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Home for the Holidays

By Cindy Hodnett
HomePlace Writer

Although the residential real-estate market in the Triad has not suffered the same slowdown in sales that has been reported in other areas of the country, local real-estate agents are still charged with finding creative ways to market their properties. The strategies employed might include everything from extensive media placements to an abundance of balloons on open-house day, but in the case of one Fair Oaks property marketed by Coldwell Banker Triad, Realtors, it also incorporated a philanthropic component.

During December, CBTR's Josh Greer hosted an open house at 3653 Forsythia Trail (Lot 6) in the Enclave at Fair Oaks. Built by Darien Sells, a residential contractor who "treats each home he builds as a personal artwork," according to Greer, the house in Fair Oaks is easily marketed on its own merits. However, Greer decided to sweeten the deal by creating a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity around the open house.

"Our local real-estate market is very stable," Greer said. "However, as a real-estate agent, I have to find more innovative, energetic techniques to market the Previews homes and generate exposure that competes with the competition."

Greer said that Coldwell Banker identifies homes in the $500,000-and-up price range as Previews properties. He added that the Fair Oaks home is priced at $649,900 and provided the perfect setting for a successful open-house fundraiser.

"The Home for the Holidays event became an amazing success and met several objectives," Greer said. "Most importantly, it exposed the property to the right demographic that had not or would not have casually seen the home otherwise."

During the Home for the Holidays evening, visitors to 3653 Forsythia Trail enjoyed music by the Piedmont Wind Quartet and food from Big Shotz Tavern. Attainable Mortgage provided event funding, and Interior Designer June DeLugas created a holiday wonderland throughout the home. DeLugas donated a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the home's furnishings to Habitat, and both Empire Building and Design, and Greer are planning to make contributions to the organization when the home is sold.

"We were successful in reaching our goal of approximately 70 guests for the evening," Greer said. "The event was a huge success for Habitat for Humanity."

Lot 6 in the Enclave at Fair Oaks lists for $649,900 and has more than 3,800 square feet, four bedrooms, and four full and one half baths. The home has 10-foot ceilings on the main level, a great room with 18-foot ceilings and a two-story rock fireplace, and a custom kitchen and luxury master suite. Greer will host an open house at the home today from 2 to 4 p.m. To see it, take I-40 West to the Tanglewood exit; turn right on Harper; turn left on Fair Oaks; turn left into Fair Oaks; turn right on Forsythia and go to 3653 Forsythia Trail on the right. For more information, call Josh Greer at Coldwell Banker Triad, Realtors at 336-765-7676.