The couple, who has decades of experience in real estate and construction, said they were inspired by local lectures and the ideals of sustainable development. To that end, the community has a 20-acre conservation area with deer and other wildlife. There are 119 home sites, of which over 40 have been sold so far, arranged to create a walk-able neighborhood that also has a balance of open space and green space.

The property includes butterfly gardens, rain gardens and the developers worked with landscape architect Josh Mihaly to create a natural setting with native plants for drought resistance.

“The developer was very mindful about what she did,” said Paula Ferebee, the listing agent with Intracoastal Realty. “The use of native plants and water-wise landscaping just shows she was thinking about costs and water usage for the new homeowners.”

Ferebee also mentioned that a national builder was interested in the project. “But Stevens Fine Homes has the best product for the price and gives you the most home for your money,” she said. “We shopped extensively and Stevens has a very systemized and organized building process that saves them money and those savings are passed on to the buyers.”

Stevens Fine Homes also builds energy efficient-rated homes and this community includes 14 home plans with features such as heat pumps, R38 insulation in ceilings, 50-gallon hot water heaters, radiant-barrier roof sheathing, no-VOC indoor paints and energy-saving windows and appliances.

Deer Crossing includes porous pedestrian sidewalks and individual homeowner driveways are built to recharge the water supply by letting more rain water return to the ground, thereby minimizing storm water runoff issues. To make organic, backyard gardening easier for new homeowners, each space has partially laid sod, with the deepest parts of the yard covered in pine straw, Ki said. “They can just push back the pine straw, and owners are ready to plant their own garden.”

Ki said another fun and interesting feature is a sculpture garden that is designed around the ‘reduce, reuse, recycle concept.’ “Deer Crossing, with the help of local artist Cyndi Buell, used recycled cedar logs from the building sites to create it,” Ki said.

Other amenities include a dog park and an education pavilion. Bird and wildlife sanctuaries are in the works. Deer Crossing also includes nature trails and an adventure play area for children.

“This is a community that has been designed for those who are interested in minimizing their impact on the natural world and have the opportunity to participate in the preservation and improvements of the community,” Ki said.

The response to Deer Crossing has been favorable so far, and the community recently opened the second phase of development. Ki said they hope to finish the community by the end of next year. Prices for homes start at $169,900. Deer Crossing is located at 1325 Deer Hill Drive, Wilmington, NC 28409. For more information, call 332-8502 or go to www.DeerCrossingNC.com.

Source: Star News