Why is Julington Creek, often called the gold standard, consistently one of the most sought-after communities in St. Johns County? Residents will tell you its the great schools, nearby shopping and medical facilities, gated security and an unbeatable family lifestyle.

From the heated competition pool, family pool, water slide, water park and wading pool complemented by the three pools in the original Aquatic Center, to the $15 million recreation center, where registered participants can find workout equipment, free weights and fitness classes, there is truly something for everyone in the family, and then some. The community also features a clay-court tennis complex, fishing pond, basketball courts, skateboard park, childrens playground, cyber caf, two community rooms, child care services and a teen center.

Estate living from the low $400s

Until now, if you were looking to build a new energy-efficient custom home, the choices were few. ICI Homes proudly announces Magnolia Preserve, with a limited new home site release and a brand new floor plan line-up starting in the low $400s. Sure to please even the most discriminating buyer, this collection of wide, private estate-sized lots feature either lake or wooded preserve views with backyards spacious enough to accommodate even the biggest pool and all of your outdoor entertainment activities.

Energy-efficient home designs

This weekend, ICI Homes released three brand new home designs for Magnolia Preserve, ranging from 2,870 to 3,199 square feet. Don Wilford, ICI north Florida division president, explained, ICI has always been known for its award-winning floor plans. These new designs really push the envelope and give the buyer more space for the money, tremendous energy-efficiency and functionality, all while retaining sensational curb appeal and the highest quality finishes within. The new home designs recently made their debut in Tamaya, ICIs newest master-planned community in Jacksonville. Said Wilford, These family plans were such a hit in Tamaya, we decided to offer them here and expand the choices for our Julington Creek buyers.

Customization for the asking

If you have very specific requirements, ICI Homes can easily customize any of its floor plans to match your lifestyle. Thats something most builders cant or wont do, but its our specialty, said Wilford, who meets one-on-one with each buyer to craft the exact home of their dreams. Sometimes we can meet and after one listening session, we design what we hear and get it just right. With others, it may take an extra session or two, but we pride ourselves on being able to deliver precisely the home that each buyer wants; and almost never are two homes exactly alike.

Best pricing of the year

If you dont have time to build, consider one of ICIs three move-in ready estate homes. There has never been a better time to buy, said Lisa Sarraf, ICI sales manager. The company has just given us the best pricing of the year as an incentive to sell these three homes by September 30th. Interested buyers may make an appointment to view the homes and receive the pricing with our on-site sales executive.

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ICI Homes

by Linda Jagiela for The Central Record

In 2004, Pagliuso Custom Builders of Medford developed Budd Court in Tabernacle, building five homes in a six-lot development. The sixth property did not sell and has sat vacant for the past 10 years. The road surface in the development has not been given a top coat and landscaping required in the development was not completed.

Tabernacle Township solicitor Peter Lange contacted Pagliuso Custom Builders explaining that the remaining improvements are long overdue and the township committee would like to know when they will be completed.

The township committee questioned Frank Pagliuso at the August workshop meeting on why improvements to the development have not been completed.

According to Pagliuso, he has aggressively tried to sell the property alone or with a custom home but has not been successful. He said that even though he has reduced the price, he has had no offers. He stated that until he sells the property, he does not have the funds to complete the road work which is estimated at $33,000. Pagliuso stated that in developments such as this, the last house is where he makes his profit and until he sells it he will not be able to complete the requirements.

Pagliuso has been paying for a bond to the township for the past 10 years. He stated that he did not believe any of the open items were hurting the residents other than the top coat on the road. Pagliuso asked the township for an extension.

Township Committeeman Stephen Lee stated that he knows two of the five residents on Budd Court and theyre concerned about not having the top coat on the road.

I would not buy on Budd Court if I were looking in Tabernacle Township. I think you would have a better chance of selling the property if you put on the top coat, he told Pagliuso. Residents of Budd Court did not attend the meeting.

Pagliuso stated that he was not looking for the township to take possession of the road. He also told them that he would be able to complete the landscaping in the fall.

Mayor Joseph Barton explained that paving could only be performed in the fall and the spring and he would like to see it completed in the next paving season.

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Builder in Tabernacle blames economy for delay

Its probably safe to assume that almost every Minnesotan has their idea of the perfect getaway in the northwoods next to a lake.

Weve probably marveled at the craftsmanship at a favorite resort lodge or a well-constructed vacation home, the finely woven log construction and natural beams, the gleen of polished wood, and said, Some day

Well, some day does come. Log Homes MN, based in Walker, Minnesota, has been making those dreams a reality for 35 years, building custom homes for clients throughout the state on their favorite tract of land. Log Homes MN works often with extended families. In fact, their number one source of business is referral, clients telling friends and family members.

Log Homes Minnesota has the expertise and flexibility to start at the blueprint state with every client so your log home can be whatever you want it to be. The home is designed to meet your needs and budget and enhance your property.

The LHM crew is well trained, have many years of experience and just love to build. The office staff, foremen and carpenters communicate and work together to ensure every detail is taken care of. Most importantly they take the time to listen to clients.

Their customer testimonials are impressive:

Building a house can be a trying experience for some people, that was NOT our experience working with Log Homes Minnesota. In 1999 we were looking to build a home on Potato Lake in Park Rapids, MN. We had been told that log houses were expensive to build, so we were looking for a conventional builder. A friend of ours was just completing a log home with Log Homes MN and recommended we talk with them. After meeting with Log Homes MNs sales representative, Steve Larson, we decided to go forward and have them build our home. We had existing floor plan ideas and Log Homes, MN efficiently placed then with one of their foot prints. We completed the house in February of 2000.

In 2002, the beautiful wooded lot next door to us became available. We contacted Steve Larson again and decided to build a second home with Log Homes MN on the new lot. Our second home was a modification of the first, similar in some respects, but also very different in others. The building process, however, was the same efficient and enjoyable. The second home was completed in May 2003. Building a second home with the same builder within 2 1/2 years of the first building experience says a lot about the builder. Im not looking to build a third house soon but if we were we would build it with Log Homes MN. We found that their costs were competitive, they completed things when they said they would, their builders were craftsmen, their subs were easy to work with and respectful. We couldnt be happier with the product that we received from Log Homes MN and we do not hesitate in recommending them to anyone considering building a home.

Log Homes Minnesota is located just north of Walker, which is in north central Minnesota, right on highway 371. You cant miss it, as they have three model homes, that provide the perfect opportunity to view the outstanding quality up close and give you plenty of ideas to incorporate into your dream home.

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Does your dream include a log home?

By Simon Lambert

Published: 01:22 EST, 28 August 2014 | Updated: 08:34 EST, 28 August 2014

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Buy land, theyre not making it anymore. That classic Mark Twain-attributed quote may often get wheeled out for property-related reasons, but if you are hoping to buy any to build your own home on youll find it heavy going.

A plot was hatched three years ago by the Government to encourage more self and custom build homes.

Empowering a small army of Britons to start building their own grand - or more modest - designs was touted as at least part of the answer to our twin problems of not building enough homes and too high house prices.

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Grand Designs: Kevin McCloud's Channel 4 property show has put building your own home on the minds of many more people, but finding somewhere to do so is a problem.

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Building your own home can beat high house prices, so make it easier

Tilson is the family owned Build On Your Lot custom builder that more Texans trust. Built On Your Lot means you find the perfect piece of land and well build a beautiful home on it.

Weve been building in Texas for over 80 years and have built a reputation for reliability, quality, and value. Were also known for being very flexible. We encourage you to bring us your ideas or get inspired from our large library of plans. With Tilson, you get the home you want, the way you want it built on your land from the ground up.See our models on this website or visit them at our Model Home Centers.

As a custom builder, our award-winning design team can work with you to create your dream home. Choose a gallery from the list below to see images of our homes and get inspiration for your new home design.

Create a My Tilson Home account to store your favorite home plans and images. Keep notes about your dream home, save floor plan changes, and share them with friends.

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Tilson Homes - Custom Homebuilder in Texas

The Park City Area Home Builders Association will continue the Park City Area Showcase of Homes this weekend and next weekend. (Courtesy of the Park City Area Home Builders Association)

The idea is to recognize the builders, the architects and the interior designers of these homes, said Geri Strand, executive officer of the Park City Area Home Builders Association.

"Most of these are custom homes and some of them are for sale," Strand told The Park Record. "[The tour] is a collaboration with all of them and, in some cases, the owners."

This year's Park City Area Showcase of Homes will run this weekend through Sunday, Aug. 24, and next weekend from Friday, Aug. 29, through Monday, Sept. 1.

The hours are Fridays from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. and Saturdays through Sunday and Labor Day from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Tickets are $12 in advance or online and $15 at the door, and there will be five homes on the tour that will sell tickets as well, according to Strand.

A portion of all ticket sales will be donated to the Park City Area Home Builders Charitable Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization, she said.

"A ticket is good for both weekends, so people can see a couple of homes today and tomorrow and continue the tour next weekend," she said.

There are 19 homes on the tour this year.

"The tour starts up in Deer Valley and we have a couple in the Park Meadows area, three in the Colony and we always have one up in the Woods at Parley's, which is always nice to have," Strand said.

Continued here:
Park City Area Showcase of Homes celebrates 16 years

By Carolyn Crist

For the AJC

When Kade and Caitlin Hankins decided to buy, they wanted a new home with custom features and low maintenance. They searched in Cumming, where Caitlin grew up and graduated from high school, and found a place with a decent commute to Kades office in Alpharetta.

Kade, 31, an insurance underwriter, talked about the four-bedroom home that he and Caitlin, 27, an account manager, bought in Cummings Greystone Trace neighborhood.

Q: What were you looking for in a home?

A: We wanted a Craftsman-style house with a basement, hardwood floors, tile in the bathrooms and granite countertops. We wanted all of the higher-end features, which is what really sold us on this place. The builders saw our vision from the beginning and helped us through the process.

Q: What was the market like?

A: The housing market was trending upward, with a lot of buyers and not a lot of properties. When we saw this home, there were two other couples coming to look at it and one prepared to make an offer.

Q: How did you move on this home?

A: We decided to go ahead and make an offer and were the first ones to turn in a bid. We got it.

The rest is here:
Couple customizes Cumming home

The term sustainable living is being enhanced by a new home feature that used to be earmarked as an extravagance.

The addition of elevators to Central Okangan homes, whether installing the finished product or creating the space for an elevator shaft in an older home, is beginning to have an impact on the local real estate market.

And realtors are beginning to take notice, as the baby boomer generation ages into retirement, many are wanting to remain in their homes long after their mobility becomes limited.

Nazi Khajavi, a local estate agent, said the market trend is clearly placing greater prominence on elevator installations as a desired feature for new homes.

I think people who live in walk-ups and are in a wheelchair or have trouble with stairs, elevators can help accommodate them so they can continue to live in a two-storey home, Khajavi said.

In this market, she says the traditional rancher option that retired folks might have migrated to in the past to eliminate the stairs issue isnt the trend house buyers are necessarily looking for today.

They like the two-storey house primarily because of the views that second floor offers. So if you have an elevator, that opens up access for people who otherwise would be limited to the main floor. Having an elevator opens up the house to those who are mobility challenged. And the other aspect is just the convenience of moving up and down in the house or if you are having to move items around that otherwise would be hauled up or down the stairs, she said.

With a price range that tends to start at about $28,000, Khajavi says right now house prices for people wanting elevators tends to start at about $750,000 and up.

But if the demand continues to increase, she sees that changing, noting that if you are not elderly or in a wheelchair, its not a feature you would think of including in your house.

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Home: Getting elevated a good thing for boomers

APPLETON (WFRV) New home constructions is on a strong, steady course in our area. That's despite delays coming out of a cold winter and wet spring.

"All of those houses that were started late are starting to work themselves through. And hopefully, that bodes for a strong fall season as well," said Tom Rooney, Director of Sales and Marketing for Mark Winter Homes in Appleton.

In many areas, new housing starts for April through June are just below thouse for the same time last year. Builders credit pent up demand, especially in desirable school districts.

"The markets that seem to be hottest in our area are Hobart. The starts are strong there. I think it's pretty much across the board with Green Bay, Lawrence, Ledgeview, Suamico and Howard," said Paul Soletiski, Bay Lakes Builders of Green Bay.

Areas around Appleton North High School and Kimberly High School are also booming. But that's creating a shortage of building lots in some areas. Though that's helping the existing home market.

"Actually it's helping the pre-existing homes because we not seeing as much inventory as new construction, as builders really shift to building custom homes," said Rooney.

But for those who are looking to build brand new or find an existing home, builders say the time is now and time maybe limited.

"Interest rates are fabulous right now. We haven't seen a lot of great rises in pricing. And I think it's coming," Rooney said.

Local 5's Terry Kovarik has more.

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New home starts surging in NE WI/Fox Cities

APPLETON (WFRV) New home constructions is on a strong, steady course in our area. That's despite delays coming out of a cold winter and wet spring.

"All of those houses that were started late are starting to work themselves through. And hopefully, that bodes for a strong fall season as well," said Tom Rooney, Director of Sales and Marketing for Mark Winter Homes in Appleton.

In many areas, new housing starts for April through June are just below thouse for the same time last year. Builders credit pent up demand, especially in desirable school districts.

"The markets that seem to be hottest in our area are Hobart. The starts are strong there. I think it's pretty much across the board with Green Bay, Lawrence, Ledgeview, Suamico and Howard," said Paul Soletiski, Bay Lakes Builders of Green Bay.

Areas around Appleton North High School and Kimberly High School are also booming. But that's creating a shortage of building lots in some areas. Though that's helping the existing home market.

"Actually it's helping the pre-existing homes because we not seeing as much inventory as new construction, as builders really shift to building custom homes," said Rooney.

But for those who are looking to build brand new or find an existing home, builders say the time is now and time maybe limited.

"Interest rates are fabulous right now. We haven't seen a lot of great rises in pricing. And I think it's coming," Rooney said.

Local 5's Terry Kovarik has more.

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New home starts surnging in NE WI/Fox Cities