These homes were chosen to reflect the different styles and
tastes of
Alamance County residents, yet they symbolize what home
means to each of us.
For more information on how you can submit a home, call
226-8436, fax 226-8437
or email
our editorial
department.
Writer's
Thoughts On Home
By Chris
Faircloth
A drive through Alamance
County on Interstate 85/40 offers visitors a glimpse of the
many restaurants available in our community. From Applebees
to Zacks and everything in between, we have a world of food
choices such as Chinese, Mexican, Japanese, Italian, Greek
and American at our disposal. Like the diversity of
restaurants to choose from in our area, the housing market
in Alamance County has expanded over the years and now
offers residents a wide variety of options and choices to
suit individual needs and tastes.
By far the largest segment of houses available in Alamance
County is single-family residential homes. Even in this
market, however, choices and options abound. We are
fortunate to have not one but many different styles of
homes in our county, from Cape Cod to contemporary. Single
story, multi-story and basement homes are all available. In
addition to the many styles available, there is a whole
menu of materials used on local homes from which to choose.
Exterior siding choices include brick, stone, wood, vinyl,
log, aluminum, and stucco. Combinations of these materials
enable consumers to be as creative as they wish with the
outside of their homes. Inside, the choices are just as
abundant with a variety of materials such as wood, stone,
tile, granite, marble, plaster, and many finishes and
colors of fixtures to choose from. In addition to diversity
in the style of the homes and the materials used, there is
also the issue of location. Again, there are numerous
options available in Alamance County. There are many
subdivisions located throughout the county, each with
varying degrees of restrictive covenants. Some are located
within the city limits, some are in the county. Some are on
relatively small pieces of property, while others are on
several acres. There are neighborhoods with historical
older homes that offer the charm and character of a bygone
era. Other properties, such as waterfront homes on Lake
Mackintosh, Lake Cammack and Forest Lake, and farms are
also available.
There are several types of homes in the single-family homes
category. Stick built custom homes provide the largest
selection in this area. Custom homebuilders tend to build
less volume and work one-on-one with the homeowner to
ensure that the quality and details meet the homeowners
specifications. Volume or tract builders typically build
many more homes during the course of the year that are more
similar and that take advantage of an economy of scale.
There are also modular homes that are constructed off site
and then assembled on the home site, and single and
doublewide mobile homes available. If a single-family
residential home is not what you are looking for, there are
other forms of housing available in Alamance County. A
condominium is a type of ownership in which all of the
owners of the complex own the property, common areas and
buildings together with the exception of the interior of
the unit to which they have title. There are condominium
complexes located all across Alamance County, each with
their own association fees and covenants. A town home is
another option. A town house is one of a row of identical
houses situated side by side and sharing common walls.
While not as common in our area as condominiums, they are
gaining in popularity and availability with several new
town home communities currently being built.
Another growing segment of the housing market is assisted
living housing. Once again, Burlington has choices to offer
in this market, including the new Village at Brookwood,
Twin Lakes Center, Blakey Hall, The Homeplace of Burlington
and The Oaks. These communities give seniors the option of
independent living with the security of knowing that if the
need for more assisted living arises, it is available.
We are fortunate in Alamance County to have several
thriving downtown areas. Downtown Burlington, Graham and
Mebane offer yet another form of housing that is also
gaining in popularity. Mixed-use commercial and residential
areas that were once very common are experiencing a
resurgence in downtown areas all across the country, and we
are fortunate to have this option here.
Multi-family housing is available in the form of duplex or
multiplex units. Alamance County offers new units that have
been built as well as older homes that have been converted
to multi-family use. This offers people the opportunity to
live in one of the units and to use the other unit or units
for income producing purposes. In addition to the above
options for homeownership, there are also options available
if you do not want to own a home but would rather lease a
residence. There are apartment complexes, duplexes, town
homes, condominiums, and single-family homes available for
rent.
This is an exciting time of growth and opportunity for
Alamance County. Residential, commercial and multi-family
construction is thriving and as more people move to our
area, the housing options and availability will increase.
We are fortunate to live in a community that offers so many
different choices and options. There truly is something for
everyone in Alamance County.
(Chris Faircloth is a
professional free lance writer living in Burlington with
her husband Randy and their two children.)
