It was just another day for most folks, but Saturday, November 13, 2010 was a very special day for many builders and developers across Atlanta, including Touchstone Homes. The 2010 OBIE Gala brought many people together for one goal – to celebrate their successes of 2010. The past couple of years in the home building industry have been touch and go, but November 13th made the all difficulties and hardships worthwhile, at least for one night.
Touchstone Homes was awarded OBIE awards for two of our newest floorplans at Village Grove and Riverdance townhomes both located in Suwanee, Georgia.
Huntingdon - Gold Award Winner
The Huntingdon floorplan won a GOLD OBIE award for it’s innovative floorplan and technologies used within the home. The home is Energy Star Certified and is located within a Master Planned Community featuring larger estate homes, cottage style homes and townhomes as well as swim, tennis, parks and open space. The Decorated Model at Village Grove has been used over the past year to demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of this fabulous floorplan. This plan features an open family room/kitchen/breakfast room with large kitchen island, granite countertops, butler’s pantry, separate dining room, a flex room downstairs that could be used as an office, playroom, or library. The upper floor showcases a fabulous master suite with lots of natural light, two large secondary bedrooms and two baths. On the front of the house is a community friendly front porch and a rear entry garage served by alleyway. This home features Z-Wave technology to control the interior lighting, wired for security system, Johns Manville Spider insulation – blown into the home to create a more energy efficient home and James Hardie Color Plus siding. The Huntingdon at Village Grove starts in the $250,000s. You can reach the agent for details on this home by calling 770-831-6883.
Halifax & Guilford at Riverdance
The second GOLD Award Winner of the night for Touchstone Homes is the Halifax townhome plan at Riverdance. The Halifax plan features an open family room, dining room and kitchen on the main level and two master suites on the upper level. The Halifax is also Energy Star Certified with the blown insulation and a rear entry one-car garage. These townhomes start in the $140,000s and are located in Suwanee. You can reach the agent at Riverdance for more information or for a VIP tour by calling 770-476-7374.
Touchstone Homes is very proud to be the recipient of two such prestigious awards in the Home Building Industry. It just goes to show that even in a slow real estate market, Builders can continue to thrive and improve home plans to be competitive. Touchstone Homes has spent the past 3 years value engineering and coming up with new, more economical plans for today’s home buyer. Our newest community, Clarkstone Village, located in Flowery Branch starts in the $140s for single family detached homes with 3-4 bedrooms, 2-car garages, and Energy Star Certified as well. The energy star certification can save you as a homeowner up to 15% in overall utility costs due to better and more tight construction practices. Energy Star Certified is provided by a Third Party Inspection Company and gives each home a rating based on numerous tests they perform on the home throughout the construction process.
Touchstone Homes is also building Energy Star certified homes in Ivey Chase, Sterling on the Lake, and Southgate Village at Windermere. Visit our web site for available homes and locations across Metro Atlanta or call 770-945-5228.
Today we celebrate Veteran’s Day in America. Some people have the day off. We saw lighter traffic as a result. Some kids are out of school. Some go to work as usual. Some will walk into battle across the seas and continue to fight for the freedom that we have today.
Veterans Day 2010
We honor and remember those who fought and lost their lives to allow us to enjoy the freedoms we have today. Today we salute the more than 20 million veterans whose dedication protects the freedoms we enjoy. Thank you for your service and your sacrifices. We honor your fathers, grandfathers, uncles, sons, nephews, cousins and friends.
In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11th as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the council of nations….”
The day was original planned for celebration with parades and public meetings, but that changed in 1926. To read more…..
At Touchstone Homes we honor veterans and community leaders everyday by offering a $2,500 discount off the purchase price of your new home. Walk into any Touchstone Homes community across Metro Atlanta and tell the Sales Agent you are active or retired and you will be the discount on any inventory home. This “Community Leaders” program also applied to police, firefighters, EMS and other civil servants. Check our web site for locations and available homes and see the sales agent for details.
This year has been a challenge to the home building industry in Atlanta, and other parts of the country as well. We have seen many builders and developers in the Metro Atlanta area go out of business due to lack of sales and liabilities. But Touchstone Homes located in Suwanee is not one of those builders! Touchstone Homes continues to build and sell NEW homes in Metro Atlanta for a competitive price without lacking quality of selection to the Buyer. Touchstone Homes has launched a new product line in our Village Grove, Clarkstone Village, Ivey Chase and Sterling on the Lake communities starting in the mid $140s and up. New Home. New Home Warranty. New Life for your Family!!! Just in time for the Holidays!
Thumbs Up to Touchstone Homes!
Touchstone Homes has available homes that have been reduced to sell and are ready to move in immediately. By working with our Preferred Lenders, Suntrust & MetLife Home Loans, we can assure you the best of customer service on your home financing and closing experience. By using our Preferred Lenders, Touchstone Homes will cover up anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 in Closing Costs (depending on community). We are offering Short Sales and Foreclosure Pricing without the hassle of going through that lengthy process with the Bank! No headaches, no waiting – just Buy and it’s yours!
We are offering another incentive for purchasing in November and December – we call it a Move In Package. Included in the Move In Package is a GE washer & dryer set, garage door opener and faux wood blinds throughout the home. Contracts must be written by 12/31/10 and must close by 1/31/11.
Touchstone Homes also has lots available for Pre-Sale Homes in Ivey Chase, Village Grove, Clarkstone Village and Sterling on the Lake. Your new home can be built for you in 60 days – with our new building process, and without sacrificing quality at the same time.
Visit our web site for Available Homes, Locations and Pricing.
NEW YORK – The winner of the 2010 Broad Prize is Gwinnett County Public Schools outside Atlanta, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation announced today. As the winner of the largest education award in the country, Gwinnett County Public Schools will receive $1 million in college scholarships for its high school students. The four finalist school districts will each receive $250,000 in scholarships for their students. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joined philanthropist Eli Broad at the Museum of Modern Art to announce the winner, which was selected by a bipartisan jury of eight prominent leaders from government, education, business and public service, including three former U.S. secretaries of education. To read more, click here.
Congrats to Gwinnett County Public Schools! If you are in the market for a new home and would like to be within this AWARD WINNING school district – please visit our web site at www.touchstonehomes.com. Gwinnett Homes include Ivey Chase, Village Grove, Riverdance, and Trilogy Park.
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has done research that reveals that tax incentives, such as mortgage interest and first time home buyer incentives, typically benefit younger families and home buyers more than others. Research from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) shows that buyers ranging in age from 35-45 receive the most tax benefit, then 18-34 year old buyers and the benefits decline as the tax payer gets older. To read more, click here.….
Congress has approved legislation to allow FHA to increase fees on home buyers. For more information, watch this video from TBSW. New legislation become effective September 7, 2010 and will feel much like an increase in APR. Click here and watch for yourself!
Touchstone Homes has a brand new single family community coming online August 1. Clarkstone Village is a cozy community located in Flowery Branch near Spout Springs Road and Interstate 985. There are 17 existing homeowners, Touchstone Homes has purchased 34 lots where we intend to build craftsman style homes similar to those you see when you visit the community.
Touchstone Homes is rolling out two new floorplans for this community – the Campbell and the Clearwater. Both are 2-story plans with 3-4 bedrooms, opening floorplan for entertaining and flexible spaces.
These new plans will start in the $140,000s. First homes available in October or pre-sale homes are available now. Contact Jeff Barnes at 770.965.7816 or email clarkstonevillage@touchstonehomes.com for more information.
You can also visit our web site TouchstoneHomes.com for additional information on this brand new community.
My decision to work with Touchstone Homes has proven to be one of the best choices I’ve made as a first time homebuyer. My new home is a dream and working with the Touchstone team has made all the difference. From the time spent at the Design Studio to my pre-closing walk-through, every member of the Touchstone team has shown that they care about what they do and are committed to homebuyer satisfaction. I would definitely recommend Touchstone Homes to other homebuyers interested in working with a professional company that builds quality homes.
Mimi S., Suwanee, GA
Riverdance Townhome Community
Brian Milbrett, Operations Manager for Touchstone Homes, tells all about the rebooting of the company, the 50% reduction in building process, new Energy Star certification and products used to make our homes more energy efficient foir our Buyer. The segment was featured on Atlanta’s Best New Homes TV on Sunday, July 11th. But if you missed it, you can check it out here.
I was recently reading an article on John Burns Consulting, and here is what he has to say about the Housing Industry and the Cycle we are currently going through (again).
