The Orchards Group Announces Home of the Week

The Orchards Group’s “Home of the Week” is truly a great buy. From its lush, landscaped yard to its unique interior, the Ashewood at The Orchards of Habersham Grove in Cumming has much to offer an active adult homebuyer. Originally priced at $262,175, the home is now attractively priced at $199,990. Due to this fantastic pricing, this home won’t be on the market long. It is also one of only two remaining homes in this completed neighborhood of 88 homes!

After entering this maintenance free ranch condominium, buyers will see the details that make the home special. Two spacious bedrooms and two full baths make it easy to have guests or even grandchildren stay the night. The second bedroom can even be used as a home office or craft space. Both bathrooms feature dark maple cabinets, granite vanity tops and upgraded plumbing fixtures.

Forget about carpet stains with beautiful, glistening hardwood floors in the foyer, kitchen, dining room, living room and sunroom. The sunroom is perfect for impressing guests, sipping lemonade during the summer and watching leaves fall during autumn. During the colder months, turn on the gas burning fireplace and keep the large living room feeling cozy.

The home’s kitchen is a chef’s dream. It boasts 42” dark maple cabinets, granite countertops and a walk-in pantry. The kitchen opens to a large, formal dining room that easily sits family and friends. With enough space to hold pots, pans and guests too, the kitchen and dining room are great for entertaining.

Additionally, the Ashewood includes upgraded interior paint throughout the home and a true walk-up attic for storage from the two-car garage. The garage also has space for a workshop, large enough to hold all of those tools and gardening supplies.

Residents of Habersham Grove do not have a shortage of amenities. They enjoy the pool, exercise room and even an activities room for playing cards, socializing and more. With a vibrant Homeowners Association, yards are able to be maintenance free and residents have more time to have fun.

The community is only minutes from shopping, restaurants, entertainment, Northside Hospital, Lake Lanier and GA 400. With so many opportunities, make your next move to Habersham Grove!

The model is open on the weekends or by appointment. To take a tour, please call 678-455-8101. Also, visit www.orchardsgroup.com for more information on all of our active adult communities.

Only Two Opportunities Remain at Haywood Village at Charter Colony

Community of luxurious Richmond new homes with Energy Star features

Final Opportunities at Haywood Village

Boone Homes, known for building custom Richmond new homes in desirable communities, announces the final opportunities at Haywood Village at Charter Colony. Only one home and one home site remain at this luxury community in Chesterfield County.

The remaining standing inventory home features The Dovercroft design. Spanning 3,049 square feet, this floor plan offers five bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms. Conveniently nestled on a cul-de-sac lot, the home boasts many luxury interior finishes including a columned entrance that opens into a formal living room; a formal dining room with coffered ceiling, crown molding and wainscot molding detail; first-floor study; and a spacious owner’s suite with retreat, his and hers walk-in closets and bathroom with tub, separate shower and tile floors.

The expansive designer kitchen leaves nothing to be desired and includes a large pantry, island, granite countertops, tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances. For added convenience, the home offers an insulated, two-car garage.

Haywood Village at Charter Colony is composed of four and five bedroom single-family homes with Energy Star features priced from the $400,000s. Floor plans range from 2,700 to 4,800 square feet and boast many popular interior features such as hardwood flooring in the primary living spaces, granite countertops in the kitchen and chair rail and picture frame molding in the formal dining room. As with all Boone Homes communities, buyers are invited to customize existing plans to suit their needs and lifestyles.

In addition to the community’s beautiful new homes in Richmond, residents enjoy an expansive amenities package that includes tennis courts, pools, walking trails, tot lot, playground and a multi-purpose field. Haywood Village at Charter Colony’s sidewalks, close proximity to YMCA and adjacent county parks provide more recreational opportunities for residents.

Children residing at Haywood Village at Charter Colony attend J.B. Watkins Elementary School, Midlothian Middle School and Midlothian High School.

The Haywood Village at Charter Colony sales office is located at 14130 Charter Landing Ct., Midlothian, VA 23114. Office hours are Monday through Thursday by appointment only and Friday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

For more information about the Artisan home available at Haywood Village at Charter Colony, call Chris Parks at 804-218-7760 or visit http://www.boonehomes.net.

About Boone Homes:

Boone Homes (www.boonehomes.net) is an award-winning Virginia new home builder with offices in Richmond. With 30 years of experience, Boone Homes builds traditionally styled homes with livable designs in luxury and maintenance free neighborhoods in the best locations. For more information, call our Richmond office at 804-784-6192.

Boone Homes Announces Final Opportunities at Founders Bridge

Only five Richmond new home sites remain at luxury community

Boone Homes has only five remaining lots at its Club Villas at Founders Bridge community in Powhatan County. These Richmond new home sites boast no maintenance living, and three of the sites are conveniently nestled on the community’s Independence Golf Course.

“From the active adult to the busy professional, all buyers will love this no maintenance golf course community,” said David Owen, president of Boone Homes. “With all of the exterior maintenance taken care of, homeowners have more time to enjoy the community’s Independence Golf Course.”

New homebuyers may choose from five home designs at Founders Bridge including The Blairshire II, The Hampstead II, The Hedgestone, The Westbridge and The Westcott II plans. Homes offer all-brick exteriors, three bedrooms, as many as four bathrooms and up to 4,600 square feet of elegant living space. All floor plans feature the master suites, laundry, kitchen and living, dining and family rooms on the first floor. Popular interior features include hardwood floors, bathrooms with cultured marble countertops and ceramic tile flooring and gourmet kitchens with granite countertops, islands, 42-inch designer cabinets, GE stainless steel appliances and hardwood floors. As with all Boone Homes communities, buyers are invited to customize existing plans to suit their needs and lifestyles.

The Club Villas at Founders Bridge is an intimate, no maintenance community of 16 two-story homes priced from the $500,000s. Each home boasts single-level living that is perfect for both active adults and busy professionals. No maintenance services provided at this community include lime treatment, fertilizing, aerating, irrigation, mulching, trimming of the shrubs and trees, snow removal and leaf removal.

In addition to the community’s beautiful new luxury homes in Richmond, residents enjoy a variety of amenities that include walking trails, sidewalks, tennis courts, swimming pool, playground, clubhouse and lower Powhatan County taxes. Homeowners also have access to Independence Golf Course and Club. Featuring a Tom Fazio design, the golf course has been named in Golf Digest’s Best Places to Play since 2004.

Children residing at the Club Villas at Founders Bridge are served by Flat Rock Elementary, Powhatan Junior High and Powhatan High schools.

For more information about the five remaining home sites at Founders Bridge, call Chris Parks at 804-218-7760 or visit http://www.boonehomes.net/.

About Boone Homes:

Boone Homes (http://www.boonehomes.net/) is an award-winning Virginia new home builder with offices in Richmond. With 30 years of experience, Boone Homes builds traditionally styled homes with livable designs in luxury and maintenance free neighborhoods in the best locations. For more information, call our Richmond office at 804-784-6192.

Bob Adams Remarks on the Homebuilding Industry in Builder Magazine

Highland Homes’ president remains optimistic despite a harsh economy

Although many builders are struggling in the face of touch economic times, Highland Homes proves to be recession proof; and Builder Magazine is taking notice. Recently, the magazine interviewed Highland Homes’ president Bob Adams in its article, “One Step Ahead” where the Lakeland-based builder remarked that it still sees a profit in its Lakeland, Orlando and Tampa new homes despite the current harsh economic situation.

“We are excited to have the opportunity to share our story with Builder Magazine,” says Bob Adams, owner and president of Highland Homes. “For more than a decade, we have strived to be a leading homebuilder in Florida by constructing quality homes in the best locations throughout Central Florida, always putting buyers first with our focus on customer service and offering customer-friendly mortgage programs.”

The article highlights Adams’ expansive career in the homebuilding industry as well as Highland Homes’ key to success including excellent customer service, the use of social media to stay connected with prospects and homeowners and extensive, ongoing employee training.

Founded in 1996 by Robert J. and Joel Adams, Highland Homes has spent more than a decade establishing its commitment to providing Florida buyers with quality homes at affordable prices by putting a focus on excellence and family values. Dedication, strong leadership and personal commitment have made Highland Homes a leading builder in Central Florida.

Highland Homes constructs new single-family homes in communities throughout Central Florida that range from 1,210 to 2,827 square feet with three to five bedrooms and many popular features such as covered lanais, open layouts and master retreats with walk-in closets and garden tubs. The Central Florida home builder is a value leader with new home prices starting from the low-$100,000s and a $99 out-of-pocket move-in offer.

For more information about Highland Homes, visit http://www.HighlandHomes.org or call 863-619-7103.

To read more about Highland Homes in Builder Magazine, visit http://www.builderonline.com/local-markets/one-step-ahead.aspx?cid=BP:111811:FULL.

Congratulations to Kimberly and Traton Homes

The 31st annual OBIE Awards were the icing on the cake of a great year for Traton Homes’ Marketing Manager Kelly Garwood. Garwood took home the honor of Marketing Director of the Year and a gold OBIE.

This year, Garwood developed a new blog for the premiere Atlanta home builder, www.TratonHomesBlog.com. The blog won the Best E-Marketing, Best Interactive Tool gold OBIE Award. In addition, Garwood also helped Traton tap into social networking as she established Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube accounts. In her spare time, she also helped facilitate the builder’s philanthropic efforts.

Above all, Garwood was instrumental in opening several new Traton Homes communities, and did so often on small budgets and tight deadlines.

Traton’s founder Bill Poston was especially impressed with Garwood’s ability to communicate Traton’s excellence through effective social media and public relations on a limited budget. Poston said, “Kimberly brings a special passion to every aspect of her work at Traton.”

Garwood’s colleagues at Traton Homes say she is a talented lady who is wonderful to work alongside. She possesses a unique ability to see the "big picture" and still keep up with managing daily tasks, and her advice is frequently sought by her colleagues. She has won Traton Homes’ Dunning Award, an award given annually to the employee who has a consistently positive attitude and plays a large role in making the company successful.

For more information on Traton Homes, see the Traton communities that took home OBIES and to get connected with the builder, visit www.tratonhomes.com.

Celebrate the Holiday Season in a Boone Homes No Maintenance Community

Maintenance Free Richmond New Homes Free Up Time

Boone Homes knows that the holidays are busy enough without having to worry about a home’s exterior maintenance. From decorating, baking and cooking to shopping for the perfect holiday gifts, there is little time left over for lawn care and home maintenance. To help alleviate some of the stress this holiday season, Boone Homes offers Richmond new homes in five no maintenance communities.

“The holidays are a wonderful time that should be spent enjoying family and friends, not raking leaves and shoveling snow,” said David Owen, president of Boone Homes. “Our no maintenance communities take care of all exterior maintenance so families are free to spend their holidays as they choose.”

Services provided by Boone Homes at its no maintenance communities include lime treatment, fertilizing, aerating, irrigation, mulching, trimming of the shrubs and trees, snow removal, leaf removal, annual gutter cleaning and exterior painting.

Each of the Richmond builder’s no maintenance communities are perfect for retirees and busy professionals. With amenity-filled homes and the luxury of a “Lock and Leave” lifestyle, these communities are designed for buyers who are looking for more out of life. Whether it is planning a holiday party, shopping for holiday gifts, wine tasting, football tailgating parties or winter travel, homeowners are free to enjoy each activity knowing that all outdoor maintenance will be completed.

Boone Homes Henrico County maintenance free neighborhoods include Bellingham in Twin Hickory, priced from the upper-$300,000s and Villas at Grey Oaks, priced from the mid-$400,000s. The homes at Bellingham in Twin Hickory span 1,800 to 3,500 square feet and feature hardwood flooring and Solaris kitchen countertops. The Villas at Grey Oaks homes boast floorplans that range from 2,600 to 3,800 square feet with luxurious crown modling detail and 42-inch kitchen cabinetry. Both communities offer luxurious amenities in addition to no maintenance services including swimming pools, tennis courts and sidewalks.

Coach Homes of Kinloch, Club Villas at Founders Bridge and Courtyard Homes in Tarrington on the James offer Richmond custom homes that range from 2,600 to 4,500 square feet. Priced from the $500,000s, all homes in these communities feature open living spaces, kitchens with granite countertops and hardwood flooring.

All homes are designed for single-level living with the master suite, study, living room, formal dining room and kitchen on the first floor and additional rooms and space on the second floor.

For more information about Boone Homes or the builder’s no maintenance communities, visit http://www.boonehomes.net or call 804-218-7760.

To stay up-to-date with the latest company news, subscribe to the blog at http://www.boonehomesblog.com, interact with the company on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/boonehomesva or follow the builder on Twitter @BooneHomes.

The Link Between Credit Cards and Mortgages

Do you currently have a mortgage on your home? If so, chances are good that credit card companies will be targeting you. According to an article by Janet Dedrick on the Equifax Finance Blog, consumers with mortgages are statistically better risks for credit card companies.

Her article, “Credit Trends: Mortgages and New Credit Cards” explains that consumers with mortgages are usually overall lower risks. She also observes other credit trends for 2011 that may surprise you.

• People with mortgages represent 42 percent of new cards issued.
  
• Almost 60 percent of new credit went to consumers with mortgages.

According to Dedrick, a majority of new credit card consumers have equity in their homes. Roughly half of them have property values estimated at $200,000 or below, with 35 percent falling in the $100,000 to $200,000 range. Even consumers who are underwater on their mortgages are still receiving new credit. Of the people with a credit score above 700, 30 percent have mortgages that are underwater. Credit card companies seem to understand that people can't control falling home values.

The number of people applying for and getting accepted for credit has increased slightly in 2011. Of course, credit limits are still tight and lenders remain cautious.

If you have applied for a new card this year, were you accepted? How do you compare with the statistics mentioned in the article?

To read Dedrick's full report, visit the Equifax Finance Blog.