Homes Sales Up 35% in the Triangle

Over the past few weeks, there have been a number of indications that consumer confidence continues to improve.

First, there was the report that Warren Buffett was bullish on real estate.

Then, Bloomberg reported that consumer confidence rose to a four-year high, which seems to coincide with gains in employment and a rally in stock prices.

Better-than-estimated economic reports sent the S&P's 500 Index over 1,400 for the first time in almost four years, and gave the Dow Jones Industrial Average its longest rally in 13 months.

Most recently, our local News & Observer ran a cover story showing the Triangle had its strongest sales jump in four years in February and home sales are up 35 percent over 2011. We have certainly felt the surge in activity at Briar Chapel - what are you waiting for?!?

Course Map Now Available for 2012 Briar Chapel 5K

The 2012 Briar Chapel 5K is six weeks away... still plenty of time to get prepared!

This year's race follows a brand-new, USATF-certified, scenic course throughout Briar Chapel. Why certified, you might ask? Well, courses must be certified for any road running performance to be accepted as a record or to be ranked nationally. Furthermore, running a race on a certified course allows you to accurately compare your time to performances run on other certified courses because you can be sure the distances were the same. No one can truly establish a personal best if the course distance is not accurate.

For more information about registering for the race and the Earth Day celebration afterwards, please see my previous post.

To download a larger copy of the course map above, visit the Abundance Foundation's website. All proceeds from the race benefit this great organization.

"Art of Living" Showcase this Saturday

If you have some free time this weekend, I encourage you to stop by and take a walking tour of the neighborhoods of Briar Chapel.

Homes will be open for you to see from 10am-5pm on Saturday and from 12-5pm on Sunday.

On Saturday, there is also going to be an "Art of Living" showcase from 3-5pm in several of the model homes throughout the community. During this event, you will have an opportunity to view the work of local artists while sampling a variety of international wines selected by Fearrington's Wine Director and Sommelier, Maximilian Kast.

See a list of wines he has chosen for the tasting.

I certainly hope to see you this weekend. If you do come, be sure to visit the model home at 371 Tobacco Farm Way and say hello!

Briar Chapel's 2011 Sales Up 13% Over Previous Year

Inman News recently ranked the Triangle as the top real estate market to watch in 2012. This was primarily due to the strength of our local economy, which is being fueled by demand for our universities and research facilities and a strong job market.

In a recent interview with Jeremy Salemson for WRAL.com, Kristy Yule (regional VP of Marketing for Newland Communities) discusses how Briar Chapel is doing in the Triangle real estate market, and how its performance compares to the other 36 communities Newland is building across the country. Watch the entire interview below.

4th Annual Briar Chapel 5K & Earth Day Celebration Scheduled

A number of festivities are planned to celebrate Earth Day 2012 in Briar Chapel this year!

On April 21st, 2012, Briar Chapel will be hosting a 5K race at 9am to benefit The Abundance Foundation, which will be followed by a kids' fun run. Featuring a brand-new course this year, the 4th Annual Briar Chapel 5K has something for everyone. Whether you are a serious competitor, spectator, or just want to come out for a fun run or walk, I hope you will make plans to attend this annual event. You can even bring your running buddy this year -- that's right, dogs and strollers are welcome!

During and after the race, there will be music, local food, massages and more! Advanced registration is $20, or $25 on race day, and includes a locally-made organic cotton t-shirt, goodie bag and a Fullsteam beer ticket you can be redeemed at the afternoon's event. Awards will be given for the top 3 male and female finishers. The course is USATF-certified (pending).

The Earth Day Celebration continues in the afternoon from 3-5pm with hands-on demos and exhibitions from local businesses and organizations, artists and athletes, food and drink artisans, and Chatham County's first ever Food Truck Rodeo! The food trucks already confirmed are Chirba Chirba, Pie Pushers, Parlour, Will & Pop's, Fullsteam Brewery, and Carolina Brewery. Similar to the recent Pepper Festival, there will also be bubbles, hoopers and face painting for the young and young at heart.

At dusk (from 5-7pm) there will be some short films shown from Briar Chapel’s sustainability PSA contest, as well as a screening of Wall-E on the lawn. The event is free, but the more you support the food & beer trucks, the more you support The Abundance Foundation. Bring your hungry friends and family!

There are 11 weeks until the race - plenty of time to get ready! If you need a little help, I suggest you check out the Couch-to-5K program.

New Model Home Open in Briar Chapel

Throughout the month of January, Briar Chapel has been featuring Homes By Dickerson in its "Builder of the Month" series. If you haven't had a chance to read about the interviews, I encourage you to check out my earlier post.

Homes By Dickerson currently offers a dozen floorplans to choose from in Briar Chapel, ranging in size from 2,000-2,900 sqft with prices starting in the $250s. Five of these plans offer a first-floor master bedroom, including the new Millhaven model home that recently opened across from the Briar Commons park in Phase 5 North (shown here).

This particular plan has a flexible layout with optional one- or two-sided fireplace, open kitchen, and elegant master suite on the main floor. The model also features a large screened porch with plenty of room for dining and entertaining, and a 2-car detached garage.

The second floor includes two additional bedrooms with a full bath, large loft area, and abundant storage. For more photos of the model, check out the virtual tour.

Whether you are searching for the privacy of a more wooded homesite, or something closer to the action - just steps away from the parks and pools - Homes By Dickerson may have just what you're looking for.

Take some time to visit their new model home at 371 Tobacco Farm Way, and see why they have such a great reputation as a green builder.

Consider Energy & Cost Savings Before Finalizing Purchase Decision

If you are in the market to purchase a home, you are likely considering both new homes and older ones listed for resale. Since Briar Chapel consists only of green-certified homes, I would suggest you also consider a third category of homes before finalizing your purchase decision: high-performance homes.

In some cases, location may trump all other buying considerations. For example, if you want to live in a particular neighborhood or area, an older existing home may be your only option (unless you tear it down and rebuild). Otherwise, newly built homes can offer fewer hassles/repairs, less maintenance, higher efficiency, and increased customization. Just keep in mind - not all new homes are built the same!

Consider the chart above, for instance, which compares the annual energy cost for three different sized homes. For example, it shows the annual energy cost of a 2,400 sqft home in Briar Chapel to be approximately $390 less than a similar new home built to code elsewhere. That amounts to $3,120 in savings over an 8-year period, the average amount of time folks tend to live in a home. Similarly, it shows you could save about $6,304 over the same period compared to a home that is 15-years old - the equivalent of several mortgage payments!

Of course, energy cost savings is only one of the reasons you should consider buying a new high-performance home. Other benefits include a healthier indoor environment, increased level of comfort, more durable materials, higher market and resale value, and the list goes on...

Source: Southern Energy Management, the third-party company that conducts performance testing and green program verification on all homes built in Briar Chapel.

Introducing Briar Chapel's Newest Park

Finishing touches are being made to the Briar Commons Park, Briar Chapel's newest addition to an ever growing list of amenities enjoyed by residents. Located in Phase 5 North, this 1.5 acre park features an amphitheater and large formal lawn area for festivals, concerts, and movies. All that remain to be installed are the two structures at each end of the park, which should be complete by early-April.

Most recently, Briar Chapel hosted the 4th Annual Pittsboro Pepper Festival in October and the 3rd Annual TORC 6BC Endurance Race in November near this park. Preparations are underway for another great event in April to coincide with Earth Day celebrations.

When the park is not being used for an event, residents love to use the space to kick a ball around, take a break from riding bicycles, host an informal picnic, play catch, and relax with friends and family. In addition to this park, there is another one in the works for Phase 5 North, which I will cover in a future post.

There are 174 new home sites in Phase 5 North, the newest neighborhood in Briar Chapel. These have been divided among three builders: Saussy Burbank, Homes By Dickerson & David Weekley Homes. Browse a list of available inventory homes, or contact the information center at 888.249.9429 to plan a visit. If you haven't done so already, I also encourage you to check out the interactive home designer that Homes By Dickerson offers for their Village Collection of homes being built in this neighborhood.

Briar Chapel Launches Builder of the Month Series

In January, Newland (the developer of Briar Chapel) launched a new "Builder of the Month" series to learn more about the people behind the companies who are helping to make Briar Chapel a success.

The first builder being featured is Homes By Dickerson. Read about their interview with Jenn Nowalk, Director of Sales & Marketing. In addition to discussing what sets them apart from other builders, she talks the team, its longevity in the Triangle market, and its commitment to quality craftsmanship and green building practices (they are the second largest NAHB Green Certified builder in NC by volume).

View Homes By Dickerson’s current offerings at Briar Chapel.

Update #1: Interview with Brant Chesson, VP of Construction.

Update #2: Interview with Homeowners, Brian & Chandra.
Update #3: Interview with Linwood Strickland, President.

Chatham Commissioners Approve 7-Year Capital Improvement Plan

Yesterday, the Chatham County Board of Commissioners approved a seven-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).

The approved CIP for 2013-19 includes several new school projects for funding and keeps the proposed new high school in northeast Chatham on track to open in 2016. This is great news for residents of Briar Chapel.

The CIP also includes the addition of a library branch in the northeastern part of the county as a future project with no specified timeline. Although a location for the new library has not been announced, it is possible that the land Newland has set aside in Briar Chapel for a civic building could be used for this purpose.

"We felt that the overall CIP presented by the County Manager's Office was on target, but we did make some changes that are primarily focused on looking for additional cost savings," said Commissioner Chairman Brian Bock. "We also want to keep a library branch in the northeastern part of the county on the radar given the population in this area. Hopefully we can add this to the schedule when we identify funding sources."

The County Manager's Office noted that the current CIP will require a one-cent increase in the property tax rate or an equivalent amount of funding from other sources, such as budget cuts or revisions to the CIP projects. The commissioners said they will discuss how to fund all of the projects at their upcoming retreat in January.

To learn more about the county's capital budget, visit the Chatham County website.