LUXURY HOMES | BUILDER REPORT
Industry UPDATE For the Kids
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new survey by Braun Research for Bank of America found that more than threequarters of parents consider their kids’ education an important factor in the search for a home. Of those, more than half will choose a neighborhood for the school district. Thirty-four percent of parents prioritize proximity to the school, while 22 percent want a school within walking distance. More than 20 percent would buy a less expensive home in order to afford a more expensive education for their children.
Log-Home Living
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recent event held by the NAHB Log and Timber Homes Council (LTHC) brought attention to an often overlooked building method that, according to LTHC chairman Doug Parsons, “can suit any homeowner’s needs, whether…a small cabin or a multi-million dollar estate.” Log-home construction uses the whole log, resulting in far less waste, and homes are highly energy efficient thanks to the insulating qualities of modern whole-log construction.
The Value of Solar
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ntil now, appraising homes equipped with photovoltaic (PV) installations has been difficult because there weren’t enough comparables. But a new report from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory provides strong, appraisal-based evidence of PV premiums—demonstrating the worth of a home with solar panels versus the worth of a comparable home without them.
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Russell Branch Estates’ Cascade model, built by Churchill Classics.
WHO’S BUILDING WHAT Sailor’s Dream Annapolis’s historic Eastport neighborhood will soon welcome Eastport Sail Loft, a development of six townhomes and five loft-style apartments designed by architecture firm Hammond Wilson. Each townhome will offer three finished levels, a two-car garage and front and rear porches; elevators and gas fireplaces are optional. Located above office/retail space, two- and three-bedroom apartments will range from 1,200 to 2,300 square feet. With proximity to several yacht clubs and a host of restaurants, units in Eastport Sail Loft will be available in early 2017. Townhomes will be priced from $1,249,000; prices for apartments to be determined. eastportsailloft.com
Small Town Living Rockville-based homebuilder Churchill Classics recently announced the opening of Russell Branch Estates in Poolesville, Maryland. This enclave of 12 homes on one- and one-and-ahalf-acre lots offers two floor plans with three to six bedrooms; three to five full baths; stone, brick or vinyl façades; and front porches. Buyers can expand the home with a finished lower level and a three-story sunroom. The 3,161-squarefoot furnished, brick-front Cascade model features an open floor plan, a study and an optional screened porch. The upper level has four or five bedrooms, three full baths and a laundry room; it includes a finished lower level with a media room, recreation room, exercise
M/I Homes’ City Collection at Majesty West.
room/office, bedroom, full bath and private entry. Priced from the high $600s. 240-4067057; churchillbuilders.com
Urban Style M/I Homes is introducing the City Collection at Majesty West in Alexandria, Virginia, which encompasses 22 elegant homes near Old Town’s waterfront. These four-story residences all have private two-car garages and dual-rooftop terraces. Interiors boast luxuriously appointed spaces with open floor plans and generously scaled rooms. Features include lofts and hardwood floors throughout, as well as advanced home-automation systems. Residents are within an easy walk of shops and services, ensuring a truly car-optional, urban lifestyle. From the low $1 millions. 571-4257999; mihomes.com
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