast.com/

Follow this link:
Nature Coast Builders Association Parade of Homes kicks off on Leap Day 2020 - Hernando Sun

Bill Lewis, Special to Nashville Tennessean, USA TODAY NETWORK newsrooms in Tennessee Published 5:00 a.m. CT Feb. 28, 2020

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Aaron and Rich Hardison loved living in Westhaven, the master planned community in Williamson County, except for one thing. They needed a bigger yard for Dolly, their pet pig.

The neighbors would bring her carrots. She was very popular in Westhaven, but the homes are pretty tight, said Rich Hardison.

They built a modern farmhouse with a two-and-a-half-acre yard large enough for Dolly and Tinker Bell, their second pig, two rescue dogs and some chickens. There may be a llama in their future if the HOA is willing.

Its one of those things you discuss over a martini and then it ends up happening, Rich Hardison said of the decision to have not just one but two pigs.

Before beginning construction of their new Williamson County home in the Southern Preserve neighborhood near Interstate 840, the couple had their builder, Carbine & Associates, completely redraw the floor plan. They moved the kitchen and the great room to the rear so they can watch Dolly and Tinker Bell grazing on the lawn.

We flipped it, he said.

GET THE LATEST UPDATES:Download the free Tennessean app on your mobile device

Aaron and Rich Hardison, left to right, pictured with their pet pigs Dolly and Tinkerbell, worked with Carbine & Associates in building a custom farmhouse on a larger home site in Southern Preserve.(Photo: Sarah Rodriquez)

Growing numbers of home buyers like the Hardisons are keeping their pets in mind when buying or building a house.

Pets are a big focus in life. Im building a house where the cats are a big part of the bedroom, a multi-floor cat condo area, room to play, said Daryl Walny, vice president of Carbine & Associates.

Doggyshowers in the mud room are becoming a thing so youre not tracking mud all over the house, he said.

Bitsy can still peek over the Dutch door and be part of the activity. The space was carved out under the staircase by Carbine, creating a great dog space.(Photo: Leslie Brown)

Its not unusual for buyers to say no to a house that wont accommodate their pet.

Many times over the years, I have had people rule out a home with too many steps due to older pets who are no longer able to climb. Houses have also been ruled out if the home did not have a big enough yard for their pets to enjoy and exercise, said Vickie Freas, a Realtor with the LCT Team at Parks.

Others are adding doggydens in the space under the stairs.

Its a clever use of space that would otherwise be drywalled in, said Freas.

Thats one of the features Aaron and Rich Hardison included while they were customizing the interior of their home. A Dutch door with a top and bottom that open separately adds a bit of elegance while keeping the dogs, Stella and Bitsy, in their room without isolating them.

We customized the house to make it what we wanted, and for them, said Aaron Hardison.

Stay up to date on real estate and development news: Sign up forTheTennessean's business newsletterto get updates right in your inbox.

The home office in the farmhouse overlooks the farmyard and "barn" tucked into the Southern Preserve neighborhood.(Photo: Leslie Brown)

A barn out back will have an office, a western saloon in honor of Aarons grandfather and swinging doors so the pigs can come and go.

Its called a garage because the HOA says you cant have a barn, he said.

The five chickens will be named Reba, Loretta, Tammy and well have to come up with two more county music names to go along with Dolly, he said.

The name of the future llama, Tina, was inspired by the movie "Napoleon Dynamite."

The Hardisons are turning their love of animals into a career. They are opening a cage-free doggydaycare, boarding and grooming business, Camp Run-A-Mutt. It will be in a quickly developing area of Murfreesboro close to 840 less than half an hour from their home.

Both of the Hardisons have always had dogs, but the idea of non-traditional pets was appealing. Dolly and Tinker Bell are Juliana pigs, smaller than farm pigs but not miniatures.

I remember watching 'Green Acres' and watching Arnold Ziffel, the bovine character on the popular situation comedy that originally aired from 1965 to 1971, said Rich Hardison.

Read or Share this story: https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/homes/2020/02/28/home-design-builders-know-pets-rule-roost/4870955002/

Visit link:
Home: Where cats rule, dogs drool and pet pigs have room to roam - Tennessean

Spring weekends in Houston are filled with home-related events, from home and garden shows to architecture and history tours and shopping events.

Design in Bloom brings a panel of national speakers to talk about architecture, design and, of course, floral design March 24. The following weekend is filled with home tours, ranging from modern homes to downtown lofts and more historic homes in Woodland Heights. Texas Antiques Week in Round Top is a shoppers delight, and the April and May bring more home tours.

Get your calendar out; its time to save a few dates.

The TexWoods series of home and outdoor living shows is underway, with a new HTown event at Silver Street Studios in First Ward. Hours are 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. on Sundays. (Note: Ill be a speaker at the HTown and Lake Houston shows, speaking about design styles each day at 12:30 p.m.) At all shows, admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and children 12 and under are free. Heres the spring lineup:

HTown: March 7-8 at Silver Street Studios at Sawyer Yards, 2000 Edwards. Speakers include Laura Dowling, who was the chief White House floral designer for six years of the Obama administration.

Cy-Fair: March 21-22 at the Berry Center, 8877 Barker Cypress. Events include floral design workshops by Ashley Wallace of The Tallest Tulip.

Lake Houston: March 28-29 at the Humble Civic Center, 8233 Will Clayton Parkway. Speakers include Dr. Loris Antiques Appraisal Comedy Show.

This years Design in Bloom event, in conjunction with Texas Design Week, brings Flower magazine editor-in-chief Margot Shaw, Nashville interior designer Ray Booth, Atlanta architect Bobby McAlpine, Lexington, Ky., landscape architect Jon Carloftis and New York floral designer Lewis Miller together for panel discussions, book signings and floral demonstrations.

When: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. March 24

Where: Houston Design Center, 7026 Old Katy Road (in various showrooms)

Tickets: $10-$100; DesigninBloomHouston.com

The Houston Downtown Management District will hold its second annual home tour on March 28. The self-guided tour takes you into residences in Bayou Lofts, Commerce Towers, Camden Downtown, Franklin Lofts, Kirby Lofts on Main, St. Germain Lofts and Condos at The Star. Park at One Market Square Garage (800 Preston) for $5 and a courtesy shuttle will take you to participating properties. There will be live music 11 a.m.-2 p.m.at Market Square Park, a lobby tour of the Niels and Mellie Esperson Buildings from noon to 3 p.m. and pop-up art shows by Rachel Schwind Gardner and Felipe Lopez all day at Franklin Lofts.

When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. March 28

Where: Start from Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene in the W.L. Foley Building, 214 Travis

Tickets: $25 in advance, $35 tour day; livedowntownhouston.org

While theres plenty of traditional home construction under way, contemporary and modern homes are increasing in popularity and the Modern Architecture + Design Societys annual tour will open six new examples of cutting-edge residential architecture to the public. Showcased architects include 2Scale Architects, studioMET, Intexure Architects and Boxprefab, On Point Custom Homes and Fifty Seventh + 7th by Carnegie Homes. Its a great chance to meet the architects and designers who worked on the homes.

When: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. March 28

Where: 1129 W. Pierce (2Scale Architects); 4038 Falkirk (studioMET architects); 5612 Blossom (Intexure + Boxprefab); 2514 Avalon Place (Fifty Seventh + 7th by Carnegie Homes); 2300 South Boulevard (On Point Custom Homes); and 2235 Colquitt (Scott Ballard Architect)

Tickets: $15-40 in advance, $50 at the door on tour day; mads.media

Homes built from the 1910s through the 1920s plus a few more current construction will be among the eight open to the public on the annual Woodland Heights Home Tour. The neighborhood began in 1907 as a streetcar suburb to Houstons downtown and was valued for its easy access to Highland Park now called Woodland Park. The neighborhood is busier now, but retains much of its century-old charm.

When: noon-6 p.m. March 28-29

Where: 619 Bayland, 505 Byrne, 3324 Morrison, 628 Omar, 3524 Pineridge, 715 Ridge, 1611 Sage and 621 Wendel

Tickets: $10 for single homes, $25 in advance, $30 starting March 26; woodland-heights.org

Round Top and surrounding small towns fill with visitors for Texas Antiques Week shopping that now lasts much longer than a week. Stalwarts such as the Original Round Top Antiques Fair and Marburger Farm Antique Show stagger their dates from March 30-April 4, but other shops, Excess Fields and pop-up tents open at least a couple of weeks prior. Head there early to avoid long lines of cars on Texas 237. Wear sunscreen and comfortable shoes and take cash since WiFi there is sketchy and vendors credit card apps dont always work.

The Original Round Top Antiques Fair: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. VIP admission, 1-6 p.m. general admission March 30; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. March 31; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. April 1-4. VIP early shopping pass, $20, general admission $10; includes entry to the Big Red Barn Event Center and the Continental Tent; roundtoptexasantiques.com; 475 S. Texas 237, Carmine

Marburger Farm Antique Show: Early buying 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and general admission 2-6 p.m. March 31; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. April 1-3; and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. April 4. Early buying $25; general admission $10; roundtop-marburger.com; 2248 Texas 237, Round Top

The Compound Antique Show: 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. 2550 S. Texas 237, Round Top; admission is free; roundtopcompound.com

Rice Design Alliance is still firming up its roster for the 2020 Architecture Tour, themed Upwards. This tour is always highly anticipated, featuring some of the most interesting homes in the city on timely topics. The alliance will share more information on homes and tickets soon, but for now you can set these dates aside.

When: 1-6 p.m. April 25-26

Tickets: Information coming soon.

Milieu magazine is hosting its first Designer Showhouse, a 7,400-square-foot Edwin Lutyens-style home built by Jennifer Hamelet Mirador Builders. Top designers from the U.S., Canada and Europe including Kathryn Ireland, Lisa Fine, Carol Glasser and Jennifer Vaughn Miller will design the interiors. Milieu, a luxury shelter and lifestyle magazine, was founded in 2013 by Houston interior designer Pamela Pierce. The showhome event will benefit Clayton Dabney for Kids with Cancer, a group that provides assistance to families with children who have cancer.

When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. April 25-26 and May 2-3

Where: 3736 Del Monte

Tickets: $200 in advance ($250 day of); tour admission $35; milieu-mag.com or at the door

The Galveston Historical Foundations annual home tour is must for history buffs and for newcomers to the area who want to learn more about the Gulf Coasts architectural history. Galveston is a tourism city now, but it was once a thriving port city where merchants built beautiful Victorian and Queen Anne-style homes, grand examples and bungalows, too. The 2019 tour had eight homes and the 2020 lineup should be announced soon.

When: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. May 2-3 and May 9-10

Where: Tour homes to be announced

Tickets: $30; galvestonhistory.org

Originally posted here:
Save the dates: Spring design calendar filled with home tours - Houston Chronicle

Real estate customers of all stripes are demanding structures built to reduce energy costs, resist natural disasters and fit into tight budgets, but innovation comes hard to the construction industry.

Too often walls come in only two choices: concrete-filled masonry blocks or framed walls stuffed with insulation and clad with sheetrock. Neither method is especially efficient, in terms of labor or energy, but builders usually stick to what they know. Luckily, innovators are making new choices available.

A new concrete-and-foam wall system can better deaden sound, defend against fire, stand up to floodwater, insulate against Texas heat and, most importantly, costs about the same as conventional methods. Entrepreneur Paul Brown co-founded Bautex after failing to find better building materials for a construction project.

Most contractors, most architects really have the same palette. Its the same palette theyve had over 100 years, he said. People were struggling just to meet code, and these buildings that were being released were barely legal. They were struggling to get those done within budget.

Tomlinsons Take: Middle-class Texans are facing a housing crisis

Unlike other industries where prices go down, construction costs have only gone up. Brown saw an opportunity if he could create high-performance products with lower costs, something he learned in the tech industry.

They have to fundamentally simplify construction to the point that they save time, save money, save labor. At the end of the day, its all about dollars, Brown said. We absolutely want to see superior performance in every product.

The Bautex block is based on a technology developed in Austria in the 1930s, improved upon in the 1970s and then brought to United States in the late 1990s. Each block is about the size of four cinder blocks and have similar channels for poured-concrete reinforcement.

Brown and his team developed a patented manufacturing process at Bautexs San Marcos factory to mass produce the blocks at a low cost. Italian-made machines mold the blocks from a mix of cement, fly ash, foam pellets, water and a chemical additive. Three workers can produce enough blocks top build a big-box store in 16 hours.

Once at the building site, a group of workers stack the blocks, glue them together, thread rebar through the channels, and pour concrete in the channels to create walls that are stronger and more insulated than either framed or masonry walls. The process is quicker, cheaper and better insulated than competing systems.

Similar cement and polystyrene walls are commonplace in Europe and the Middle East, where lumber is either scarce or expensive and energy efficiency demands are high. The blocks exceed international building codes, and the owner treats them the same as a standard wall.

In the United States, Brown said the construction industry has resisted change, largely because convincing the architect, engineer, contractor and owner to all try a new technology is difficult. Bautex has used persistent marketing and white-glove customer service to win acceptance, he added.

If we can walk them through step by step and get them comfortable that we can get them to the finish line, theyre absolutely onboard, Brown said.

More customers are contacting Bautex as resiliency becomes the byword in residential and commercial construction. The blocks will resist fire for four hours and exceed standards for windstorms, flooding and mold. Post-disaster remediation is simpler than with conventional wall systems. The company has established a foothold with commercial contractors with some custom homebuilders.

Bautex blocks make up the walls of Sea Star Base Galveston, a LEED Platinum-certified youth center that city officials used as their command center during Hurricane Harvey. The company is currently working on a new structure at Brighton Center, a private school in San Antonio.

Tomlinsons Take: Millennials pose challenge to real estate values

The company has dozens of project across Texas and six other states. The founders chose San Marcos because nine of the 10 busiest construction markets are within 500 miles.

I reported in a recent column on how developers and builders believe only tougher building codes will lead to better, more innovative buildings. Bautex is just one example of suppliers trying to compete on price and quality until cities pass tougher codes. More power to them.

Companies like Bautex, and there are many, are trying to offer better ways of building that will make our lives easier. Too often, though, builders focus more on quantity and routine because profit margins are thin, and change is hard.

If you are involved in construction, take a moment to question whether the old ways are still the best. Open your mind to alternatives techniques that are better for the customer and the environment. Building owners and society will thank you.

Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and policy.

twitter.com/cltomlinson

chris.tomlinson@chron.com

Visit link:
Tomlinson: Tech entrepreneur tries to disrupt construction industry with a better wall - Houston Chronicle

Gravina, Smith, Matte & Arnold Marketing and PR, Special to Naples Daily News Published 6:05 a.m. ET Feb. 29, 2020

The Creek Course at Fiddler's Creek is ranked among Golfweek Magazine's top 100 best residential golf courses in the country.(Photo: Rick Betehem)

For the 15th consecutive year, The Creek Course at Fiddlers Creek is ranked among Golfweek Magazines Top 100 Best Residential Golf Courses in the country.

The signature 18-hole, par-72 Creek Course, designed by acclaimed course designer Arthur Hills, is woven into the communitys lush natural surroundings and features a series of strategic and challenging holes. The course offers seven tee placements to accommodate golf enthusiasts of all skill levels and includes 7,157 yards, broad fairways and elevated greens.

Since beginning its rating system in 1997, Golfweek has developed the most respected ranking structure in the industry. The design excellence-based criterion includes overall strength of routing, feature shaping, natural setting, greens, variety and memorability of holes, conditioning and maintenance, landscape management and other statistical data.

We are honored to be recognized in Golfweeks Top 100 for the 15th consecutive year and to offer a world-class golf experience for our members and their guests, said Michael Saccameno, head golf professional at The Golf Club at Fiddlers Creek.

The Creek Course at Fiddlers Creek, which opened in February 2002, also has received recognition in Links Magazine as one of Americas 100 Premier Properties, Travel + Leisure Golf magazines Americas Top 100 Golf Communities List, and GolfCourseRealty.coms Top 10 Best Residential Courses in the Sunshine State. Golfweek also named The Creek Course 12th Best Residential Golf Course in Florida in its residential statewide ranking system.

Located on Collier Boulevard on the way to Marco Island, Fiddlers Creek is an award-winning residential community in Naples, Florida developed by Gulf Bay Group of Companies. Fiddlers Creek has been named a Distinguished Club by BoardRoom magazine, a prestigious honor reserved for the top private clubs in the world.

Residents of Fiddlers Creek enjoy amenities that include the 54,000-square-foot Club & Spa at Fiddlers Creek, featuring a resort-style multi-pool complex, state-of-the-art fitness center, tennis and pickleball facility and both casual and fine dining restaurants. The Club & Spa at Fiddlers Creek offers a luxurious resort lifestyle and hosts numerous community-wide parties, signature events, clubs, classes and a variety of activities for residents of all ages.

In addition to The Golf Club at Fiddlers Creek, residents have the opportunity to join The Tarpon Club, which offers a beach and boating experience that includes beach access at Marco Beach Ocean Resort, ranked among the Top Resorts in the U.S. by Travel + Leisures Worlds Best Awards and by Conde Nast Traveler.

Preconstruction and move-in ready homes at Fiddlers Creek are priced from the $400,000s to over $2 million and are offered by six preferred homebuilders Gulf Bay Homes, Stock Signature Homes, Taylor Morrison, Pulte Homes, Harbourside Custom Homes and Ashton Woods Homes.

For membership details and more information about Fiddlers Creek, call 239-732-9300, stop by the Fiddlers Creek Information Center at 8152 Fiddlers Creek Parkway in Naples, or visit http://www.fiddlerscreek.com.

Read or Share this story: https://www.naplesnews.com/story/money/real-estate/2020/02/29/fiddlers-creek-named-top-100-best-residential-golf-courses-15th-consecutive-year/4870843002/

See original here:
Fiddlers Creek named top 100 best residential golf courses for 15th consecutive year - Naples Daily News

Check out this gorgeous, LUXURY MODEL HOME in the North Gate Development of The Gates of Saint John, brought to you by TG Development! The beauty is in the DETAILS. This model home features 4 beds, 2.5 baths, and 2400 square feet with a full unfinished basement. The grand entry offers tall ceilings, custom wood beams, beautiful wainscoting, and a high-end lighting fixture which leads into the grand, OPEN CONCEPT Kitchen/Living/Dining area. The kitchen offers a MASSIVE island, floor-to-ceiling white cabinetry, SS appliances, stainless farm style sink, oiled rubbed bronze hardware, LUXURY granite counters, and much more. There is also an in-eat in dining area. The great room features a gorgeous fireplace, amazing BUILT-INS, and double trey ceiling. The MASTER SUITE offers double walk-ins, and a HIGH END PRIVATE BATH. The bath has a double vanity, white marble finishes, FREE STANDING TUB, and glass shower. There are too many features of this home to mention. It is a MUST SEE.

View Listing

See the rest here:
19 of the Most Expensive Homes for Sale in Northwest Indiana - nwitimes.com

A trio of Kamloops companies are finalists in the Canadian Home Builders Association National Awards of Excellence.

WD Wedgewood Developments Inc., along with Custom Spaces by Cristalee and Motivo Design Group Inc., are finalists for the project Devils in the Detail in the category of Detached Homes, Custom, 2,500 to 3,500 square feet.

The Kamloops trio is up against Alloy Homes Incorporated of Calgary, Archia Development Ltd. of West Vancouver, Artista Homes of Oak Bluff, Man. and Vancouver Development of Vancouver.

The Canadian Home Builders Association National Awards of Excellence recognize the best in Canadian new homes, home renovations, community development and marketing. More than 700 entries were received from coast to coast, from small towns and large urban areas. Nearly 200 judges reviewed images, floor plans and project description before narrowing down the field.

Winners in 42 categories will be announced at the April 3 gala in Banff, Alta.

When you look at these finalists, its amazing to see the variety of architectural styles being incorporated into residential housing in Canada today, CHBA CEO Kevin Lee said. Whether a home is built by a developer in a thriving new community or is a custom renovation done by a small family-run business, these projects showcase the pride we have in our industry.

Categories represent the full spectrum of Canadian homes: low-rise houses, high-rise apartments and homes built for ownership or rental purposes.

This year, a new category was added: the Entry-Level Home Affordability Award.

More information is online at chba.ca.

Continue reading here:
Three Kamloops firms eye national award - Kamloops This Week

RESTON, Va., Feb. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Stanley-Martin Communities, LLC announced today it has entered into an agreement to acquire the homebuilding assets of Essex Homes in North Carolina and South Carolina. The transaction is expected to close by the end of February 2020.

Columbia-based Essex Homes was founded in 1985 in Aiken, South Carolina, by Karl Haslinger. During the subsequent 34 years, Essex grew to become one of the largest homebuilders in the southeastern United States, with homebuilding operations in Columbia, Charlotte, Greenville, North Augusta, and Brunswick County. For the twelve months ending December 31, 2019, Essex closed 853 homes and controlled 8,332 lots. Karl Haslinger will join Stanley Martin as a Regional President and continue to manage operations in the former Essex Homes markets.

"Essex Homes is a perfect match for Stanley Martin. The markets in which Essex Homes builds are some of the strongest housing markets in the U.S. Karl and his team have done an outstanding job, and their commitment to quality construction and superior home design is impressive. We look forward to their joining our team as we work together to continue expanding our operations and delivering outstanding quality for our customers," said Steven Alloy, President of Stanley Martin.

Karl Haslinger, President and Chief Executive Officer of Essex Homes, said, "Essex started as a custom homebuilder and over the last 34 years has grown to become a much larger builder operating in multiple markets. I am proud of what we have done and our success is the result of the hard work of many on our team. My conversation with Steve started with values, culture and the importance of people to Stanley Martin. I am excited about joining a company that shares our values, the opportunity for the employees of Essex to advance and most importantly an unwavering commitment to the homebuyer."

Founded in 1966, Stanley-Martin Communities, LLC is one of the leading homebuilders in the southeastern United States. The company builds in six metro areas: Washington D.C., Richmond, Charlottesville, Raleigh, Charleston, and Atlanta. Stanley Martin builds a wide selection of new housing options, including condominiums, townhomes, and single-family detached homes. The company combines a commitment to excellent design with outstanding quality construction, alongside exceptional customer service. For the twelve months ending December 31, 2019, Stanley Martin closed 1,774 homes and controlled 14,917 lots.

Stanley-Martin Communities, LLC is a subsidiary of the Daiwa House Group, which is headquartered in Japan and is one of the largest housing and construction companies in the world.

About Stanley Martin HomesHeadquartered in Reston, Virginia, Stanley Martin Homes builds new condos, townhomes and single-family homes in Maryland, Northern Virginia, West Virginia, Charlottesville, Richmond, Raleigh, Atlanta and Charleston. Founded in 1966, Stanley Martin has been building homes and neighborhoodswith quality and craftsmanshipfor more than 53 years. For more information, visitwww.StanleyMartin.com.Guildmaster Award Winner:2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018MHBR No. 3588

SOURCE Stanley Martin Homes

http://www.stanleymartin.com

See the original post:
Stanley Martin Homes to Acquire the Operations of Essex Homes - PRNewswire

And according to the Census Bureaus American Community Survey data which includes all occupied homes, not just newly built ones only 4.3 percent of Massachusetts properties have five or more bedrooms. So its fair to say that a five-bedroom, 4,000-square-foot house could be considered very, very big by most standards. Generally speaking, there is a movement toward smaller, more efficient, comfortable, and intimate spaces, said Peace Nguyen, an agent with Engels & Vlkers in Wellesley. But while most people dont want or, perhaps just as likely, cant afford a home that size or larger, theres still plenty of appetite for big homes, she added, especially among the well-heeled.

Doug McNeilly, an agent with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Wayland, said the tipping point in his area is about 4,500 square feet. His buyers like big homes with four or five bedrooms, an open-concept kitchen and family room, and a three-car garage, he said but once those boxes are ticked, most start to think about trading any excess space for better proximity to work and shopping. Many buyers want a master with a large walk-in and decent size master bath, McNeilly added. [But] they dont need a 1,000-square-foot master suite.

What were finding is a lot of people are looking for amenities, but not so much the square footage, said Karen Landry, a luxury broker at RE/Max Destiny in Cambridge. Because theyre not just buying one home anymore, theyre buying that second vacation home. Millennial millionaires 5 percent of whom live in Massachusetts own an average of three properties, according to a recent Coldwell Banker report, and Landry said they want homes that are easy to maintain and manage.

Matt Dolan, a broker with Sagan Harborside Sothebys International Realty in Marblehead, has seen a similar trend, with high-end second-home buyers topping out around 5,000 or 6,000 square feet. A lot of times people are saying, you know what, any more than that, Im not going to be there enough to really do anything with it, he said. And one thing we are seeing as we get younger buyers more in the millennial bracket, they tend to want to do less and less work.

It can be tough to find the right buyer and balance for a large home, Landry said. Some buyers want to entertain and enjoy a sophisticated lifestyle, she said, but dont want to be burdened by a lot of upkeep or landscaping. And then you have the others who say, "If I have a house this big, I want everything else that comes with it: I want the yard, the pool, the tennis court.'

Far more important than sheer size, Dolan said, is whether the space complements the intended lifestyle of the home. It really matters how that space is used. Thats the key, he said. In Salem, for example, there are beautiful old mansions with grand parlors on the first floor and bedrooms on the second floor. But on the third floor, Dolan said: Youve just got more rooms and rooms and rooms. And that originally would have been where the staff would stay, but now people dont have staff like that they have apps and dishwashers. It can be a challenge for modern homeowners to utilize that space in a useful way.

Likewise, Dolan recalled an expansive $6 million-plus home with three bedrooms on the first floor and two more in the basement. What do you do if youre a family of four? This amazing giant home isnt going to work that well, he said. You have 6,000 square feet, but its in the wrong spots.

Dolans also seen car collectors who would trade interior square footage for a bigger garage. Sometimes you have 6,000 square feet but a two-car garage. Well, theyd give up 1,000 square feet if they could for a six-car garage, because otherwise they dont have a place for their collection, he said. So its all about does that space match the lifestyle.

After all, isnt that the point of a huge home: a more comfortable setting for a happier life? Maybe not entirely. A 2019 research paper explains that even as the average American house has grown larger, were collectively no happier with our properties than we were 40 years ago and its largely due to envy.

At any point in time, households living in bigger houses tend to be more satisfied with their home, wrote the studys author, Clment Bellet, an assistant professor at Erasmus University in the Netherlands. However, they start to feel worse about their own house if nearby homes get bigger. The effect is so pronounced among those whose homes are in the second-largest tier, Bellet estimated, that it can trigger something of a suburban arms race, spurring homeowners to build additions and take on debt to reclaim their status.

Size is just one way buyers might quantify a homes value, however. For many wealthy buyers, Dolan said, its more about making sure a home speaks to their success. Their real estate is part of how they describe themselves to the world. so when they step up, they want to be able to make sure that people recognize the step up, he said. So it has to have certain features, like a grand entryway or a view it has to have that wow factor.

And just as a picture says a thousand words, a spectacular view is sometimes the best way to communicate grandeur. You can have a fabulous master bath, but its going to be out of style in 10 years," he said. "A view is timeless, and when people come up to a truly breathtaking view, they wont even notice your kitchen cabinets. Theyre entranced.

Another reason some wealthy buyers are cautious with oversized homes is financial prudence, Dolan said. The top end of the real estate market naturally has a smaller buyer pool, and Boston-area luxury properties took an extra 41 days to sell, on average, according to fourth-quarter 2019 data from national brokerage Redfin. Theres not a lot of liquidity in that market, he said, so some homeowners with huge homes consider cashing out into something smaller.

If a homeowner is selling a Colonial in a good neighborhood, and theyve made smart choices with their renovations over the years and stage it to have that Pottery Barn antique look, Dolan said, the home will probably sell very quickly. But once you get north of $2 million, he said, the market is less predictable, and the perfect house is in the eye of the beholder. One person may value something, and the next person may not like it at all, Dolan said. So what that leads to at the high end is sometimes homes sell immediately, or they take forever.

David Brookes, principal at Brookes + Hill Custom Builders in Waltham, notes that his wealthy clients know exactly what they want. Hes built homes up to 20,000 square feet with high-end craftsmanship and sometimes lavish touches, like real gold-leaf molding. But as a custom builder, Brookes has to please only one client and doesnt have to worry about marketing the home to a broader market. I would be really nervous if I was doing that, he said.

Size can become a liability, too, when a home is starting to feel outdated because theres just so much more that needs updating. McNeilly said there was such a glut of large 1990s houses on the market in Sudbury in the middle of last year that, at one point, there was 72 months of inventory in the $1.25 million to $1.49 million range. Anything over six months is generally considered a buyers market, he noted.

The seasonal winter slowdown brought those inventory levels back down to normal, McNeilly said. But the same thing could happen again this summer, he added, because a lot of those houses are starting to show their age and the prospect of updating something that size can overwhelm buyers. A 6,000-plus-square-foot house built in the late 1990s with minimal or older updates might need a new kitchen, updates to all four and a half baths, new flooring, and interior paint, he said. That can easily top $250,000.

The fact is, the bigger and more expensive a house is, the farther it is from the norm. That might make it more enjoyable to own but as an outlier, it can also be inherently more difficult to sell. Higher-end, older, dated, and more unique homes take longer to sell, in general, Nguyen said. It is possible to find that one buyer who falls in love, but there are fewer of them.

See the original post here:
At what point does a home become too big to sell? - The Boston Globe