Builder - February 2009 - (Page 29) SUCCESSSTORIES INNOVATIVE IDEAS WITH PROVEN RESULTS ■ EDITED BY JENNY SULLIVA N ACTIVE ADULT Just Right MINOR SETBACK: Houses at Somerset are pulled close to the street (14 feet from the curb) to encourage neighborly interaction. The Hamilton plan (shown here) features a wide front porch and rear-loaded garage. LOCATION: ■ ■ WOODSTOCK, GA. Downsizing boomers make a move for homes that are smaller, greener, and more accessible. S Dan Carmody teve Romeyn knows what emptynesters want, and it’s not just because he is one himself. Previously in his career, the Atlanta-based builder and designer developed active adult products for John Wieland Homes and Colony Homes, and then he ran a franchise for Epcon Communities. Now he’s parlaying the full force of that experience into Windsong Properties, a local venture specializing in agequalified communities in the Atlanta suburbs. And it’s paying off. In Somerset, the 20-acre neighborhood Romeyn and business partner Mark Carruth launched in August 2007, 15 of the 23 homes built to date were sold in the fi rst 12 months. Another six homes sold between mid-August and mid-September of last year. The average buyer is 65 years old. “It helps that we’ve started with a target market that has liquid assets,” Romeyn says. “We wouldn’t be selling if people couldn’t possibly afford to carry a second house if they had to.” Furthermore, many buyers have reasons to move right away that supersede market conditions. “What we’re offering becomes especially compelling to them when life changes come up. We’re hearing, ‘My husband is having knee surgery next month’ or ‘My wife fell down the stairs.’ ” (see page 30) Community: Somerset Total acreage: 20 ■ Date opened for sale: August 2007 ■ Product: Single-family detached ranch homes ranging from 2,200 square feet to 2,750 square feet ■ Price range: $337,000 to $425,000 ■ Total number of units at buildout: 58 ■ Sales to date: 21 ■ Builder/Developer: Windsong Properties, Woodstock ■ Architects: Romeyn Designs, Woodstock (plans); Woodward Architecture, Woodstock (elevations) ■ Landscape architect: Baker Land Design, Duluth, Ga. ■ Interior designer: Dena Carruth, Woodstock W W W.BUILDERONLINE.COM f ebrua ry 2 0 0 9 BUILDER ■ 29 http://WWW.BUILDERONLINE.COM
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