Ready For A Dream Castle?

Remember the saying, “A man’s home is his castle?”

In bygone days, to build that castle meant gathering peasants and tradesmen for a project that could last years. And, of course, finding that perfect locale was quintessential to fulfilling the dream.

The Perfect Spot

The four cities and four counties that comprise the Peninsula provide a varied assortment of environments from woods to waterfront.

Land is available in all Peninsula cities and counties. York and James City Counties, however, are two of the more popular locations for home building. These counties flank Williamsburg and are within a few minutes drive of the more metropolitan centers of Newport News and Hampton.

Waterfront property is limited on the lower Peninsula, but can be more easily purchased in counties such as Isle of Wight, Suffolk, York and Gloucester. Waterfront properties generally include beach front and lake/river front, where residents can tie their boats to backyard docks.

Many planned communities such as Salt Ponds in Hampton, Riverfront in Suffolk and Kiln Creek on the Newport News/York County line have seen increased popularity in recent years and are expected by experts to continue growing. These communities maintain and enhance the natural environment, have various amenities such as restaurants and recreation facilities and encourage clients to give input to their building plans.

Gatling Pointe, an Eagle Harbor community, rests at the confluence of the James and Pagan Rivers in Isle of Wight County. Just outside of Smithfield, it offers close proximity to the larger cities of Newport News and Hampton, only 12 and 16 miles away, respectively. Most “castles” range in price from $130,000 to over $400,000 with some homesites as little as $39,000. The community features a fullservice yacht club, a 68-slip marina, a riverfront swimming pool, tennis courts and a bike trail.

Kingsmill sits on 2,900 acres and features a beautiful blend of upscale homes and recreation facilities. New and resale homes here range between $200,000 and $650,000. Townhouses and cluster homes range between $200,000 and $330,000 when purchased new. Nearby, the Kingsmill Golf Course, designed by Arnold Palmer, includes 60 acres of ponds for fishing and canoeing as well as extensive wooded trails.

Cypress Creek in historic Smithfield with its 7,159 yard court is strange signature golf course is one of our most talked about community developments.

Home-Building Assistance

An excellent first step for building your dream castle of the 21st century is to contact the Peninsula Housing & Builders Association (PHBA). The group’s members take great pride in doing professional, high-quality work and in staying up-to-date with current building technology and materials. In addition to home building, the PHBA assists people with home enlargement and remodeling.

Many PHBA home builders and remodelers now offer warranty programs which provide homeowners with assurance that the work will be high quality. These programs work with normal warranties for work and material.

“We want to ensure that people have professional builders who will do quality work,” says Mark

Ailsworth, Executive Vice President of PHBA.

The PHBA , which represents about 70 percent of the home builders and remodelers on the Peninsula, can advise potential new home builders on where to build and the types of homes that can be built. Tommy Taliaferro, the former Vice President of James R. Chisman Development, says, “People often want open and airy homes with unique master suites. People like new homes because they can pick out so many items. They can truly personalize their homes.”

The price for custom-built Peninsula homes ranges between $225,000 and $350,000. Individuals and families are encouraged to contact the PHBA for a membership list, assistance in building or

Homeowners take pride in landscape remodeling a home and references for legal and financial specialists.

The PHBA’s Remodeling Council is adept at consultation on desired changes and improvements to existing homes such as remodeling a bathroom or kitchen or determining the availability of new materials and fixtures (e.g . plumbing, counter tops, sinks, toilets).

The PHBA’s Apar tment Council consists of members who provide thousands of apartments in varying sizes and locations for individuals seeking apartment-style living. The Council also has a periodic publication listing apartments and giving brief descriptions.

As an alternative home-building experience Peninsula Habitat for Humanity was formed in 1985 to work in partnership with families in need, to provide decent, affordable housing. Volunteers from local church groups, contractors, builders and other businesses have donated time, services, materials and money to build 26 low-income homes in nine years.

Peninsula Habitat for Humanity, Inc.

809 Main St.

Newport News, VA 23601

596-5553

Peninsula Housing & Builders Association 760 McGuire Place

Newport News, VA 23601 595-1600