James Jordan

A big surprise awaits the open minded buyer looking for low maintenance living. On Elm street just past Wendover Avenue (north of downtown) you'll find Country Club Condominiums, a collection of historic buildings offering 1 & 2 bedroom units for under $130,000. The community boasts a large striking courtyard with classic style chairs and tables, and charcoal BBQ stations. This creates an elegant park-like setting, surrounded by a stylish black security fence complete with locking gates. The appearance of the conveniently located community is very appropriate for its upscale urban surroundings. Inside, space is a premium, with very little wasted. The cozy feeling is created by the parquet style wood floors and the massive structure of the buildings. The floor-plans are neat, featuring galley style kitchens with granite, tile floors, and retro black and white baths. The one bedroom model features an unusual (for our area) washer dryer unit, that is, one unit that does both (not and over under, a single door unit that washes first and dries later, with no unloading and reloading). You'll find spacious bedrooms and bright classic windows.There are many efficiencies to this type of lifestyle, both financial and maintenance. If you are considering an apartment or condominium, or even a townhome in the Triad, be sure not to overlook this unique option. Country Club Condominiums is on the national register of historic places, so taxes are very low. The HOA is reasonable for all that is included, and on the whole the prices seem reasonable for such an upscale option and urban location, close to parks, shopping, downtown, State Street, and Wendover Avenue. Don't miss it! Find them at www.countryclubcondos.net.

It had been a while since I looked at Centerpointe, Greensboro's showcase downtown high rise community. These upscale homes have great views and all the amenities. I toured three models over the weekend, all staged, to get a feel of just a few of the floor plans available. The models boast plenty of room, great cabinetry choices throughout, with solid surface kitchens. The accent finish work is understated and sharp, the tile choices are urban and clean. Carpets are of high quality, and the tile floors and baths fixtures are quality as well. These bathrooms are striking in each floor plan, but the master bath in the 3 bedroom model is truly exceptional. The ceiling height and full view exterior walls make these homes a thrill to enter, and yet they have that cozy residential feeling, not at all institutional or industrial. And don't be too fast to rule out the studio plan one bedroom! This very livable home starts at well under 200k. Qualified buyers will love the convenient parking, optional storage rooms, and the spacious elegant feel of the building. There is still plenty of room at Centerpointe, so qualified buyers can take their pick of the great floorplans. 24 hour security and centeral convenience make Centerpointe a great choice for low maintenance high rise living in the heart of the Triad. See them at www.centerpointegreensboro.com.

Out in eastern Guilford Count just off I-40 at Young's Mill Rd buyers find a quality alternative to the big box homes. Shugart Enterprises has a reputation for quality construction, a wide diversity of floor plans, and homes that are just plain good-looking from all angles. There are currently three great spec homes available, but the available plans and lots have much to offer the first time buyer or the down-sizer looking for less maintenance. There are five plans currently offered in single family, all of which start at $129,000! Not surprisingly, the Freeman (1524 sq.ft.) is the most popular, and the smallest plan is still a generous 1330 sq.ft. It seems like just a few years ago that Shugart had a plan at Reedy Fork Ranch that was close to 1100 square feet, without all the newer architectural features available at Creekside. Besides the large Freeman, the Hanover plan struck me as being the best of both worlds, townhome and single family. You get virtually no maintenance and the chic feel of a townhome, but also the independence and all the natural light of a single family home. Another thing is the 'sweat equity' option, where a buyer earns a credit towards up to 2.9% of the required 3.5% FHA down payment! With this option, the buyer provides the labor for painting and landscaping, and Shugart provides materials, supplies, and tools to get the jobs done! To me this seems like a no-brainer to the adventurous buyer who loves to be hands on! Creekside is inside the Urban Loop, with easy interstate access to shopping of all kinds. It still has a rural feel, being a former farm, but is close to Greensboro City limits. See Shugart at www.buyshugart.com.

The other day I stopped by at the newer model at Candice Ridge in Greensboro NC, right off I-40 on Youngs Mill Rd. When I was a kid I rode the school bus right by this area! The newer homes look impressive from the street, with pretty upscale elevations, complete with some craftsman elements. The thing that caught my eye first was the textured paint. To date I'd seen only one other builder use this in our area. Of course the staging was fantastic, reminding me of DR Horton's upscale Winston-Salem community models. I looked through four homes, noting the big owner's suites and great closets. Selections are easy and done on site with the seller's agent. I was also struck by the window placements, with many at corners, and a few at the landings of side facing stairs. Lots of light! The garages I saw were finished, albeit with some bare plywood still visible in the specs. Lots of nickle hardware- and one other unusual thing was the beveled laminate counters in kitchens- I hadn't seen this before- it was not rolled under, but finished with the backward 'S'. Must see. Anyway, this type of home isn't much to look at from the back, but the front elevations make up for it. Regent is the builder, and Candice Ridge is the subdivision. They are competing for sure, with plans starting around 120's for 1800 sq. ft. You can see them at www.regenthomesnc.com.