Townhome Lodges
Estate HomesitesSouthcliff, an award winning community close to downtown Asheville, is having a beautiful year. A reviving economy and a trend among buyers towards debt-free communities have led to a great start at this gated residential community on the south face of Cedar Cliff Mountain.
In the first four months of 2012, 7 new owners from as far away as Lansing Michigan and Orange Beach, Alabama have placed seven lots under contract – continuing a sales pace not seen since 2005 that began last Fall with 6 home site sales. Recent home site sales range from $71,500 to $350,000.
“We’re seeing the higher end of the market come back again,” said Mike Romero, Southcliff’s onsite sales representative for Beverly-Hanks & Associates’ Community Marketing Group, the exclusive sales and marketing partner for the community. “People are saying to themselves that prices are not going to get better than this and that this is a great time to buy. They’ve fallen in love with Southcliff.”
Southcliff, a mere 7 miles and ten-minute drive from Asheville’s vibrant restaurant and arts scene, is an idyllic setting to raise a family or to retire. With six miles of walking trails that connect the community’s parks, children’s areas and covered pavilions, it combines the best of rustic mountain living with the amenities of a growing, glowing city in the South. Lots that range in size from one half to four acres – sited along creeks, set into the woods or perched up top with long-range views
– will occupy only 225 of Southcliff’s 400 forested acres. The rest, protected woodlands, will be set aside for the enjoyment of all its residents.
There is a growing interest in Southcliff partly because it is debt-free, owned by Mountain Real Estate Group, a private equity firm in Charlotte founded in 1993.
“You’ll find a lot of communities out there that will say they’re a debt-free community,” Romero said, “and what they mean is their amenities are paid for, but their lots are actually encumbered by a bank. There’s no bank involved with this property, so we truly are a debt-free community.”
And because it is, it can afford to offer prospective residents an unprecedented look at what Southcliff’s affiliated builders can do by funding the construction of Southcliff’s newest model home. Southcliff’s featured builder, Living Stone Construction, winner of the Viewers’ Choice
award during last year’s Asheville Parade of Homes, is building the model home that will give buyers an idea of what Southcliff’s newest collection of plans will offer.
The model will be about 2,136 heated square feet with a bonus room upstairs that could be used for a kids’ room, office or fourth bedroom. Low-maintenance HardiePlank will side the Energy Star-rated home, and there will be natural finishes throughout the home.
Living Stone, whose in-house design-and-build capabilities reduce building
costs for homeowners, will have a few variations of the model cottage ready to go or can personalize a plan as needed. Buyers will be able to pick the interior finishes, some exterior finishes and the yard design they want.
“It’s ‘semi-custom,’ and it’s really the best way to go,” said Sean Sullivan, Living Stone’s president. “All the hard work will have already been done.”
Asheville, such a desirable place to live, is leading much of the nation in the revival of home sales, said Dan Whalen, director of sales of Beverly-Hanks’ Community Marketing Group. According to Whalen, Home sales are up 25% in 2012 compared to this time a year ago.
As one of the best-selling communities in Asheville, that’s good news for the lucky homeowners at Southcliff. Good value, wonderful amenities, and a close proximity to one of the most dynamic cities in the South sounds like a great place to call home.
“The Asheville real estate market is really off to a good start.”
Living Stone Construction is one of the region’s premier custom homebuilders and has earned certifications for accomplishments in green and energy efficient techniques. This design approach is aligned with the Southcliff building philosophy. Sean Sullivan, of Livingstone Construction, says that, “Every home we build is Energy Star certified and HealthyBuilt, not just built energy friendly but certified. People think they need to sacrifice details to build green, but our trademark home is our details.” These rich details show! Living Stone Construction earned the Viewers Choice Award, the Special Project Award, and a Silver Craftsmanship!
As both a resident of the Southcliff community and an award-winning builder at Sulaski and Tinsley Homes, Mike Tinsley is not surprised at the recent sales. “The community is so polished that people want to be a part of it.” Tinsley discovered that many couples were enchanted by the community during the Parade of Homes. One woman was just visiting the area, but fell in love with the community and said, “I had no idea we were going to buy a homesite this weekend but we’re looking forward to calling Southcliff home.” Another couple purchased one of the higher elevation homesites and plans to start building next year. The wife said, “We plan on retiring here, so I really want it to be special.” The Parade yielded a $400,000 home/homesite package sale and a $1M home/homesite pending sale. This proves that people are not only looking again, they are buying again!
Tinsley’s “design program” is an asset to Southcliff. “We meet with potential clients and engage them in conversation about their lifestyle and what their aspiration for a new home in Southcliff is going to be. It is important to marry the architecture with the beautiful natural surroundings of Southcliff. It is a mountain community but you can be at the mall in less than 10 minutes!”
Autumn in Asheville is a celebrated season that everyone should experience. Not only does the colorful tapestry of fall foliage provide an idyllic mountain backdrop (the unique range of elevations and bio-diversity in the Western North Carolina mountains gives this area one of the longest foliage seasons in the U.S.), but there is also a collection of outdoor fairs and festivals that is without equal. You can discover many of these activities and events by visiting
The Savannah Plan, one of the 
Working with Biltmore Farms Homes is very efficient. “People want streamlined turnkey convenience,” notes Thomason, “and the Biltmore Farms Savannah plan is efficient while still offering a lot of possibilities.” The completion time is 7 months from the time Biltmore Farms begins construction. Yet, despite efficiencies in production, there is a lot of variety to customize your home. The Riccardo’s built a home with Biltmore Farms Homes and are very satisfied. “The extras that the builder put in place and the attention to detail are excellent,” Riccardo notes. “Biltmore Farms tended to anything we requested immediately.”
