Category Archives: Featured

Ryan Homes Announces New Single Family Homes at Birkdale Grove

new homes near Charlotte

Ryan Homes is excited to announce new homes coming soon to Birkdale Grove in Huntersville, N.C. Carolina new home buyers who have been searching for the perfect new home in this prestigious area won’t want to miss out on this limited opportunity!

Homeowners at Birkdale Grove will enjoy a selection of six unique floor plans with up to six bedrooms and more than 2,500 square feet of living space. These homes are all priced from the $280,000s with brick or stone fronts, HardiePlank Colorplus siding, two-car garages, extensive landscaping packages, high-end finishes and much more! Like all new Ryan homes, these homes are fully Energy Star certified, meaning your utility costs will be cut by up to 30 percent. With only 13 homesites remaining, interested buyers should act now!

Huntersville is a sought-after area, and Birkdale Grove is just one mile to shopping, movie theaters and restaurants. Residents will also enjoy being just north of Charlotte with convenient access to Birkdale Golf Club, Lake Norman and I-77.

For more information on these wonderful new homes, visit www.RyanHomes.com.

Net-Zero Homes Under Construction in South Carolina

net-zero South Carolina real estate

When you think of housing markets leading the way in green and energy efficient building, you most likely think of California. However, green home builder Nexus EnergyHomes is expanding their efforts to the South Carolina market with two new communities where geothermal and solar PV is a standard combination for each home.

The developer’s Carolina real estate designs call for geothermal heating and cooling, energy recovery ventilation, PV solar array, state-of-the-art electronic and web-based controls and monitoring systems, super insulated building shells and Energy-Star rated appliances.

When combined, these technologies enable homes to produce almost as much energy as they consume, saving these lucky homeowners thousands of dollars each year annually on energy expenses.

Sunchaser at Bridlewood Farms in Ridgeville, South Carolina is a 30 home community with homes ranging in size from 1,900 to 3,100 square feet and pricing from the mid $250,000s.

At Sundial GeoSolar Community of River Birch in Summerville, South Carolina, buyers will find 12 three to five bedrooms homes with 2,500 to 3,450 square feet and pricing from the mid $300,000s.

For more information on these net-zero energy home opportunities, visit the Nexus EnergyHomes website.

Sneak Peek: New Design Trends from PPG Porter Paints

Carolina real estate design trends

Carolina real estate design trends

PPG Porter Paints is rolling out five new trends this fall, and Carolina real estate homeowners can be some of the first to take a sneak peek at what we’ve got planned.

The first trend, “Everyday Hero,” encompasses much more than just color!

It is all about building a life with values and balance. You can achieve peace and serenity through more than just actions, your living and working environments can have a huge impact on your sanity!

Everyday Hero focuses on a laid back, easy spirit achieved through simple spaces and durable objects. A few well-made items are better than an overload of junk!

Beauty can be found in natural items such as wood grains, planters for herbs and natural fibers, and versatility is key. Transform your coffee table into so much more by using a table that converts to seating and storage! There is no need for a storage bin and a coffee table.

Color wise, think earthy hues rich in color such as corn yellow, olive green and terra cotta. These colors along with denim blues and warm grays will provide plenty of color, while keeping to the neutral and soothing concept of “Everyday Hero.”

For more information on all of the latest design trends, visit the PPG Porter Paints website.

Tessa Jones is a South Zone Color Consultant with PPG Porter Paints

Durham Named a Hot City for Foreclosures

durham a hot city for foreclosures

With the real estate market in the condition it’s in, buyers these days are looking to get the best deal possible. In most markets, housing prices are still extremely affordable and interest rates are low, so buyers are able to get more house for less money. However, these conditions are starting to cause a decrease in inventory, especially foreclosure inventory, in many areas, which means prices may soon be on the rise. Even though all of this is true, Business Insider recently named Durham as one of the 10 hottest cities for investing in foreclosed homes.

According to RealtyTrac, home sales prices in the area increased by almost 20 percent between the first quarter of 2011 and the first quarter of this year, but the average foreclosure sale price remains around $150,000. This price is considered an almost 25 percent discount when compared to pricing on a North Carolina new home. However, foreclosure buyers need to act quickly because the company predicts that the foreclosure inventory is down to almost only 11 months of supply.

The only other southern city to make Business Insider’s list is Montgomery, while the rest were confined to Massachusetts, Washington, California, Ohio, Arizona and Rhode Island.

Greenville Remains On June’s Improving Markets Index

iStock

iStock

Good news for South Carolina real estate buyers and residents, Greenville remains this month on the list  of the  nation’s improving markets on the monthly NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index.

Improving economic conditions have resulted in payroll employment being down just 5.2 percent from its highest point set in February 2008. This number is also up 4 percent from its lowest point set in September 2009. Single family home permitting is also up 3.2 percent from its low point set in September 2010.

Greenville’s success has been due to the city’s ability to reinvent itself from a textile center into a growing center for automotives, healthcare and logistics. Greenville is a transportation hub for many trucking firms and distribution centers because of its prime I-85 location between Atlanta, GA and Charlotte, NC. Greenville is also home to two highly regarded and still growing major health systems. Plus, the city is home to the North American headquarters for Michelin and BMW as well as the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research.

The Improving Marketing Index is a relatively new index unveiled by the National Association of Home Builders. It serves to draw attention to the fact that housing market are local, and that there are many metro areas where economic recovery is underway. The index measures monthly data on employment, single family housing permit growth and housing prices to determine whether or not a market is improving.

Florence, SC also made the June list, while the following North Carolina cities are on the list: Jacksonville, Burlington, Goldsboro, Greenville and Hickory.