Sales under way for luxury Hamlin townhomes

What these "homes" sacrifice in yards, they more than make up in living space and opulent interiors. The dwellings are luxury townhomes as large as 3,300 square feet at One Hamlin Place, a new community in Mount Pleasant from John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods.

Sales began last month, with prices starting in the mid-$500,000s, says Jennifer Nilsson, spokeswoman for the Atlanta-based builder. The townhomes are set among oaks and marshes of the existing upscale Hamlin Plantation neighborhood off Rifle Range Road, and many units have views of Hamlin Sound.

Brick and fiber-cement siding highlight the townhome outsides. Interiors sport personal elevators, 10-foot ceilings, hardwood floors, custom kitchen cabinets and granite countertops and spa baths with jetted tubs and dual vanities. Each townhome has a two-car, rear-entry garage. Common features include sunrooms and screened porches.

Inventory story

Brad Rundbaken has had experience in real estate, the stock market and appraisals, so he has a wide scope on housing trends. In his third quarter Charleston real estate market report, Rundbaken, now principal of Diversified Resource Group LLC, sees some but not much uptick in the sluggish housing market.

"Sales have really taken a hit here locally due to the current credit crisis and overall negative mentality of buyers and sellers," he says. "Until sellers and some Realtors get a clue how to price a home in this buyers market the trend will only get worse." He says inventories have shown short-term improvement. However, in September 2006, "overall inventory was 6.1 months or 8,336 properties. September 2007 shows 10.95 months of inventory with 9,742 properties for sale. YIKES!"

Way to go, Mungo

The National Housing Quality award is not easy to obtain: Just five companies won in 2008. One of those was Columbia-based Mungo Homes and its partner Harbor Homes, which builds in Charleston and Myrtle Beach.

The National Association of Home Builders Research Center and Reed Business Information, publishers of Professional Builder and Professional Remodeler magazines, combine to give out the award, now in its 15th year.

"The National Housing Quality Award is the hardest award to win in home building," says Paul Deffenbaugh, editorial director for Professional Builder.

Blowing cool

Made public this spring, One Cool Blow broke ground in late October to kick off construction of the mixed-used development in Charleston peninsula's East Central neighborhood. WECCO of Charleston is developing the project of 57 environmentally friendly lofts and 12,000 square feet of commercial space. Three five-story "green" buildings will be constructed almost entirely of concrete, copper and glass, and the structures will boast roof-top gardens, interior courtyards and expansive riverfront views, the company says.

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source: charleston.net