By Celeste M. Smucker –
Is golf your game? Or maybe it’s tennis, pickleball, or swimming? (How does a saltwater pool sound?)
And wouldn’t it be great if, when you get home, tired out from a workout and ready to relax, you could enjoy beautiful scenery while you sit on your deck and take in the wonders of nature all around you?
The folks who live in Spring Creek at Zion Crossroads have these experiences, and others like them, every day.
Many also appreciate the sense of community and the easy stroll to their local eaterie, Tavern on the Green. One Spring Creek resident called it, “an incredible restaurant and tavern that has acquired somewhat of a ‘Cheers’ atmosphere (where everyone knows your name).”
And if the idea of living in a community that welcomes people of all ages is your thing, Spring Creek is a good choice. Expect to find what Trey Durham, with Keller Williams Alliance – Charlottesville, calls “a broad swath” of people from singles to families to retirees.
Spring Creek’s real estate market is active and REALTORS® are excited to see resale homes selling right along with new construction. Lots are also available. Reserve yours today and choose one of the community’s featured builders, or find your own when you are ready to get started.
And if all of that is not enough, you will love Spring Creek’s home prices and enjoy significant savings in property taxes compared to either Albemarle or Charlottesville.
You may be thinking, that all sounds great but wouldn’t you would have to drive a long way from town to find these incredible and affordable benefits all in one place? If so, you would be wrong.
Spring Creek is conveniently located a short distance from Interstate 64, just 20 minutes from Charlottesville and 35 minutes from Short Pump.
Spring Creek Lifestyle
Living is relaxed and easy at Spring Creek.
“It feels magical when you go in the gate,” says Bevin Boisvert with Roy Wheeler Realty, Co. She describes the always friendly guard at the gate and the clean, well kept common areas that make the neighborhood feel like a resort.
The quick and easy commute to both Charlottesville and Richmond is also a plus.
According to one resident: “I work in Charlottesville but realized I did not want to live there.” The location between Charlottesville and Richmond is “perfect,” she said, because she can hop on the Interstate and go either direction whether for work or shopping. On the other hand, there are also “some conveniences right outside our gates (Walmart, Sheets, Lowes). We are out of the hustle and bustle of the City, and feel we have the best of both worlds,” she concluded.
For golfers, the premier course, described by Durham as one of Spring Creek’s “biggest features,” may be the main draw.
Atlantic Builder’s Sales Manager David Boisvert agrees describing Spring Creek as “an amazing community close to Charlottesville [that] is amenity-rich with a top-rated golf course.”
The golf course has received numerous awards over the years. In 2017, Golf Digest named it #66 on their list of America’s Greatest Public Courses, and it has been part of this elite group since 2011. It was also recognized in Golf Digest’s Best Golf Courses in Virginia, ranking #11 in 2017.
Course designer, Ed Carton, describes the course as one that is “playable for higher-handicap golfers,” but also “challenging for tournament professionals.” Players also appreciate the bent grass fairways and beautiful greens enhanced by “the natural contour of the land [that helps] make Spring Creek a unique, exceptional golfing experience.”
Even if you don’t play golf, living on a lot adjacent to the court adds value to your lifestyle and your pocketbook. Corky Bishop, Club General Manager, estimates golf course lots may be worth twice that of similar ones elsewhere in the community. And when your house backs up to the course you have a nice unobstructed view with no added yard maintenance.
It is a “fact of real estate,” that lots with golf course or water views (also available at Spring Creek), sell for more than similar lots elsewhere in the community,” Durham said.
Conservation lots are another premium option in Spring Creek. These border (usually at the back) a “no build” area, which means as long as you live there, only nature will be your neighbor on that side, explains Charlene Easter with Spring Creek Realty.
Another popular sport at Spring Creek is pickleball, played on a tennis court with a whiffle ball and ping pong paddles. Three dedicated courts are now available to accommodate the huge demand, explains Vic Gregor. A local resident, he was one of the first pickleball players and helped build the courts.
Organized games are available five days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m, and “everything needed to get started is available courtside,” Gregor said urging “curious residents to stop by and give the sport a try.” Call Gregor for more info and to learn about free beginner lessons.
John O’Reilly, with BHG Real Estate – Base Camp, sums up the many benefits of this remarkable neighborhood stating it is an all-inclusive, “soup to nuts” place, a destination with outdoor games like golf and tennis plus pretty pocket parks that appeal to everyone.
Community
Many Spring Creek residents move in and look forward to leisurely games of golf or the convenience of working out at the state-of-the-art fitness facility with sauna at the clubhouse. Once they settle in, they discover an active community with plenty of ways to meet new people.
“It truly feels like a community in the best sense,” Easter says. A resident of several years she has witnessed the excitement of new home owners when they realize they live in a welcoming and friendly place and can “jump right into neighborhood events.”
One new resident described the neighborhood culture as “neighbors looking out for neighbors, everyone wanting to help with whatever it is they are good at…and community meetings where people actually listen and speak up.”
Newcomers also find friends when they gather at Tavern on the Green, the full service restaurant and bar overlooking the lake and the 18th green. Open to the public, the Tavern serves lunch and dinner with a full service menu that includes dietary preferences such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or kosher. Just ask your server.
The clubhouse is also the place for family-friendly activities like 4th of July fireworks, Easter Egg hunts, Oktoberfest and Breakfast with Santa. Bishop sees part of his job as encouraging community by getting residents of all ages involved in events such as these.
Real Estate Market
Overall sales are up 13 percent compared to last year at this time says Dan Girouard, Broker with Spring Creek Realty.
“We experienced the typical summer slowdown,” said David Boisvert, Sales Manager for Atlantic Builders, “but I’m already seeing business pick up this month.”
Durham agrees stating that the market is “good,” adding that new construction is “brisk.”
Resale homes are also moving faster than they were a year ago. Girouard reports that the year-over-year average number of days on the market (DOM) for resale homes decreased from 131 to 125. Sellers are also happy that the resale homes inventory is at an all-time low, which means there is much less competition than a year ago.
Spring Creek’s success is highlighted in CAAR’s (Charlottesville Area Association of REALTORS®) third quarter housing report that shows a dramatic increase in Louisa County’s home prices.
“A lot of that has to do with new homes being sold in Spring Creek,” explains Michael Guthrie, Broker with Roy Wheeler Realty, Co. He adds that this market activity also reflects rising home prices in Albemarle and Charlottesville that push buyers further out in their search for the perfect house.
Families that want to build a home in Spring Creek, but are not yet ready to move, can purchase a lot today and hold it until they are ready to build, locking in today’s price. When the time is right, the subdivision’s featured builders stand ready to help, or buyers can bring their own.
Coming in Spring of 2019 there will be a new inventory of lots for both single family and attached homes (also known as villa homes), Girourad said. He urges you to visit soon and be one of the first to reserve a lot.
Spring Creek Buyers
Spring Creek’s amenities appeal to a wide range of individuals and families from move-up buyers to downsizers and even an occasional first timer.
Young families make up about 40 percent of Spring Creek buyers, Girouard said. Most commute into either Richmond or Charlottesville for work.
A big advantage for families that need more space to spread out—often younger folks but not always—is that many of Spring Creek’s homes come with basements, O’Reilly says. This kind of space is great for play rooms, hobby areas or workshops.
Retirees and pre-retirees appreciate that at Spring Creek their money goes so much further than elsewhere, Girouard explained. These folks want to down-size and “build a home with ‘one-level living’ features offered by our featured builders.”
He is delighted that “Stanley Martin Homes recently introduced their Marcella Villa homes starting at $299,000. These homes for one-level living have “VERY exciting floor plans” and he expects a newly decorated model to be ready by Spring 2019.
For buyers who want a brand new home but can’t wait while one is built, Atlantic Builders has two that are available and ready for move in. They are “just waiting for your finishing touch and can be ready for delivery in approximately 30 days,” Girouard said.
While most Spring Creek buyers plan to live in their homes, the potential for appreciation has not escaped the notice of investors.
Two separate sets of Bevin Boisvert’s clients purchased Spring Creek homes for rental. One couple bought a home to rent out and a villa home where they plan to live after retirement, but which, meanwhile, is leased.
They referred some of their friends who understood Spring Creek’s potential and also bought two homes.
Everyone Welcome
Spring Creek is a vibrant place with a cross section of home owners from different age groups. Access to this kind of diversity would not be possible, for example, to retirees who move into a 55+ community.
“What an incredible community of individuals coming together to create an energetic, joyful environment,” one resident said.
“The combination of young families raising children and retired folks together volunteering to create a friendly and welcoming neighborhood is very special. In addition, children playing at the park, laughter at the bus stops, planned family events to celebrate holidays, all provide the community with across the lifespan experiences.”
Do you want to move into a community that is both affordable and close-in, a place where people of all ages enjoy life together? If so ask your agent about Spring Creek.
A beautiful resale, or the perfect building lot await you now. Then move in and enjoy all of Spring Creek’s amenities with a host of new friends.
Celeste Smucker is a writer and blogger who lives near Charlottesville.