Briar Chapel Grand Opening Today!

Today is the day! Briar Chapel is celebrating its Grand Opening today from 11am-3pm, and you're invited.

In addition to the many activities that have been planned, TORC will be on hand to conduct guided tours of the new walking/biking trails. Cycling Spoken Here will also be on hand for support, and will even have some demo bikes that you can take out for a spin. Hope to see you there!

Grand Opening of Briar Chapel

I hope you'll join me in celebrating the grand opening of Briar Chapel this Saturday, Sept 27th, from 11am-3pm. We've waited a long time for this event, so you know that Newland Communities is going to make it extra special. You don't want to miss it!

In addition to taking a tour of the beautiful model homes, there will be plenty of wonderful activities for the whole family. For directions, click here. Once you get there, please register at the information center and let them know that Peter Winkler sent you.

Virtual Tour of "Briar Club"

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Briar Chapel's clubhouse, the Briar Club, has been completed. Take a virtual tour of this LEED-Certified facility, which includes a number of gathering rooms, a state-of-the-art fitness facility, classrooms, and more.

Vanguard Concept Home Announced

Vanguard Homes announced today that it is currently building a "state-of-the-art" concept home in Briar Chapel, which will "...bridge the gap between ENERGY STAR and extreme green technologies."

According to the press release, the concept home will feature a number of sustainable features, including Water Sense™-qualified dual flush toilets and low-flow faucets, a whole house water filtration system, solar hot water heater, computer-monitored irrigation system, cisterns, an ENERGY STAR Advanced Lighting Package, solar tubes, LEED-certified ceramic tile, and more.

New Feature: Progress Report

If you haven't checked out Briar Chapel in awhile, I encourage you to do so. The development is buzzing with activity, as the four builders prepare for the upcoming grand opening. Already, two homes have been completed (the first residents have already moved into one!), and another 15 are under construction. This is in addition to the 8 model homes that are in the finishing stages. Yes, you read that correctly... 25 homes in a few short months.

To help you keep track of the progress, I will periodically update the report you see to the right of this page. When you're ready to see the progress for yourself, give me a call to setup a tour. Otherwise, if you're in the neighborhood, be sure to stop by the information center and say hello to the great folks from Newland Communities for me!

New Woods Charter School Opens

Yesterday, Woods Charter School celebrated the grand opening of its new 65,000 sqft facility near Briar Chapel. In addition to computer, biology and chemistry labs, the new school includes a gymnasium, a stage for a variety of events, and a soccer field. The new school is already near capacity at more than 485 students, due in part to the fact that the school's SAT scores rank sixth highest for a public school in North Carolina. Newland Communities (the developers of Briar Chapel) donated the 19 acres for the school.

If you're interested in learning more about Woods Charter, check out the school's website, my earlier posts, or the recent article by Chatham Journal.

Early-Bird Incentives Won't Last Long

Folks are always surprised when I show them around Briar Chapel... they're amazed at how much work is being done already. In addition to finishing up their model homes, which have been designed and built specially for Briar Chapel, builders are busy at work on a number of homes for those who signed contracts in early-June. Work also continues on the two pools that are being built behind the new clubhouse. If you haven't already seen the Briar Club, I would love for the opportunity to give you a tour!

If you are at all interested in building a green home and becoming part of Briar Chapel, I encourage you to take advantage of some great incentives being offered before they're gone. Let's schedule some time to visit the community and talk about the green building practices being put into place to give residents the benefits of better energy efficiency, superior indoor air quality and water conservation.

TORC Continues Trailwork at Briar Chapel

Volunteers from Triangle Off-Road Cyclists (TORC) continue to make progress on the emerging network of trails in Briar Chapel. Here are some pictures from their most recent work day. Approximately 15-20 miles of trail will ultimately be built, and open to the public, as construction advances through Briar Chapel.

Initial Briar Chapel Homesites Sold Out

Newland Communities announced today that 15 contracts were signed for new homesites during a private preview event held between May 31 and June 6. Briar Chapel’s first buyers were able to personally select their homesite from Phase I of the 2,400 single and multi-family homes planned for the community over the next eight years. Read more...

If you weren't one of the initial buyers, don't fret. There will be plenty of opportunities for us to get together and identify your ideal homesite and builder. Just be aware that the current incentives won't last forever, and prices are likely to increase over time.

Give me a call at 919-360-1285 if you'd like to schedule a tour of Briar Chapel. In addition to showing you around, I would be delighted to discuss the green building and environmental sustainability initiatives they're implementing and practicing at this new 1,589 acre mixed-use, master-planned community.

LEED-Certified "Briar Club" Completed

Briar Chapel's clubhouse, the Briar Club, was recently completed and looks incredible. This LEED-Certified (pending) facility includes a number of gathering rooms (many with beautiful stone fireplaces), a state-of-the-art fitness facility, catering kitchen, classrooms, and offices for HOA staff. All of the artwork, furniture and decor was chosen with one thing in mind, nature. Outside, they're still working on the two pools, a diving well, water slide, splash pad, cabanas, barbecue areas, a children's playground, and picnic glade. I hope you enjoy the slideshow I've put together.

Have You Reserved a Lot Yet?

Only 6 days remain until builders start writing contracts for Briar Chapel on Saturday, May 31st!

If you haven't already met with me and reserved your favorite lot, now is the time to do so. Give me a call today at 919-360-1285 to schedule an appointment.

Limited Release Preview Event

Would you like to have the opportunity to select the home of your choice in Briar Chapel before the public grand opening? If the answer is "yes," please let me know and I will get you an invitation to attend a private, LIMITED RELEASE PREVIEW EVENT that's being held on May 31st.

In order to prepare for this special event, we need to get together to pick a floor plan and location that's right for you. Once we've done that, we'll start the pre-qualification process with an approved homebuilder and get a priority number, which will allow us to choose an appointment time for the preview event.

Time is running out, so let's get started right away. Please call me at 919-360-1285 to get the process started.

Prime Briar Chapel Lots Still Available

If you are interested in Briar Chapel, now is the time to build! Prices are only going to go up, and the best lots won't last long.

I would love to show you all of the great floor plans available to choose from, and introduce you to all that Briar Chapel has to offer. Give me a call today at 919-360-1285 so we can prepare for the upcoming pre-sales event in less than two weeks. Priority numbers are being given out, so time is of the essence.

Misconceptions about Briar Chapel

The other day, I was talking with somone who wasn't all that thrilled about Briar Chapel. As I listened, it quickly became apparent that they had several misconceptions about the development, which were a result of some of the rumors that were floating around Chatham County during the planning stages.

Here are some facts I shared with them about Briar Chapel, which helped to clear up some of the confusion:

• developers have preserved more than 50% (900 acres), including steep slopes, stream beds, significant tree stands, and several historic structures found on-site
• it is the first (and largest) community in the Triangle to require homebuilders to comply with the rigorous new home construction requirements and third-party testing of the N.C. Green Building Initiative, creating high performance, healthier homes with measurable cost savings for residents and contributing to an improved quality of life
• contrary to earlier rumors, Briar Chapel will NOT include a golf course
• 30 percent of the homes face south to increase efficiencies and solar capabilities
• the clubhouse will be LEED-certified
• the developers convinced Thompson Contracting, who is handling site development, to use biodiesel in some of its earth-moving equipment
• 64 units will be made available for affordable housing
• Newland Communities has already donated over $1 million to our local Habitat for Humanity
• all stone used in Briar Chapel is native to the site, including its beautiful masonry walls, roadbeds and trails (but excluding the gravel in the parking lot at the Info Center)
• meandering, bifurcated roadways were designed to maximize the tree canopy for the native birds
• 24 miles of trails connect the entire community
• a $10 million sewage treatment plan was constructed allowing for spray irrigation and the use of reclaimed gray-water irrigation for all open space
• the developers have created and funded a foundation that will support local artists and various green initiatives (more on this later)

I could go on, but I think you get the point. Although no housing development is perfect, I hope you'll agree that Newland Communities is striving to be responsible and make a positive difference in the world by creating enduring, healthier communities.

Briar Chapel Builders Announced

Newland Communities has announced that they have selected four area builders to comprise the builder team for Briar Chapel, who will all be required to build sustainable, environmentally responsible homes. The builder team consists of Chatham Builder Guild, LLC; M/I Homes, Inc.; McNeill Burbank; and Vanguard Homes.

I have already met with some of these builders, and am prepared to assist you in choosing one that will best meet your needs. Please contact me today to get started.


About Chatham Builder Guild
The Chatham Builder Guild, LLC, is a select group of custom builders serving the Chapel Hill, Durham and Chatham County area. Based in Chatham County, N.C., this group of award-winning builders was created to provide truly custom construction, innovative design and personalized service which individually-owned and operated firms can offer. Guild associates are long-standing members of the Home Builders Association of Durham, Orange and Chatham Counties, are consistent Parade of Home winners, and are active participants in the Green Building Council.

About M/I Homes
M/I Homes, Inc. was founded in 1976 and is one of the nation’s leading builders of single family homes. M/I Homes has established an exemplary reputation based on a strong commitment to superior customer service, innovative design, quality construction and premium locations. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange, M/I Homes serves a broad segment of the housing market including first-time, move-up, luxury and empty nester buyers.

About McNeill Burbank
McNeill Burbank, an affiliated company of Saussy Burbank, has been crafting new homes in the Raleigh, N.C. area since 1992. McNeill Burbank has built more than 700 new homes and won numerous awards for quality and style. The unique designs borrow architecturally from the past while blending a contemporary, timeless look that's rare today. McNeill Burbank prides themselves on the new communities they have chosen to build in, in just the right locations. Saussy Burbank is a Charlotte, North Carolina-based homebuilder, nationally recognized for building homes with distinctive architectural details and innovative floor plans.

About Vanguard Homes
Vanguard Homes was established in 2006 as the outgrowth of a successful North Carolina-based homebuilding company in operation since 1980. With unwavering determination, Vanguard remains committed to being an area leader in homebuilding quality, service, and innovation validated by measurable differences in community development, product design, and home efficiency.