Throughout the month of May, St. James Plantation will be airing its own reality show – The Showhouse Showcase.  The “show” captures a look into the hectic world of a local interior designer team, Deb Waters and Marsha Rechichar who are decorating our newest SeaSide model homes, The Cottages at Sandy Cove.  For the past six months, Deb Waters and Marsha Rechichar have shopped til’ they’ve dropped in the North Carolina Furniture district of Highpoint, NC, exploring each showroom for the prefect Key West-inspired furniture and accessories. We’ve followed them from the beginning as they walked us through their inspiration, storyboards, and floor plan layout for the SeaSide models.

Bill deBruin, Director of Construction and Development, also joins the show in week two.  Here, he walks us through the overall construction of SeaSide’s Cottages at Sandy Cove and the new cottages in Regency Lakes.

• Regency Lakes is a low‐maintenance traditional style single family detached neighborhood with smaller and smarter floorplans. Homes here are priced in the upper $200’s. 26 have been sold or are under contract since the start of construction. 2 models will be available for tour.
• SeaSide cottages offer a resort‐style swim club environment with homes that are more coastal in design with open floorplans. SeaSide homes are priced from the low $200’s. 16 have been

When designing the cottages, St. James Plantation developers considered current real estate trends that showed buyers are seeking smaller, low‐maintenance homes, with easy access to amenities. As a result of that research and the confidence that comes from 20 years of successful development in St. James Plantation, the cottages were born!

Four episodes total will be featured in the Showhouse Showcase.  The videos are gearing viewers up for the upcoming St. James Plantation Open House Weekend over Memorial Day.  You’ll be there, right?  During the two-day event, visitors can walk through over 30 homes and condos – including the cottages featured in the videos!  The event is open to the public, so share this info with your friends and family – the more, the merrier!

Keep your Memorial Day Weekend open and visit us for the Open House event at St. James Plantation!   Questions? Contact us today at (800) 245-3871 or email us.

Memorial Day Weekend is filled with patriotism and the remembrance of fallen heroes, AND it marks the official start to summer.  On nearby Oak Island, the beach will be filled with weekenders looking to dip their toes in the sand, St. James‘ backyards will be filled with the smells of charcoal and burgers, and Southport, NC will be hopping with hungry shoppers.  Yes, summer is just around the corner!

When you’re making plans for your 3-day holiday weekend, we’d like you to add THIS to your itinerary:

The St. James Plantation Open House Weekend
Sat. May 26th — 10am-5pm  //  Sun. May 27th – 12noon-5pm

Over 20 homes and models will be OPEN and available for you to tour, including:

*The grand opening of our new cottages in SeaSide and Regency Lakes.  See 4 models decked-out and looking gorgeous!

Cottages at Regency Lakes

*Our newest Harborwalk condominiums — just steps from the marina‘s action.

Custom Homes in Woodlands Park

*5 new Parkview Collection custom homes in Woodlands Park – built by Barker & Canady, Jack Satterwhite Builders, Bill Clark Homes, Kent Homes and Logan Homes.

*Many resale homes and custom models, too!

St. James will surely be a’buzz with activity and we don’t want you to miss the opportunity to walk through each and every home!  In addition, several extras are being planned throughout the community to offer you food and fun, so stay tuned for more details.

Harborwalk at St. James Plantation

Want the inside scoop?  Register early here and we’ll keep you updated with home info and event details.  Questions?  Call (800)245-3871 or email us.

If you’ve visited St. James before and want to come back, or are considering a summer visit to experience St. James for the first time, this is YOUR weekend.  Take advantage of our Plantation Preview Package — accommodations are limited and reservations will fill up so contact us today.

We’re looking forward to an exciting Memorial Day Weekend at St. James Plantation, so make us part of your 3-day holiday and come find your dream home!

St. James Plantation Sales Team

The numbers are in, St. James Plantation has recorded 50 closings on homes and lots since the start of 2012, for a total property value of $8,328,504.  Such activity represents a 92 percent increase in the community’s real estate sales from the first quarter of 2011.  All sales activity was independently verified through the MORE Report, a market analysis firm that focuses on residential real estate.

“We did the math and determined that, on average, since January, we’ve welcomed a new family or property owner to our community every 43.2 hours,” said Robert Duffy, general manager of St. James Plantation.  Development of St. James Plantation began in 1991 and it has since become southeastern North Carolina’s top selling retirement community.  With more than 4,000 property owners, St. James Plantation is recognized for spurring much of the region’s growth and development over the past 20 years.

According to Mr. Duffy, it’s a combination of forces that is driving St. James Plantation sales activity.  “Current interest rates are a key component that’s fueling our market,” he says, “but St. James also offers much of what today’s buyers are seeking.  It’s a perfect combination.”  Indeed, according to Mr. Tom Condon, St. James’ director of sales, “St. James’ amenities are first class, already completed and have been paid for.  And its location is unquestionably desirable.”   But, he adds, “Today’s real estate buyers are wary.  So, having a 20 year track record of success gives the necessary reassurance that’s motivating sales at St. James.”

Building for “The Sweet Spot”

St. James Plantation developers considered current real estate trends that showed buyers are seeking smaller homes with less demand for maintenance and easy access to amenities.  “We also had our own database of prospects and sorted through what we knew they were looking for,” said Mr. Duffy, adding, “Research, together with our empirical evidence, showed a price range in the mid-$200s to mid-$300s would be our sweet spot.”  As a result of that research and the confidence that comes from 20 years of successful development, St. James Plantation has embarked on an ambitious building schedule, introducing four new areas of focus that are driving much of the current sales activity.

Harborwalk is a condominium project situated near the community’s marina;  priced in the $290’s to low $300s.  35 condos have been sold or are under contract since the start of construction.

Regency Lakes is a low-maintenance traditional style single family detached neighborhood with smaller and smarter floorplans.  Homes here are priced in the upper $200’s.   26 have been sold or are under contract since the start of construction.
SeaSide cottages offer a resort-style swim club environment with homes that are more coastal in design with open floorplans.  SeaSide homes are priced from the low $200’s.  16 have been sold or are under contract since the start of construction.

High-End Buyers Still Out There

3-D Streetscape - Woodlands Park's Parkview Collection

While smaller homes have driven much of the sales activity, St. James’ Woodlands Park neighborhood is attracting buyers and builders of larger homes on amenity lots.  The neighborhood’s Parkview Collection features five custom home models averaging 2,700 square with prices from the $400s.  Over 200 homesites have been sold or are under contract in Woodland’s Park which features walking paths, biking trails, a dog park, and a large lake with an outdoor amphitheater for concerts and plays.

Amenities and track record reassure buyers

A Bird's Eye View of St. James Plantation

In July, 2011, Where to Retire magazine named St. James Plantation one of the “50 Best Master Planned Communities” in the US.  Such accolades have driven inquiries from the northeast and mid-Atlantic states, as well as Midwestern cities in Ohio, Michigan and Illinois.  Just this year, Marketing Director Katie Campbell, together with others on the St. James sales team, have traveled to Philadelphia, Washington DC and cities in New Jersey.  She recites the consistent list of items that buyers want to see.  “Smaller homes, provided yard care, outdoor living space, main living floor plans, and a variety of amenities – not just golf – that are already in place,” she says have been among the consistent requests.  “Buyers see that St. James already has everything in place, with reliable management.  I think that is very reassuring in today’s real estate marketplace,” she says.

More about St. James Plantation

St. James Plantation is located near the historic seaside town of Southport, NC, between Wilmington, NC, which is 30 minutes north, and Myrtle Beach, SC, one hour to the south.  The property has some 6,000 acres of total landmass, with over 1,500 acres dedicated to nature preserves.  St. James Plantation has over 4,000 property owners, which was incorporated as a township in 1999.  Development began in 1991, with some 3,500 homesites sold over the past 20 years.  Amenities include 81 holes of golf, a private oceanfront beach club, full service marina with dry storage and wet docks, Har-Tru tennis courts, 15 miles of walking and biking trails, a lakefront amphitheatre, four clubhouses, fitness, swimming, spa and dining facilities, and a marketplace for in-community shopping and marketing.   For more information, visit www.stjamesplantation.com, call (800)245-3871 or email.

Meet Babe - St. James Plantation's Newest Employee!

Bow-WOW, The Clubs at St. James Plantation have a canine on staff!  They employ a Border Collie named “Babe,” who is a trained goose dog from Flyaway Farms & Kennel.  She helps deter geese from our property, mainly our golf courses.

This method of goose management is very safe because the Border Collie, unlike other breeds of dogs, uses its eyes to mesmerize their prey into flight while never touching the birds. The Canadian Geese consider the Border Collie a predator because of the wolf-like stare. Only the Border Collie has the “eye” of a wolf and the instinct to determinedly “work” or stalk the Canadian Geese instead of attacking them. They also never bark when they are working which is appreciated by property owners and lends to their ability to frighten the geese even more than other breeds that may tend to bark.

Do you know how many miles it is from Miami to New York?  About 14,000 miles! Many of us take a trip like this by hopping on a plane, maybe even taking a train or the most grueling, by car, but could you imagine taking a trip from Miami to New York in a 15 ft. row boat up the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW)?  One young British man, Lewis Colam, is doing just that. His adventure started March 3^rd 2012 in Miami and since then, he’s been slowly working his way up the ICW with the Big Apple in his sights.

Why would a young Brit like Colam leave his job in London, fly to Miami and row up the East Coast of America?  Simple- he wants to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s disease.  His grandmother’s lost her battle to the disease, and thus became his motivation to help others.  So, Colam teamed up with I-Am-Fine a company that designed a telephone care service for people who wish to check-in on their loved ones daily.  Loved ones call in everyday, if they forget, I-Am-Fine calls them. If there is no response, their family member or care circle will be alerted.

Colam stated “My grandmother was affected by Alzheimer’s and I saw the affects it had,” he said, “and I thought – wouldn’t it be great to team up with I-Am-Fine and try to raise as much money for the cause as possible.” His original goal was to raise $20,000. As of today he has surpassed his goal and now has increased it to $50,000!

Colam’s hands are dry and cracked and his legs ache, but he continues to row at least 18 hours a day up the ICW, stopping to rest in-between (he stopped at St. James – read more below!)  He has met many kind folks along his journey, including Savannah, Georgia’s famous cook and TV personality, Paula Deen.  Paula offered him some southern hospitality and took him to dinner at her brother’s restaurant, Uncle Bubba’s. Colam was even lucky enough to stay overnight at Paula’s home.

Colam has no rowing experience and no compass but believes he has had a successful trip so far.  Sunday, April 15^th, Lewis hit a snag when rowing his way in to our very own St. James Marina.  A few miles from our marina entrance, Colam hit a sharp rock that damaged the bottom of his row boat.  The rock pierced the bottom and water slowly started seeping in.  Colam quickly called Jim York, a St. James Plantation resident and avid kayaker, to quickly help.  And, no worries — York was there to save the day! Jim ran to his boat docked at the marina, turned on the engine and went to rescue Colam.  York said “I arrived to help Lewis just in time, there were only a few inches left before Colam would have completely sank and his journey would have been over!” York and Colam returned safely to marina at dusk leaving the row boat at the dock to be fixed the following day.

His stop at St. James Marina was warm and welcoming.  Members of the St. James Plantation Kayaking Club housed Colam Sunday evening- he received a warm bed, and shower and a delicious meal of Chicken Parmesan.  His next stop will take him to Carolina Beach, NC.

We wish you well, Lewis — Safe Travels and Best of Luck!

You can track Colam’s journey and listen to his daily audio diary each day.

Introducing The Cottages at Regency Lakes

Just when you thought Regency Lakes at St. James Plantation had all your options covered…..think again!  This spring, we’ve added beautiful, roomy cottages to the neighborhood mix.  Each plan, there are 3 – The Beaumont, The Crosby, and The Darcy – offer high-style, low maintenance living with a traditional feel, plus all the extra-special details one appreciates in Regency Lakes, while “right-sizing” your lifestyle.

Each cozy floorplan is open and airy, offers great space for entertaining, features quality designer details and finishes, and is well-equipped with great storage options.  We get it, storage is important when “right-sizing” and these cottages offer plenty of it!

Check out the video of The Darcy.  She’s finished and ready for you to tour (hint! hint!)

When you live here at St. James, fun activities are daily – there’s always something going on!  That’s why we designed each cottage plan around your active lifestyle.  Keeping up with your home’s “Honey-Do” list is not always top priority, so The Cottages at Regency Lakes offer the perfect solution for all the fun (and freedom) you’re looking for in your next chapter of life.  These homes are smaller and smarter with no compromise on what’s important.   Hey, we want you to spend more time doing the things you love….no thanks needed!

If you’re interested in finding out more about The Cottages at Regency Lakes, let us know!  Call (800)245-3871 or email us.  Better yet, come see them in person!  April is a popular month and we have a special event weekend coming up (April 27-29) — reserve your spot before it sells out!

Are you obsessed with Pinterest?  Well, it’s OFFICIAL! St. James Plantation is on Pinterest!!! Now you can ‘repin’ and ‘like’ your favorite St. James Plantation photos, interiors, homes, activities and more! If you haven’t already joined the pinning world- now is the time!

Please follow The St. James Plantation board and continute to watch for more pins soon! If you still need an invite to Pinterest we’d be happy to send you one. Leave your e-mail address in the comments section below or on our Facebook page and we’ll be sure to send you one soon.

Happy Pinning!

If you haven’t has a chance to visit us at St. James Plantation and walk into the year old Reserve Clubhouse, we invite you to do just that! The multimillion dollar, 24,000 square foot clubhouse opened in March 2011 and was designed by renowned Atlanta architect Hugh Barrett Coyle, AIA of Chapman, Coyle, Chapan Associates.

The club is spacious and comfortable, offering members multiple dining and meeting areas, wonderful views of the 18th fairway and green, gorgeous porches and even a fire pit! And just wait until you sample the menu!

The Reserve Club 18 hole golf course was named “Best New Course in North Carolina.” It offers a par 72 championship caliber 7,100 yard layout created by Nicklaus Design. The rolling terrain and native vegetation aid in emphasizing strategy and shot-making. The course is laid out amid waters and features Carolina Bay nature preserve.

Just a quick 10-minute drive from the main gate at St. James is our amazing private retreat- Beach Club. Parties or impromptu get-togethers, an exhilarating evening dip, or just a day basking in the warm sun…it’s all yours at St. James By The Sea.  Want to take the dogs out for a run on the gleaming sand, fly a kite, toss a line in the water, or have cocktails at sunset with friends- the beach club is our private getaway to explore the wide sandy beach, warm sunshine and beautiful Carolina weather.