Interview on Triangle Business Today: Customization Sells Homes

Jeremy Salemson, CEO of Corporate Investors Mortgage Group, blogs about economic trends and data and their impact on Triangle business. Each week, he interviews a Triangle-area business leader for a personal look at the local economy.

This week, Jeremy interviewed Jenn Nowalk with Homes By Dickerson, one of the builder teams in Briar Chapel. In addition to discussing the local market, they talk about how flexibility and customization - from floorplan design to finishes - has enabled the builder to remain strong through the recession and almost double sales from 2011 to 2012.

Green Partners of the Year Award Ceremony at Briar Chapel

Green Home Builders of the Triangle Council and the NAHB Research Center hosted an awards presentation yesterday to honor the local building industry companies who were named 2011 NAHB Research Center Green Partners of the Year this spring. The ceremony took place in the Briar Chapel community clubhouse.

Pictured from left to right: Tom Kenney (NAHB Research Center), Cindy Sheldon (representing Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County), Dermot O'Brien (Saussy Burbank), Jaime Hager (Southern Energy Management), Al McNeil (representing Home Builders Association of Durham, Orange and Chatham Counties), Ed Kristensen (M/I Homes), and Jon Showalter (Homes By Dickerson)  

CHS Celebrates Graduation at Briar Chapel - Aerial Style

Congratulations to the Class of 2012 of Carrboro High School, who recently had their graduation party at the Briar Club in Briar Chapel. Check out this incredible aerial photo they took...

Infographic: Why Buy in Briar Chapel?

Located just eight miles from downtown Chapel Hill, Briar Chapel is the Triangle's largest green home community with wonderful amenities. Intentionally integrated into the natural landscape with 900 acres of preserved open space, this unique development offers a healthier way of life, and is the perfect backdrop for reconnecting with family and friends, and getting to know your neighbors.

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Infographic: Why Buy Here?

The Triangle – Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, NC – has it all. Whether you're looking for top-notch education, excellent medical care, a great job market, delicious food, tons of cultural opportunities, or Southern hospitality and charm, this is the place for you. The infographic below explains why so many people choose to call the Triangle home.

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Infographic: Why Buy Now?

With interest rates at record lows and home prices at amazingly affordable levels, it’s a great time to buy! Check out the infographic below for more information.

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7th Annual Green Home Tour Starts Today!

The 7th Annual Triangle Green Home Tour starts this weekend! This free, self-guided event will feature 26 entries, and will be held on May 5-6 and 12-13, 2012 from Noon to 6pm.

As always, the tour will allow you to examine a number of green building features in a wide variety of homes in all styles and price points -- ranging from Habitat for Humanity and entry-level homes to custom luxury entries.

This year, Briar Chapel will have seven homes on the tour, which are listed below. However, it is important to remember that ALL homes in Briar Chapel are required to achieve at least the bronze-level of green certification upon completion. So, if there is a particular home for sale that you like that's not on the tour, I would be happy to arrange a private showing for you.

74 Owen Towne Road (Saussy-Burbank)
38 N. Serenity Hill Circle (Saussy-Burbank)
379 Tobacco Farm Way (Homes By Dickerson)
314 Tobacco Farm Way (Saussy-Burbank)
26 Serenity Hill Circle (M/I Homes)
139 N. Serenity Hill Circle (David Weekley)
230 Dark Forest Drive (Morningstar)

To learn more about the tour, visit the HBA-DOC website. You can find a complete list of homes on the tour here. Otherwise, I have some extra tour guides if you need one - just let me know or stop by my office at 371 Tobacco Farm Way in Briar Chapel. You can also view a virtual list of homes on the tour by downloading the iPhone or Android app.

Nationwide Open House April 28-29, 2012

To kick off the Spring-buying season, Briar Chapel will be joining thousands of Realtors across the country in a Nationwide Open House this weekend, April 28-29, 2012. Everyone is encouraged to come out and preview available inventory and take advantage of record-breaking housing affordability conditions.

Video: Reasons to Love Briar Chapel

Kudos to Emily Pike again for another excellent video for Briar Chapel's Best Buddy Contest. This one is entitled, "Reasons to Love Briar Chapel," and does a great job capturing the great lifestyle we enjoy here. Be sure to come out on the 21st for a screening of videos under the stars on the Briar Commons during the Earth Day Celebration.

Video: Briar Chapel's Community Garden

Kudos to Emily Pike, a resident of Briar Chapel, for this video of The Briar Patch Community Garden for the Best Buddy Contest...

Briar Chapel Developer & Builders Win Top Honors at 2012 MAME Awards

Briar Chapel was a big winner at this year's MAME Awards (Major Achievements in Marketing Excellence) from the Triangle Sales and Marketing Council of the N.C. Home Builders Association. The event was held last night at the LEED Silver Certified Raleigh Convention Center.

This competition recognizes local advertising, marketing, merchandising and product design efforts, as well as sales volume. Honor recipients included area builders, developers, advertising agencies, graphic firms, interior design firms, landscaping firms, sales professionals and sign and display designers/fabricators. Winners of these coveted awards are recognized as leaders in the industry, providing cutting edge solutions to the home building industry.

Kudos to the following winners at Briar Chapel for this accomplishment!

Building Company of the Year

Homes By Dickerson

Best Bronze-Level Green-Built Home

Homes By Dickerson

Best Use of Social Media by a Company

Homes By Dickerson

Best Use of Social Media by a Community

Newland Communities

Best Merchandising for a Detached Home

Homes By Dickerson

Marketing Professional of the Year

 Hillary Morrow, M/I Homes of Raleigh

Building Superintendent of the Year

Mike Mehringer, Homes By Dickerson

Internet Specialist of the Year

Reyna Estrada, M/I Homes of Raleigh

Sales Volume Milestones
Linda Bohling, Homes By Dickerson
Michele Upchurch, Saussy Burbank
Rob Jamison, Homes By Dickerson

Video: Homes By Dickerson's High-Performance Model Home

Kudos to Merle Braley, a resident of Briar Chapel, for this video on some of the green features of Homes By Dickerson's high-performance model home for the Best Buddy Contest...

Save the Date: 7th Annual Green Home Tour in May

Please mark your calendars and plan to join us for the 7th Annual Green Home Tour, which will be kicking off in Briar Chapel this year! The tour will be held on the following Saturdays and Sundays in May: 5-6 & 12-13, 2012 from Noon to 6pm.

The annual Green Home Tour is a free, self-guided event that enables potential homebuyers and other interested individuals to examine a variety of green building features in homes of all price ranges and styles. There will be 26 homes on the tour this year, including 7 homes in Briar Chapel alone. 

Tour guides for the event will become available in late-April. I'll post a link to the online version here once it becomes available, so check back often.

Several Briar Chapel Builders Named 2011 Green Partners of the Year

Congratulations to Homes By Dickerson, M/I Homes and Saussy-Burbank for being named 2011 Green Partners of the Year by the NAHB Research Center. These members of Briar Chapel's builder team were among only a handful of residential building companies from across the U.S. who were recognized for their outstanding commitment and leadership in building high-performance green homes.

"This is the first year since the Research Center began offering certification services that we have presented awards to our program partners," said Research Center President Michael Luzier. "After administering the program for three years, we felt compelled to recognize the significant commitment to green certification, innovation in building science, and leadership in the residential construction industry that our partners have displayed. We are awed by what these companies are achieving in the field and the market transformation they are accomplishing."

In addition to these builders, Southern Energy Management was also named a Green Partner of the Year for being a advocate of the certification program. They are responsible for certifying the high-performance homes being built in Briar Chapel.

For more information on the Research Center’s certification program, visit www.nahbgreen.org/certification.

20th Annual Parade of Playhomes Fundraiser

Saussy Burbank, one of the builders here in Briar Chapel, is participating in the 20th Annual Parade of Playhomes Fundraiser going on now.

Their entry, "Firehouse #1" (pictured here) is on display until April 7th at The Streets at Southpoint in Durham, and at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham from April 9-May 6, 2012.

This custom playhome, along with one other, is being raffled off and a third playhome will be auctioned off on eBay. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to local organizations that help prevent child abuse.

For details on the raffle and auction, or to see photos of the other two entries, visit the Parade of Playhomes website.