New Cherokee County Homes For the New Year

What would be a better start to 2014 than ringing in the new year in a new home? Starting off the New Year in a Smith Douglas home! Luckily, the Atlanta home builder has several move-in ready or almost complete Cherokee County homes at River Brooke in Canton.

• Home site 77: This move-in ready McPherson plan offers families four bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms for $177,500. Features of this home include hardwood floors, custom trim, a breakfast bar large enough for four, built-in desk in the kitchen, large pantry, wood burning fireplace, master suite with sitting room and much more.
• Home site 60: This Greenbriar plan home priced at $159,000 will be complete in January. In addition to four bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms, this home offers a large open living area including a kitchen with breakfast bar and breakfast nook, a master suite with deep trey ceiling and spacious secondary bedrooms.
• Home site 78: Priced at $154,000, this three bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom Benson plan will also be ready in January. The Benson is one of the builder's most popular plans, and this particular home features a second floor loft, large laundry room, oversized vanity in the master bathroom and more.

In addition to these affordable Atlanta new homes, the builder will soon start construction on phase two of the community. When buying a home in phase two, you'll have the luxury of picking your floor plan, features and lot. Plus, the builder is offering special low pricing on these pre-sale opportunities.

In addition to beautiful new homes, River Brooke has a family-friendly amenities package including a swimming pool with cabana and a playground.

River Brooke is ideally located off of I-575 at exit 20. Residents will never have to travel far to enjoy all of the local shops, restaurants, parks and entertainment venues, and children will attend William G. Hasty Sr. Elementary, Teasley Middle and Cherokee High schools.

Visit the model home at 250 Renford Road in Ball Ground to secure your new home for the New Year today! Interested buyers may also call 678-880-8795 to learn more.

Lower Interest Rates Make Metro Atlanta Homes Even More Affordable

With the holiday season here again, shoppers are busy buying gifts for everyone on their list and looking to save money in the process. Make this holiday season one to remember with one of Smith Douglas Communities' new homes and special interest rate pricing; through December 20, 2013, the Atlanta home builder is offering 3.99 percent interest rates on all standing inventory homes with use of their preferred lender.

With more than 15 metro Atlanta new home communities, buyers have plenty of options to choose from when it comes to location. Smith Douglas Communities currently has homes for sale in Cherokee, Forsyth, Gwinnett and Paulding Counties.

A majority of the builders' homes are already affordably priced under $200,000, and with special interest rate pricing, you won't find a better deal on an new home in Atlanta  this holiday season. Whether you're downsizing, are a first-time buyer or a growing family, Smith Douglas' quality homes are built to fit your lifestyle needs. The builder offers more than 30 unique, flexible floor plans with energy efficient features and beautiful exteriors all backed by a 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty.

To learn more about all of Smith Douglas' inventory homes in metro Atlanta or for details on this limited time offer, visit www.SmithDouglas.com or call 770-485-7086.

Must use preferred lender and close by Dec 20, 2013. Call for Details. Program guidelines and rates are subject to change without notice. Cannot be used with any other offer, Smith Douglas Communities is not a lender, call for preferred lender contact info. All information is believed to be accurate but is not guaranteed and subject to change without notice. 

Richmond Home Builder to Open Second Wyndham Community

Boone Homes, an award-winning builder of Virginia new homes, is pleased to announce that it will introduce a second community of Richmond luxury homes at Wyndham, Ellington Woods. Only the second community to be introduced to Wyndham in the past 10 years, Ellington Woods will feature 29 new homes priced from $725,000.

These Richmond new homes will feature spacious home designs with open layouts and upscale design selections. Each plan will include an optional basement or optional finished third floor, and 12 of the 29 new homes will be located on private home sites backing up to protected areas.

Construction on these new homes is scheduled to begin in January 2014 with the first residents moving in by the end of August. Boone Homes will also begin construction on the community's model home in February.

The master-planned community of Wyndham offers a state-of-the-art amenities package, including a swimming pool, tennis courts, soccer field, basketball court, tot lots, gazebo and an amphitheater overlooking Otter Pond and Wyndham Lake. Community residents may also join the Dominion Club, which offers a 28,000 square foot clubhouse, fitness center, tennis center, swimming pool, driving range and 18-hole golf course in the heart of the community.

Residents of Ellington Woods at Wyndham will enjoy a prime location convenient to local shops, restaurants, parks and interstates, and the community's youngest residents will attend excellent schools within the Henrico County School District, including Shady Grove Elementary, Short Pump Middle and Deep Run High.

Interested buyers may register for the community's VIP list by visiting www.BooneHomes.net. For more information on this new community, please call 804-708-5127.

Benefits of Lower Mortgage Interest Rates

If you're in the market for a new home, you know by now that while interest rates may by rising slowly, they are nowhere near as high as they have been historically. Currently, the rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage is around 4.35 percent, an increase from the average 3.5 percent we were seeing just a few short months ago. However, with Keystone Custom Homes, right now you can take advantage of 2.75* percent interest on their 26 quick-delivery homes.

Getting a lower interest rate on your mortgage has several benefits. The first, and most obvious, is the money you will save on your monthly payment and over the life of the loan. Even a rate reduction of one-half of a percent can make a noticeable difference in your payments. Homeowners can use the money they are saving on their loan to make improvements to their home, to save for retirement or even to put down on the principal of their loan to pay it off sooner. The second benefit is that because you will be borrowing less money, you will have more credit available to you after you make your home purchase. While it isn't wise to max out your credit, being able to secure an auto loan or credit card can come in handy.

If securing a lower interest rate on  a beautiful new home sounds like a dream come true, Keystone Custom Homes currently has 26 homes that will be move-in ready before 2014. This means you can move into your new home in Pennsylvania or Maryland faster, and save yourself money in the long run.

To learn more about their quick delivery homes and Keystone Custom Homes' current interest rate offer, call Barb DiBrito at 717-368-9831.

*The rate is based on an FHA thirty year, 5/1 ARM. The minimum down payment is 3.5 percent of the purchase price. The loan will be adjustable yearly after the initial fixed term of five years. The maximum increase per year is once percent. Seller is contributing a maximum of two points to buy down the current rate of 3.5 percent. The APR is 4.790 percent. Rates may be higher if customer does not meet underwriting criteria. Loans provided by Seller’s preferred lenders; buyer must use one of Seller’s preferred lenders and title company. Buyers must settle by December 18, 2013. Offer only available on Quick Delivery Homes. Offer subject to change without notice. Other financing available.

Central Pennsylvania Business Journal Lists Highlight Local Businesses

Many local business journals are famous for the "Book of Lists" they produce each year listing the top local corporations by industry and by overall revenue. Recently, the Central Pennsylvania Business Journal, which has a circulation of more than 10,000, released their newest Book of Lists, which included the top 100 private companies.

The top 100 private companies list ranks firms on an annual basis by total revenue, and represents those local companies whose dreams, dedication and hard work have propelled them into success. The list includes businesses in a variety of industries located in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties. This year's top 10 companies making the list included D&H Distributing Co, Inc.; Rutter's Holdings, Inc.; High Companies; Shipley Group DBA Shipley Energy; Utz Quality Foods, Inc.; Vibra Healthcare LLC; Worley & Obetz, Inc,; Kinsley Construction, Inc.; Gannett Fleming, Inc. and Arthur J. Glatfelter Agency, Inc.

Making this list once again at no. 35 was local home builder Keystone Custom Homes. Since its beginning in 1992, Keystone Custom Homes has established itself as one of the area's largest and most successful home builders, having also made  this year's top 100 performing builders list.

Keystone Custom Homes has experienced massive expansion during the past 18 months, now operating a total of 48 communities within 10 counties in Pennsylvania and Maryland. The builder has already closed 250 homes in 2013, putting it on track to close more than 300 homes for the first time since 2008.

And, the regional builder isn't just winning awards for their work locally, they have also been recognized on a national basis multiple times, including winning the prestigious "America's Best Builder Award" from Builder Magazine and the National Association of Home Builders an unprecedented three times.

To learn more about Keystone Custom Homes' communities, be sure to visit their website at www.KeystoneCustomHome.com.

Atlanta Home Builder Wins Gold For Watermill

Atlanta home builder Smith Douglas Communities is delighted to announce that they won a Gold OBIE in the single-family builder detached (builds 50+ homes/year) $199,999 and under category for their Chestnut plan at Watermill.

The Chestnut is a gorgeous floor plan featuring an open layout with up to six bedrooms and four bathrooms, as well as well-appointed designs and detailing throughout. A dramatic, dual return staircase leads to the home's foyer and main living area. The main living area includes a spacious kitchen with large island and breakfast nook, a family room and dining room. The first floor also offers a bedroom suite convenient for overnight guests. Upstairs, you'll find large secondary bedrooms and a massive masters' retreat with his and hers closets and a spa bathroom. Buyers love this plan due to its versatile layout!

Watermill is a community of Gwinnett County homes for sale located in Buford. This community of Atlanta homes priced under 200k is ideal for first time buyers, young families or empty nesters. Homes come in both ranch and two-story plans with four to six bedrooms, master on the main options, gourmet kitchens and much more. The community itself is convenient to I-85, the Mall of Georgia, Hamilton Mill, downtown Buford and Chateau Elan. These homes are also near top Atlanta schools including Mill Creek High.

Due to the Chestnut's popularity, Smith Douglas Communities is now also offering this metro Atlanta home plan at Cherokee Reserve, Station at Prominence, Ansley at Pilgrim Mill, Alexandria Place, Ballentine Pointe and Poplar Farms.

The OBIE Awards are the Atlanta housing industry's most prestigious awards presented annually by the Atlanta Sales and Marketing Council of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association. This year marked the awards' 33rd anniversary.

To learn more about Smith Douglas Communities' metro Atlanta homes, including the award-winning Chestnut plan, visit their website at www.SmithDouglas.com.

Residents at Active Adult Communities Create their Perfect Lifestyle

The Orchards Group’s metro Atlanta active adult communities, The Orchards of Brannon Oak Farm and The Orchards of East Cherokee, are unlike most other active adult communities. Normally, active adult communities have a Social Director that organizes all of the activities and events for homeowners to participate in. Striving to be different and make homeowners happier, The Orchards Group took a different approach by allowing homeowners to offer their input on the activities and events that are taking place. 

This idea that allowing homeowners to take responsibility for their own lifestyle makes them more involved in the community proves to be doing well at The Orchards of East Cherokee, located in Hickory Flat. Residents have been very involved in the planning events and activities, as their community has expanded in the past year, so have the events. For instance, their monthly Meet and Greet dinner has grown from being held once a month to three times! New social groups and events have also been a product of the growing community, including a Saturday night themed party, men’s coffee gathering, ladies lunch outing, craft club, book club and game days.

But how do all of these adults with varying interests get along? Mitch Block, sales and marketing director for The Orchards Group, sees the differences as a positive. “As more people purchase homes and move in to the communities, they bring with them more and more personal interests,” Block says. “Because of this, we are seeing a growing use of the clubhouse, which is exactly the intention. Hopefully, we will continue to see new groups created, such as card groups or even movie groups.”

With so many activities and outings to choose from at The Orchards Group’s two communities, residents have the option of participating in as many or little events as they choose. And if they can’t find the perfect social group or event for them, they can create it!

For more information on the active adult lifestyle that can be found at the two Orchards Group communities, contact The Orchards of Brannon Oak Farm at 678-513-8879 or The Orchards of East Cherokee at 770-345-5409. Or, visit www.OrchardsGroup.com.