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.

McNeill Burbank and Saussy Burbank Brands Unite

Over the past two weeks, I've had a number of folks ask me why some homes by McNeill Burbank in Briar Chapel have had signs with the Charlotte-based Saussy Burbank name. This is also true in the 2011 Parade of Homes guide book.

According to the builder's website, McNeill Burbank will begin operating under the Saussy Burbank name this Wednesday, October 12.

In a press release, the company said the change is primarily a marketing initiative to help prospective customers find information more easily. Partners Al McNeill and Jim Burbank stressed that the change is in name only, and that no changes are being made to ownership or personnel.

If you are interested in learning more about the beautiful homes built by Saussy Burbank in Chapel Hill (including Briar Chapel), Durham, Charlotte or Davidson, please contact me today.

Attend OktoberBEST Today in Briar Chapel

Interested in checking out all of the great amenities in Briar Chapel? Then I encourage you to checkout the OktoberBEST events going on today throughout the development.

11am-1pm: Parade of Homes - Preview Briar Chapel's entries in the 2011 Parade of Homes.

1pm - 2pm: Canine Athletics at the Pooch Park - Join Dogwood Veterinary Hospital for some fun canine activities such as the “Weenie Toss,” “Peanut Butter Lick” and “I’ve Got Rhythm Musical Sit.” Arrive early to pre‐register your pooch.

1pm - 3pm: Armchair Athlete Competition in the Model Homes - Tour the “featured”

builder home of the day to compete in Wii Sports or Wii Fit games such as golf, tennis, bowling, boxing, hula hoop or BMX biking! You could even win tickets to the Pepper Festival.

2pm - 3pm: Pepper Jelly Tasting at The Briar Patch - Submit your best pepper jelly recipe by 11am on October 2nd for your opportunity to be named “Pepper Jelly Aficionado.” Judges will begin tasting at 2pm and will make decisions based on taste, texture, consistency, appearance, and creativity. You could walk away with a fun prize as well as Pepper

Festival tickets!

2pm - 4pm: Best Backyard Athlete Competition at the Briar Club - You won’t want to miss your chance to compete or view from the sidelines. In the end, the best male and female will prevail. Winners take home the starting Adirondack chair as well as tickets to the Pepper Festival.

4pm - 7pm: 4th Annual Pittsboro Pepper Festival - Great food, local bands and lots of fun. Need I say more? View my earlier post for more details.

I will be on-site throughout the day. If you have any questions, need directions, or wish to gather more information about a particular builder or floor plan, please give me a call at 919-360-1285 or contact me via email.

Triangle Brewery's Entry for Pittsboro Pepper Festival in Briar Chapel

Thought you might enjoy this short preview of pepper beer in the making at Triangle Brewery for the 4th Annual Pepper Festival coming up this weekend...

4th Annual Pittsboro Pepper Festival in Briar Chapel this Sunday

Final preparations are underway for the 4th Annual Pittsboro Pepper Festival, which is taking place this Sunday (October 2nd) from 4-7pm at Briar Chapel's newest community park - the Briar Commons.

Although the festival had very humble beginnings, it is quickly becoming North Carolina's premiere local food festival of the season. Featuring 25 chefs, 5 local breweries, a winery, a meadery, 2 bands (Justin Robinson and the Mary Annettes + Lonnie Walker), and more, this event aims to spread the superfood power of the plentiful peppers of the Piedmont. There will also be lots of activities for the kids.

Admission is $25 until Oct 1st or $30 at the entrance, which includes all-access to food and entertainment. Beverages are cash bar. You can either purchase tickets at the Briar Chapel Information Center (ask for Shannon McSwiney) or online directly from the Abundance Foundation.

If you're a foodie, music and beer/wine lover, I hope you'll join me for this family-friendly event on Sunday!

Briar Chapel Green Homes Featured in 2011 Parade of Homes

Now in its 28th year, the 2011 Parade of Homes showcases 42 new homes in our area and provides the chance for visitors to see the latest designs and technology trends. This free, self-guided tour is on October 1-2, 7-9, 14-16 from Noon to 5pm.

This year, Briar Chapel has six entries in the Parade:

1222 Great Ridge Parkway (David Weekley): 2604 sqft / $306,500
1725 Briar Chapel Parkway (McNeill-Barbank): 2407 sqft / $314,010

314 Tobacco Farm Road (McNeill-Burbank): 2199 sqft / $TBD

371 Tobacco Farm Road (Homes by Dickerson): 2004 sqft / $350,000

347 Dark Forest Drive (Homes by Dickerson): 2593 sqft / $399,900

75 Bennett Mountain Trace (Morningstar): 2994 sqft / $529,000 - Details

Builders are putting a wide range of new technology on display this year, from the latest insulation applications to advanced home automation systems. This, of course, is in addition to the other green-building features that all builders must adhere to in Briar Chapel.

This year's event also enables builders to enjoy some friendly competition, as each home on the Parade is judged by a panel of industry representatives from other markets in our region. These judges examine the design, quality, and creativity that each entry demonstrates, resulting in a numerical grade for each house. Awards are given to homes that achieve the highest scores in each price category.

If you would like a guided tour of these homes, please contact Peter Winkler. I will be more than happy to point out the various green features that are available in these homes, as well as show you the amenities that residents enjoy throughout Briar Chapel.

Homes By Dickerson Releases Six New Floor Plans for Briar Chapel

Homes By Dickerson is now pre-selling six brand new floorplans in Briar Chapel - the Millhaven, the Maddingly, the Castlebrooke, the Jackson, the Riverton and the Kingspark. These plans make up their Village Collection and were designed for lots in the newest section of Briar Chapel (Phase V), including some excellent ones directly across from a large park that will anchor this section of the development.

I'm not sure about you, but many of my buyers have a difficult time visualizing what a home will look like when it is complete. To help out, Homes By Dickerson is now utilizing an online tool from Rendering House that allows you to explore the various combinations of floor plans, elevations, and color schemes they offer. The website even allows you to layout furniture and select an available homesite in Briar Chapel!

I encourage you to take the Village Collection Home Designer for a test drive. Once you have customized a home that you are interested in, scan the QR code in the upper-right portion of the screen to save your selections. If you don't have a smartphone, simply click the "Preview Brochure" tab to save the brochure. After doing so, forward a copy of your custom brochure to me, so that we can schedule a meeting with the builder and reserve your lot.

If you have any trouble using the home designer, or have any questions about the newest section of Briar Chapel, please don't hesitate to contact me.

3rd Annual 6BC Endurance Race at Briar Chapel - Save the Date

The third annual 6BC Endurance Race will be held on Saturday, November 12th, starting at 10 a.m. in Briar Chapel.

Hosted by the Triangle Off Road Cyclists (TORC), the event will feature six hours of competitive biking through groves of pines and oaks, past Pokeberry Creek, and up (and down!) the rugged terrain of Bennett Mountain.

I will post more details as they become available, including a map of the race course and link to online registration. In the mean time, check out photos from last year's event on TORC's website.

Briar Chapel Residents Enjoy Close Proximity to Forbes' #1 Job Market

In case you haven't heard the news yet, Raleigh recently topped Forbes' 13th annual list of the "Best Places for Business and Careers." Forbes’ rankings evaluate 200 metro areas, factoring in job growth (past and projected), costs (business and living), income growth, projected economic growth, and educational attainment.

Given Briar Chapel's close proximity to Raleigh, Cary and Durham, the Triangle's hot job market is driving many of the homes sales in the development. Likewise, home sales are getting a strong boost from three elite schools in the surrounding area: UNC-Chapel Hill (Go Heels!), Duke University and NC State.

If you are hoping to tap into the Triangle's strong job market and wish to relocate to the area, I strongly encourage you to check out all that Briar Chapel has to offer. Contact me to setup a private tour. On the same token, if there is a particular employer you are interested in, I would be happy to help you calculate the distance from door-to-door and estimate your driving time.

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Tankless Water Heaters Gaining in Popularity

Even though tankless water heaters have been in use in Europe and Asia for over 20 years, they are just starting to gain wider acceptance and use here in the U.S. This is especially true in Briar Chapel now that some builders are offering them standard.

Tankless water heaters are more energy efficient than traditional units because they heat water as it is used, rather than heating and re-heating water within a storage tank. They are gaining in popularity with homeowners for a number of reasons, including:

• Endless Hot Water: tankless systems produce hot water on demand, so homeowners are no longer limited to the amount a storage tank can hold. This is especially useful for large families or those who have a soaking tub, but also makes sense .
• Lower Energy Bills: tankless systems are typically 15-35% more energy efficient than traditional systems, depending on whether they are gas or electric and how much water they have to heat. This can translate into lower costs for the homeowner - provided you do not change your water usage habits!
• Longer Lifespan: tankless units typically last twice as long as traditional systems.
• Space Savings: compared to traditional systems, which consume about 16 sqft of valuable floor space, tankless systems are roughly the size of a carry-on suitcase and attached to the wall.

What size unit should I get?

The answer largely depends on the size of the home and the family's usage habits. A unit that heats 4-5 gallons per minute (GPM) is suitable for a one bedroom home and can usually handle a shower plus one appliance operating at the same time. For homes with two or more bathrooms, a unit with 7-10 GPM is often recommended. Your builder or qualified installer is the best person to help you choose the solution that will meet your specific needs.

How much do tankless systems cost?

Prices have come down over the past few years, as more homeowners are adopting tankless heating solutions. You should expect to spend anywhere from $700-2,000, depending on the model you choose (higher flow rate = higher cost). Installation and venting is extra. I'm not going to debate whether this investment is worth it here. Instead, I'm going to refer you to This Old House - they've done a great job summing up the short- vs. long-term costs. Another great resource is EnergyStar.gov.

Keep in mind that a $300 tax credit is available for qualifying systems placed into service between Jan 1-Dec 31, 2011. New construction and rentals do not qualify, however.

Right now, I know of at least one builder in Briar Chapel who is offering Rinnai tankless water heaters standard in their homes (David Weekley Homes). I can also show you a townhome that has a tankless system installed, and is available for resale.

Please contact me to schedule a showing of these homes in Briar Chapel, or to discuss the possibility of building a home with a tankless system.

Save the Date: 4th Annual Pepper Festival Coming to Briar Chapel in October

The 4th Annual Pepper Festival will be held at Briar Chapel's Community Park on October 2nd, 2011 from 4-7pm.

This event is being presented by the Abundance Foundation and Piedmont Biofarm, and is a chance for you to celebrate our local farmers while enjoying local food, beer, wine & musicians - all with a spicy twist!

More details to come... in the mean time, check out the fantastic line up from last year's festival.

Attic Temps in the mid-80s during June? It's possible.

I recently had a chance to stop by the new model home for Homes by Dickerson in Briar Chapel, and was very impressed with the quality of construction and green features.

This particular home has the optional foam insulation upgrade, which tends to be quieter and 3-4 times more efficient than conventional insulation. Combined with the ZIP System sheathing and foil-backed plywood, the spray foam helped the builder achieve attic temperatures in the mid-80s compared to 100+ degrees during the hot summer months. This, along with the benefits of a sealed crawl space, translates into significant energy savings for the homeowner.

This "Jacob A" model has a wonderful floor plan that is great for entertaining. Just shy of 2500 sqft, this 3 bedrooms home starts at a base price of $369,900. Pictures say a thousand words, so I encourage you to check out the virtual tour.

Homes by Dickerson is a relatively small company that is delivering big results. Although they have only been part of the Briar Chapel builder team since the early part of 2010, they have already sold a number of homes in the development - including their original model. Here is a sample of their current inventory of single family homes for sale, which typically range in price from $350,000-450,000:

• 156 Bennett Ridge (Jacob) - $393,750
• 62 Dark Forest (Franklin) - $397,000
• 38 Bennett Ridge (Aberdeen) - $429,991
• 70 Dark Forest (Bristol) - $440,995
• 122 Bennett Ridge (Aberdeen) - $459,990

If you think any of the above plans might suit your needs, please contact me for a private tour of the community. I would also be happy to introduce you to the builder and discuss available home sites, including several that have recently been released that back up to some incredible green space. We can also take a look at some of their other plans, such as the Carmichael and Montclair, or consider modifications to better suit your needs.

Of course, I would be delighted to represent you as a buyer should you decide to buy or build in Briar Chapel. Remember... it doesn't cost you anything extra to have someone look out for your best interests!

For Sale: 181 Tobacco Farm Way

Built by McNeill-Burbank Homes in 2009, this end-unit is currently the only two-story executive townhome available in Briar Chapel. It is in excellent condition and includes ~2001 heated sqft, 3 bedrooms (with master on main level), 2 1/2 baths, and 2-car garage. It is currently being offered at $315,000.

Staged like a model, you will quickly see how this Arts & Crafts-style townhome lives like a detached home. The main level features cypress hardwood floors, an inviting front porch and foyer with 9-foot ceilings, tons of natural light, and a fireplace with subway tile surround flanked by windows and built-ins. The gourmet kitchen has a stainless steel dual-fuel stove, triple door cabinets, French-door refrigerator, and granite countertops.

A separate owner's entry with halltree near the rear of the home leads to a work center and the master bedroom, which features a spa-like bath with double-sink vanity, soaking tub and separate walk-in shower. You will also find the laundry on the main level. A split stairwell leads upstairs, where you will find a loft that leads to two additional bedrooms and one full bath.

When the weather is nice, the screened porch is the perfect place to relax or watch the rest of the family enjoy the fenced-in rear yard. When you feel like venturing out, the Briar Club is just across the street, which includes two salt-water pools, waterslides, splash pad, playground, and state-of-the-art fitness center.

To view a slideshow of this home, please click here. Better yet, why not schedule a private tour of this beautiful home? To do so, please contact Peter Winkler. I will be more than happy to point out its various green features, as well as show you the amenities that residents enjoy throughout Briar Chapel.

This post was made with permission of the listing agent.

Triangle Green Home Tour Starts Saturday

The 6th Annual Triangle Green Home Tour starts this weekend! This free, self-guided event will feature 28 entries, and will be held on May 14-15 and May 21-22, 2011.

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 six 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 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.

11 Tabardry Mill Port (McNeill-Burbank)
207 Tobacco Farm Way (McNeill-Burbank)
1674 Great Ridge Parkway (McNeill-Burbank)
26 Serenity Hill Circle (M/I Homes)
1222 Great Ridge Parkway (David Weekley Homes)
50 Windy Knoll (Morningstar Homes)

To learn more about the tour, visit the HBA-DOC website. Otherwise, I have some extra tour guides if you need one - just let me know.

Briar Chapel's Community Garden Flourishing

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Briar Chapel has added yet another amenity to the community for residents to enjoy... the Briar Patch community garden!

Members of the garden club have been busy maintaining this productive garden, and harvesting the fruits of their labor. The Spring crop included bok choy, spinach, various types of lettuce, radishes, chives and more. There are also two beds of beautiful flowers, which you'll see in the photo below that I took earlier today.

If you are interested in helping out with planting a Summer crop, we'll need to start looking for a home for you to purchase right away. Contact me today to schedule a personal tour, which will include the Briar Patch if you're interested.