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Luxurious Location

By Cindy Hodnett
HomePlace Writer

Imagine owning a large brick or stone home with high ceilings, spacious rooms and pastoral views, the type of property that would allow you to create the interior style you've always wanted. Next, position it in a community near a mix of shopping and restaurants, and then add easy access to major highways. This homeownership blueprint is what you'll find at Speas Meadow.

Nestled in a rural setting off Spainhour Mill Road, Speas Meadow is a quiet neighborhood of upscale homes where wild turkeys and deer have been known to make an appearance in the wee hours of the morning. Speas Meadow also features homes with nice architectural "bones," and the homeowners in the community have customized their properties to meet the specific needs of their families.

"We lived in Sherwood Forest for 18 years, then moved to Florida for six years," said Donnie Kirkman, who lives in Speas Meadow with his wife, Joanie. "We moved back to be close to our family, and when we saw Speas Meadow, we knew this was it. It's a country setting, but only one mile to the interstate, and every home in here is different — there are no duplicate homes. It is an opportunity like no other."

Allen Tate's Victoria Frye is the marketing agent for Speas Meadow. She said that the neighborhood is a great option for buyers looking for a luxury home with a convenient location.

"Right now, we have six homes available, and all of them are so different," Frye said. "There isn't one particular design, and if one of the houses doesn't work, you can probably find one that will. And interest rates are great, so it really is a good time to buy a new home."

The first household to be established in Speas Meadow was a family with two teenagers. The homeowners said that there were many things that attracted them to the community, and they add that they continue to enjoy the relaxed lifestyle.

"We lived in Pfafftown Village for seven years, but we wanted to get outside of the city limits and still be in Forsyth County," said Steve Rorem. "Speas Meadow appealed to us because the lots are very big, and you don't have neighbors right on top of you, and Tobaccoville has one of the lowest real-estate tax rates in the state."

"Our kids bring their friends here, and they can run around and it's perfectly safe," said Kim Rorem. "We're as close as you can get to being out in the country but still near everything."

The Rorems said that they also bought in Speas Meadow because they fell in love with their home. With a long list of amenities and builder Dan Looney's name behind it, the house provided quality and comfort.

"We love Dan's houses," Kim said. "Every house he builds is like he's building one for himself."

"He has very good attention to detail," Steve said. "I had seen a similar house in Lexington, so we found this lot, signed the contract and Dan built the house in 10 months. We moved in and saw the first turkeys within a few days. ... I feel like we're out far enough here, but we're still less than 15 minutes away from the movies or the grocery store."

"We want our kids to grow up in a country setting, but there are still a lot of things they like to do close by," Kim added. "This is a very safe, secure environment."