Neighborhoods to Watch in 2008

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Lavish hot communities in Maryland and Virginia

For many years suburban DC communities such as McLean and Great Falls in Virginia, and Bethesda and Chevy Chase in Maryland, have been generally recognized as being among the area’s most sought-after addresses. But thanks to a boom in high-end home construction, there’s been a proliferation of hot neighborhoods throughout the region.

Appealing new luxury neighborhoods can now be found from the Eastern Shore to the West Virginia line. Some feature expansive estate-size lots, some offer resort-style community amenities and many are within easy driving distance of Washington, DC, Tysons Corner and the Dulles or I-270 high-tech employment corridors. These hot spots for luxury living feature spacious home designs with high levels of fit and finish. If you are in the market for a hot new luxury community to call home, consider taking a look at one or more of the neighborhoods on our list.

Maymont, Tysons Corner, Virginia
This exclusive enclave of 58 single-family homes on a 64-acre site is located in the Vienna/Tysons corridor, near the Dulles Toll Road, Route 7 and Route 495. Maymont is the newest high-end community from luxury builder Basheer & Edgemoore. It is convenient to the Town of Vienna, the beauty of local horse farms in Great Falls, myriad shopping and entertainment venues in nearby Tysons Corner and all the cultural programs offered at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts.

Basheer & Edgemoore has unveiled six new homes inspired by European estates in its Embassy Collection at Maymont. Standard luxury features in the 4,000- to 6,000-square-foot designs include rich hardwood flooring, granite countertops and impressive brick and stone exteriors. Residents may also customize their homes with options such as luxurious salon baths, dramatic spiral staircases, sun-lit conservatories and lush landscaping packages.

For more information call (703) 962-1460 or visit the Web site www.maymontestates.com.

Grenata, Leesburg, Virginia
The new luxury community of Grenata is close to the heart of historic Leesburg, just two miles from the Dulles Greenway. Grenata will consist of 59 three- to five-plus-acre home sites in a neighborhood featuring lush landscaping, two scenic nature ponds and stands of native trees around its perimeter. Interior architecture will include such features as grand front and rear foyers, circular and floating staircases, hearth and keeping rooms with fireplaces and master suites with exterior balconies and sunlit sitting rooms. For more information, call Creighton Enterprises at (703) 443-9305, or Edgemoore Homes at (703) 443-8494.

Selma,

Leesburg, Virginia
Located within one mile of historic Leesburg, Selma creates new heights in estate elegance with unique mountain vistas of serene and majestic beauty. This privileged world will include an English-style stone entry gatehouse, a 25-meter pool, a bathhouse, tennis courts, four miles of walking trails and landscaped village greens. Four award-winning home series by Edgemoore Homes are available at Selma. For more information call (703) 932-5181, or visit the Web site www.edgemoorehomes.com.

Chester River Landing
Waterfront living near historic Chestertown, Maryland

Docking at the private marina, dining with friends in historic Chestertown and returning home to enjoy a casual swim in the private pool are just a few activities homeowners can experience at Chester River Landing in Chestertown, Maryland. This serene resort-style community offers 44 premier waterfront homes and is now open for sales.

Chester River Landing offers residents luxurious amenities including a private marina with a floating boat dock and 36 slips accommodating boats up to 40 feet long, an outdoor pool designed with a water fountain and bath houses, private beaches with shoreline walking trails, beautifully landscaped pocket parks, stabilized shoreline protection and oyster-shell walking paths linking it all together.

Adding to the ambiance of community, Chester River Landing is located only minutes away from Chestertown’s cozy restaurants and charming boutique-style shops. Founded in 1706, Chestertown is one of America’s oldest towns. The National Trust for Historic Preservation recently called Chestertown “one of the most charming, well-preserved towns on Maryland’s Eastern Shore” when it included the community on its 2007 list of “America’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations,” adding, “An 18th-century jewel on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Chestertown was once a thriving Revolutionary-era port and today boasts a treasure trove of perfectly preserved 18th- and 19th-century homes, specialty stores, sidewalk cafés and scenic boating, biking and hiking along the drop-dead gorgeous Chesapeake coast.”

Rich in colonial charm, this community is the perfect complement to life at Chester River Landing. Special events held in the area throughout the year include historic home tours, art shows, special musical events and more. Chestertown is also home to Washington College; a selection of galleries, theaters and museums; and a variety of organizations dedicated to protecting the region’s natural habitat and historic sites.

Developed and built by Covell Communities, Chester River Landing offers home buyers a diverse mix of housing options, including single-family homes, townhomes and duplex homes, all featuring unique architecture designed to complement Chestertown’s historic style.

Homes range in size from under 2,000 to more than 3,000 square feet and include 10-foot ceilings; large picture windows; kitchens with stainless-steel appliances, maple cabinetry and breakfast bars; luxurious master baths with ceramic tiles, soaking tubs and separate showers; hardwood flooring in foyers and kitchens; Berber carpeting throughout the other areas; designer lighting fixtures; crown molding in foyers and dining rooms; and high-efficiency heating and air conditioning systems.

Exterior features include elegant porches on rear elevations with maintenance-free rail systems, detached garages with designer garage doors, stone-paved driveways, brick walks and stoops, true divided light-insulated windows and 25-year architectural-grade shingles.

For more information, call (866) 618-9642, or visit www.ChesterRiverHomes.com.

Oak Creek
A luxury golf course community located just north of Upper Marlboro in Prince George’s County

When you buy a home at Oak Creek, you’re buying more than just a state-of-the-art luxury estate. You’re also buying a gated, luxury, country-club lifestyle that’s hard to beat anywhere in the greater Washington, DC, region.

On a prime 1,100-acre former estate complete with a nearly 200-year-old Manor Home, a brand new private golf course and a wealth of family-friendly amenities, Montgomery Development is creating a new community built around recreation, relaxation, luxury and convenience.

For Marcus W. Montgomery, president of Montgomery Development, Oak Creek is a continuation of the passion that led him to create Oak Creek’s sister community, the highly regarded River Creek in Leesburg, Virginia. “Oak Creek is following the River Creek philosophy of combining luxurious homes, world-class golf and an abundance of social and recreational amenities, all in a private gated community,” he says.

Oak Creek may even trump its sister when it comes to its convenient location—eight miles from Washington, DC, 14 miles from Annapolis, and 25 miles from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor—and what Montgomery calls “an even better golf course.” The 7,257-yard championship course, a layout designed by Ault, Clark and Associates, wanders through stands of mature trees that provide a beautiful buffer between the fairways and Oak Creek’s homes. “There are seven holes located in the middle of forestland so quiet you can hear a pin drop,” says Montgomery. For home buyers, Oak Creek represents an opportunity to get more for the money than simply a grand new home.

All Oak Creek residents automatically become social members of The Oak Creek Country Club, with its planned 22,000-square-foot country clubhouse; and a 6,000-square-foot swim and tennis facility with a fitness center, tennis courts,

a 25-meter swimming pool, a 1,000-square-foot wading pool and a putting green. The 35-acre Oak Creek Park will include a baseball/softball field, a football field, a soccer field, and hiker/biker trails that link up to the nearby Black Branch Stream Valley County Park. The 25-acre Beechwood Park will be an expansive green space perfect for family picnics or impromptu gatherings with neighbors. Montgomery is proud that more than 60 percent of Oak Creek’s property will remain undeveloped open space for residents to appreciate.

Service-oriented amenities include full-time concierge service and a private bus service offering rides to the nearest Metro stop and other destinations. The 24-hour guarded and gated community will also feature a camera at the front gate that will allow residents at home to view incoming guests on a dedicated community TV channel.

The same builders who made River Creek’s homes the talk of Loudoun County are now busy at Oak Creek, offering stylish and luxurious new homes in a range of price points. John Corgan, President of Mitchell & Best Homebuilders, says he and his staff “are very proud to be part of a select group of builders at Oak Creek.” The community’s other home builders are Craftmark Homes, Craftstar Homes, K&P Builders, Michael Harris Homes, NVHomes, WCI Communities, Ryan Homes and Greencastle Homes. Buyers will find an astonishing variety of floor plans, designs, styles and sizes from which to choose, with prices ranging from the high-$300s to the high-$900s.

For more information, call the Oak Creek Visitors Center at (301) 390-8707 or visit www.oakcreekclub.com.

Little River Farms
Enjoying amenities galore and mountain views in Virginia’s Loudoun County

Large wooded home sites and mountain views distinguish the new community of Little River Farms in Gilbert’s Corner, Virginia. Here Elite Homes is building a variety of luxurious properties on three- to eight-acre treed lots. Prices start at approximately $1 million.

The homes at Little River Farms range in size from about 3,500 to 12,000 square feet, and include a variety of luxurious fixtures and finishes at no extra cost. Included as standard features in all the community’s homes are finished garages complete with garage organizer systems and special flooring, cabinetry and lighting. Other standard luxury touches include closets outfitted with space-maximizing organizer systems, and built-in bookcases in the library. Buyers can choose a traditional floor plan with all the bedrooms on the upper level, a main-level master suite floor plan or a

luxury rambler design. Most homes include dedicated space for the addition of an elevator. Elevators can be included at the time of purchase or added at a future date. All elevator wiring, foundation preparation and other structural work is completed as part of Elite Homes’ standard package at Little River Farms.

Elite’s brand new model home at Little River Farms is its Zachary model, featuring four bedrooms, three full baths, one half bath and 4,700 feet of living space, not including the lower level. Features include an elegant two-story oval foyer and an expansive owner’s suite with his and her closets and luxurious bath and dressing areas, a library, a salon, a convenient keeping room off the kitchen, a pantry, and a family foyer with entrances from the garage and the front of the house. A two-car side-load garage with raised-panel colonial doors is standard, while an optional three-car side-load garage or a detached two-car garage with upper level finished guest suite or studio are also available.

Conservatory and morning room options are available for the Zachary. Lower-level options include an exercise room, media room, game room, billiards room, bar and den.

Elite Homes’ Jefferson model at Little River Farms features 8,000 square feet, five bedrooms and seven and a half baths, a domed two-story foyer with a fountain, two two-car garages and a stunning double staircase. Located in Gilbert’s Corner at the intersection of Routes 15 and 50 in Loudoun County, Virginia, Little River Farms is close to the towns of Aldie and Oak Hill, and a short drive from Middleburg and Leesburg, where colonial history lives on and sidewalk strollers can browse dozens of galleries, antique shops, boutiques and historic sites. The community is also a short distance from Washington-Dulles International Airport, Manassas National Battlefield Park and the Potomac River.

For more information, call (703) 424-6710 or visit www.elitehomesva.com.

The Highlands at Round Hill
Luxury living in Virginia’s Short Hill Mountains

The Highlands at Round Hill is a private estate community being built by Equity Homes in western Loudoun County, Virginia, in the Short Hill Mountains. Homes are nestled on three-plus-acre home sites with beautiful mountain views and easy access to Route 7 and Leesburg. These estate homes offer dramatic two-story foyers, arched entryways, nine- and 10-foot ceilings, and finely crafted trim work that all speak of thoughtful attention to those little luxuries in life. The community’s furnished Southampton model home was

the winner of the 2006 Monument Award for Single Family Home in its price category.

The Southampton features between 4,221 and 7,288 square feet of living space and offers four to five bedrooms, and four to six baths plus powder room. The Southampton’s dramatic two-story entry foyer is flanked by the home’s formal living and dining rooms, each with columns, and leads to the dual staircase at the center of the home. Just beyond are a 20-by-20 foot great room, the kitchen and a private study with French doors. A second staircase near the kitchen and walk-in pantry leads to the upstairs laundry room and master suite. Optional lower-level spaces include a media room, an exercise room, a den and a recreation room.

Each home at The Highlands at Round Hill features a brick front, a brick driveway monument, professional landscaping and a two-car, side-entry garage.

Buyers have 12 models from which to choose, all with hardwood flooring in the foyer, kitchen, breakfast area, walk-in pantry and powder room; oak front stairs; a gas fireplace; 42-inch oak cabinets, Corian counters and recessed lighting in the center-island kitchen; a master bath with a soaking tub and separate shower; ceramic tile flooring in the full baths; a rough-in for a lower-level bath; a structured wiring package; and two-zone heating and air conditioning. Upon completion, The Highlands at Round Hill will comprise 93 single-family homes.

The community’s location in Round Hill, Virginia, puts residents close to the charm and history of Leesburg and Middleburg. Front Royal, Virginia, gateway to Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive, is a short drive away. Another drive takes residents to Tysons Corner, with its employment opportunities, over-the-top shopping scene and fine restaurants.

For more information on Equity Homes’ The Highlands at Round Hill, call (540) 751-2041 or visit www.equityhomes.com.

Creighton Farms
A luxury golf community in Loudoun County

Located in Aldie, Virginia, about 40 miles from Washington, DC, Creighton Farms is a 900-acre country-club community consisting of 146 single-family custom estate homes built on oversized home sites. The centerpiece of the new community is its Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course that winds its way among 200 acres of wooded hillsides, wildflower meadows and evergreen wetlands. Golfers of all abilities will enjoy playing amidst the meadows and woods, with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains framing the course to the west.

Apex Custom Homes is building luxury residences at Creighton Farms on large premium sites

of up to three acres. Scott Prendergast, President of Apex Custom Homes, is excited about the level of quality that luxury-home buyers will find at Creighton Farms, both in terms of the community amenities and the homes themselves.

“Our design team integrates our own line of custom millwork and stone products from around the world to create a one-of-a-kind custom masterpiece for each client,” Prendergast says. “Because we’re family owned, and not striving to be the largest builder out there, we can define ourselves by the quality and integrity of our work.”

As a true custom builders, Apex will help buyers select a lot at Creighton Farms and create a home plan uniquely suited to their family’s daily living pattern. In addition, Apex offers in-house design and decorating services that will help you outfit your new home in style.

Creighton Farms features the professional management expertise of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC, which will manage the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Creighton Farms, including the course, an elegant clubhouse and the community’s Property Owners Association. The clubhouse will feature fine and casual dining, members’ lounges and a fully equipped, state-of-the-art fitness center with swimming pool and tennis courts. A full complement of white-glove concierge services will be available to all residents at Creighton Farms, offering conveniences such as housekeeping, laundry, shopping, nanny assistance, party coordination and airport transfer services.

Situated in Loudoun County, Virginia, just 13 miles from Dulles International Airport, Creighton Farms is close to wineries, horse farms and well-preserved colonial towns such as Middleburg and Leesburg, with their antique shops, art galleries, cafés and boutiques. Winery tours, Civil War landmarks and fine dining are all moments away.

Creighton Farms is a joint development project of Florida-based Juno Properties and Virginia-based Creighton Enterprises, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and Jack Nicklaus. Juno previously teamed up with Ritz-Carlton and Jack Nicklaus to create the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club & Spa, Jupiter, located near Palm Beach, Florida.

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