What do homebuyers love about The Riverfront at Harbour View in Suffolk, VA?

 

The Riverfront at Harbour View- Hampton Roads area of VirginiaNeighborhood CloseUp - Virginian Pilot HOME Reprinted from the Virgninian Pilot
by Sandra J. Pennecke / Correspondent


LEW AND KAREN HENDRICKS looked at just one neighborhood when they decided to move to Hampton Roads three years ago. That community, The Riverfront at Harbour View, had them hooked from the start. "We fell in love with it," Karen said. "We feel really blessed." After 30 years in a single-family home in Pennsylvania, the couple designed a 4,000-squarefoot house in the 11-year-old community along the Nansemond and James rivers in northern Suffolk. Not only did the Hendrickses love the style of homes, but also the river views, amenities - including an 18-hole golf course - and host of activities available to residents. "I wanted somewhere where I could flourish," said Karen, who is retired and participates in two bunco groups, a golf league, wine tastings, parties and whatever else comes up.

The social offerings also attracted Mike and Belinda Arthur, who moved to the The Riverfront two years ago from Hampton. As empty nesters, the couple wanted activities that could keep them busy. A full-time activities director schedules programs activities for all ages. "It's beautiful and there's so much to do," Belinda said. "It's like being on vacation year-round living here."

Developed by East West Communities, The Riverfront at Harbour View was the site of 2001's Homearama, the Tidewater Builders Association showcase of custom homes, and will host the event again this fall. The community is located off Interstate 664 near the Suffolk city line, and is about five minutes from Chesapeake, 10 minutes from Portsmouth, and 15 minutes from Norfolk and Hampton.

When fully developed, the upscale community will have about 1,200 dwellings, with two-thirds of the properties featuring premium views of the water or golf course. Custom-home styles include French country, English cottage, Craftsman , traditional and transitional with European architectural influences. Homes sell for $500,000 to $2 million. Also available are condominium and carriage homes starting around $260,000.
Mark Edwards, broker and senior vice president for East West, said the property's natural beauty, convenient location, housing price range and styles, and resort-style living combine to make it a unique community. The Riverfront at Harbour View was selected Community of the Year multiple times by the TBA and was the first inductee into the association's Community Hall of Fame. Fall Homearama, featuring eight to 13 homes starting in the low $500,000s, will be Oct. 15 to 30 at The Riverfront. Visit www. tbaonline.org or www.the-riverfront.com for details.





About the area
The Riverfront Information Center/model is at 6101 Walkers Ferry Lane, in Suffolk, VA and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and noon to 5 p.m. weekends. For more info, call (757) 638-9100, or visit www.the-riverfront.com.

Nearby recreation The Residents' Club with indoor and outdoor fireplaces, plasma screen television and gazebo cabana bar; Swim Club and pavilion with junior Olympic swimming pool and 100-foot waterslide, and a second swimming pool (with an infinity edge) overlooking the 26-acre Eagle Lake; two waterfront parks with piers and gazebos; a 43-acre lake with walking/jogging paths; two tennis courts and volleyball courts, lakefront amphitheater with gazebo and picnic area; children's playgrounds, leisure/ biking trials; Village Square Park, 2-acre landscaped park with waterfalls and a babbling brook; and the 18-hole Riverfront Golf Course.

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• June 2010

Neighborhood 5K Family Race and BBQ raises money for the American Red Cross

Looking for a way to raise money for the American Red Cross? Our neighborhood community association Board deserves alot of credit. In less than a month, they organized a 5k family Run and BBQ at our neighborhood yacht club- all to help raise money for the American Red Cross. It was put togehter in just a matter of weeks, but you couldn't tell by the way it was run on Saturday.

Plans have already begun for next year's race and I'm sure it will be bigger and better, judging by those who participated in the Gatling Pointe event yesterday.

Gatling Pointe is a waterfront community adjacent to the small town of Smithfield, Virginia. The neighborhood has its own clubhouse restaurant, riverfront pool complex, playground, tennis & volleyball couts, and a 68 slip marina. Homes range from the $300's to $1 million. For more information about Gatling Pointe, visit www.gatlingpointe.com.

There's No Place Like Home! Tour 6 New Models at Founders Pointe near Smithfield, VA this weekend.

There's no place like home! Tour six brand new models for sale in the new Founders Pointe waterfront community near Smithfield, Virginia this weekend. In addition, you can see our new Sales & Information Center model home which features a "Wizard of OZ" themed room. One visit to our game room, and mom & dad won't be able to get their kids to leave. To find out more about our models open for tour, visit www.founderspointe.com.


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Discover the latest trends in new home construction while you experience this waterfront community. You'll find six exquisite homes on beautiful, wooded homesites by the area's finest builders. Homes featured on tour: 213 Summerhouse Lane; Emerson Builders @ $459,900 112 Richmond Way; Orleans Homebuilders @ $499,875 102 Carter's Creek Lane; Sadler Building Corporation @ $569,000 303 Founders Pointe Trail; Area Builders of Tidewater @ $585,000 119 Commanders Cove; Norman Miller Custom Homes @ $639,900 112 Patriots Ridge; Emerson Builders @ $699,900

Founders Pointe features a lakefront Residents' Club & resort styled swimming pool with a 112' water slide, children's playground, three miles of walking trails, and an 844' Observation Pier that overlooks Batten Bay, James River, and the bay of Hampton Roads. New homes range from the $400's to over $1 million. Centrally located in the Hampton Roads area, Founders Pointe offer the best in waterfront living.

    

No Fudge Ripple! Latest Offer Takes the Cake!

Part of me was a little put off by the latest offer on our new home for sale in one of our new home communities in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, but part of me just had to laugh. At least THIS buyer has a sense of humor.

As many listing agents are fielding some weird offers on existing homes they have listed for sale these days, I doubt anyone has had the special request that we received this week. First, it appeared to be your normal offer to purchase, the buyer wanted to negotiate the price, ask for closing costs assistance, expand the deck, add a patio, etc. Then as you read the bottom of the addendum, right after install a "doggie door", there it was...."and fully stock the frig with Ben & Jerry's ice cream" What tha He%*@#!

Our builder asked, " Are they serious?" The other agent, who was doing her best to represent her client and she responded yes. So after thoughtful review, we're still a little confounded. Should we delete this request from our counter or try to do EVERYTHING we can to make this buyer happy? How about countering with limiting the freezer stocking to VANILLA flavor? No Fudge Ripple!



     

LIBERTY RIDGE Art Show & Grand Opening was a win/win for local Williamsburg schools and the new custom home community

Williamsburg, VA -(May, 2011) - On Saturday and Sunday, May 14 and 15, an art show and open house was held at the new master-planned Liberty Ridge neighborhood by East West Communities, located in Williamsburg - just outside of Colonial Williamsburg. The event featured art displayed in two new model homes, the fully furnished Liberty Ridge by Charles Ross Homes and the Breakwater by Michael C. Brown Custom Builder.

Developed in partnership with one smART gallery, an art events company representing over 300 artists throughout VA, Liberty Ridge presented a showing of original art including contemporary & traditional paintings, sculpture and furniture. Works of art by 18 featured artists was displayed in both homes. Pieces of art completed by Williamsburg area students in the Fine Arts Program at Warhill and Lafayette High School was also displayed and over $1,200 was raised in a silent auction to support the continued growth of art and music in these two local high schools.

Dr. Dianna Lindsay, the Assistant Superintendent for the Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools, attended the art show and commented, "What an original idea to have an art gallery showing in these beautiful model homes. I enjoyed the event and am thrilled that it helped fund our fine arts program."
A full list of artists, samplings of their work and more information about this unconventional art show can be found at www.libertyridgeva.com/gallery-show or by calling the Liberty Ridge Information Center at 757-565-1100.

The Liberty Ridge Information Center is located at 3400 Liberty Ridge Parkway. The community encompasses 138 homesites on 550 acres, with each homesite ranging from 3 to 9 acres in size. The property is made up of beautiful, rolling terrain graced with a mature tree canopy. A Residents' Club with a resort-style swimming pool, clubhouse, outdoor fireplace, babbling brook, children's play area, biking/walking trails, and two community parks will be featured in the community.





 The Breakwater model was one of two model homes showcasing the art from 18 different artists from across the state of Virginia. The Breakwater model is listed with East West Realty for $1,500,000 and is located on a three acre privately wooded homesite. For more information, visit http://www.libertyridgeva.com/.
View the interactive community siteplan for Liberty Ridge.

East West Communities· 3400 Liberty Ridge Parkway • Williamsburg, VA • 23188Phone: (757) 565-1100 or toll free 1-877-558-1188

 

 

Why a New Home Could Be the Best Option in Today's Real Estate Market

A couple of weeks ago, we had a customer walk into our Sales Center, and he said he was just in the area to look at a short sale in the area. He stopped in because he wanted to see what new homes were available and what they had to offer. (His agent didn't suggest he look at new homes) After discussing his wants and needs, we looked at three homes and the next day he returned to write a contract on one of our new homes that was priced $150,000 more than the short sale listing (same size home, but different features). I'm sharing this true story because we see this happen quite often, much to the surprise of many in the business. I've listed below a few reasons why buyers should consider the right home and the right community and not just focus totally on what they perceive to be the right price.

I realize that many buyer brokers are looking for the "best deal" for their clients because their buyers initially tell them, "I want the best price for a house, I don't want to pay too much in today's economy". Fair enough. I understand that there are short sale opportunities out there and many potential buyers see them as the best deal on the surface. But is it really the best home for their family? What is the right decision? Is it the right price but the wrong decision for your family? The lowest price home may not be the right home.
Too many times, we qualify buyers by asking them just the price range, the number of bedrooms & baths, square footage, etc. I've witnessed many instances where buyers, who recently bought a resale, came into our Information Centers and say, "I had no idea that your community offered so much...our real estate agent didn't bring us here...we would've loved to have had a clubhouse and pool for our kids to grow up around"...or "the quality in your homes is much better than the resale we just bought four months ago". What's the big picture?

How often do you know what they're really feeling? Do we listen well enough to discover what matters most to the buyer? Many times, buyers say one thing, but aren't ready to open up and share their true feelings and motivations. It's wise to include a new home community in your initial tour. You can rely on the site agent to help qualify their needs and wants. At our new home communities in the Hampton Roads area, we try to figure out the right match (home plan/homesite) for potential buyers first. If you're showing homes for sale in our price range, at least expose your buyer to all options before they lock in on what may not be the right home for them.



Sometimes buyers come into our offices totally focused on getting the right price (a deal), but ignoring what's best for their family. As a new homes agent, we need to get the buyer focused on what they want to accomplish...what's right for their family?

• Agents must listen to what is most important to the buyer. Know the right involvement questions to ask.
• A good new homes community representative can actually help bring out a buyer's true motivation. It's important not to try and "take over" a situation where the buyer agent is there. Always make the buyer agent feel important, include them, and never come across as too pushy.
• Site agents need to respect the relationship between the buyer broker and client.
• Buyer broker agents should not be afraid to allow new home listing agents to demonstrate some of the community's amenities, advantages, and unique selling propositions.
• Price adjustments have been made in our new home communities. Many buyers and agents are discovering that new home construction pricing is at a very competitive level. Today's new homes include more quality features and energy efficient products than many resale homes.
• New homes built today in our region are also built to stricter building codes than they were three or four years ago. Higher insulation values, higher SEER ratings on HVAC equipment, and tougher structural requirements on construction. They may want a home built to a higher standard and one that's more energy efficient. Plus the floor plans are changing to the way people want to live today.  New homes may be a more attractive option than it has in the past, and they should not be ignored when a buyer is comparing the best home for them.                                                                                                                                                             
• Right Home + Right Neighborhood + Fair Price = Happy Homeowner

One of the things that never changes in the real estate industry is the importance of building relationships with Realtors and builders in your area. New homes agents and resale agents should work together to help a customer see all of their options in the marketplace. It's okay if the buyer doesn't like the product you're selling... sometimes, it's not meant for them, it's not the place for them. They won't know it until they see the features and benefits firsthand. Let's work together to help our buyers find the Right Home for their family at a fair price.



For more information about new homes in the Hampton Roads area of Viriginia, visit www.eastwestcommunities.com, waterfront communities check out www.gatlingpointe.com, www.the-riverfront.com, and www.founderspointe.com.

 

Relocating to the Hampton Roads area? Check out this new home by Sadler Building Corporation in Founders Pointe, VA,

102 Carter's Creek Lane, Founders Pointe, located in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. Come to Founders Pointe, a waterfront community centrally located in Hampton Roads, and discover the perfect pairing of yesterday's hometown feeling with today's convenient lifestyle.

 

• Brand new model by Sadler Building Corporation currently listed for sale with East West Realty for $569,000 on Carter's Creek Lane by Sadler Building Corporation.
• Superior quality construction in this featured model.
• Relax on you screened back porch, backyard stone fireplace and stamped concrete pation. Enjoy outdoor living on the front porch as well.
• Second floor game room/media room is central to the home. First floor bedroom gives you another "flex room" for a home office or inlaw suite.
• Quality appointments include granite counter tops in Kitchen and master bath, hardwood floors in the Study, Dining Room, Family Room & foyer, tile in the Kitchen and baths. Generous allowances for appliances, light fixtures, carpeting, landscaping, sod & irrigation, and hardiplank exterior.
• Unfinished third floor gives excellent expansion possibilities

Life at Founders Pointe begins at home, with quality homes tucked into quiet lanes and private cul-de-sacs, made all the more inviting by marsh, creek and wooded views. Ten custom homebuilders are providing a wide array of innovative home designs featuring a variety of distinctive architectural styles.



Overlooking the Batten Bay, with creeks and tributaries flowing to the James River, there's never a shortage of breathtaking vistas and outdoor activities. Residents enjoy resort-style amenities including a community clubhouse with swimming pool, a children's playground, leisure trails for walking and biking, and more. Even socializing with your neighbors is made effortless at Founders Pointe, with a year-round calendar of social events planned by a community Activities Director.

With quality custom homes from the upper $400′s to over $1 million, this community provides you with not only the home of your dreams, but the opportunity to live the lifestyle you have always dreamed of living. Founders Pointe is centrally located to all of Hampton Roads, near the historic town of Smithfield, just 3 miles south of the James River Bridge in the Carrollton area of Isle of Wight County - a quick 10 minute drive to the Peninsula or 25 minutes to downtown Norfolk.

For more information, call Donita Frantz or Mark Edwards with East West Realty. Founders Pointe Information Center is open daily. Looking for New homes and waterfront homesites? Check out Founders Pointe and The Riverfront at Harbour View- both considered one of the Hampton Roads' area most successful new home communities.