Crestview subdivision has neighborhood feel

The first thing you notice about Crestview’s Shadow Pines subdivision is its feeling of an “all-American neighborhood.”

You can immediately envision girls skipping rope, boys riding bikes, touch football games on the lawn, moms sharing gossip and dads swapping barbecue tips.

Only 14 of the 37 available lots have homes on them, but the subdivision already is infused with a sense of neighborhood community.

Located off Villacrest Drive near P.J. Adams Parkway, Alicia Drive makes a graceful loop down the gentle hill through Shadow Pines and back up. It’s the kind of street you’ll find trick-or-treaters walking up and down come Halloween.

The location south of I-10 makes the community located for jobs both at the south end of the county or in the north.

The tidy brick homes with their stucco or siding accents are harmonious, but they’re far from cookie-cutter.

“We really focus on customer service. We’re amiable to changes,” said Brian Walsh, vice president and mortgage broker of Key Lime Homes, the local developer building Shadow Pines.

“We let customers select more amenities,” Walsh said.

Does Shadow Pines offer a variety of floor plans?

“Boy, oh boy, do we!” exclaimed sales agent Celia Walker.

Homes range from 1,400 square feet to 2,400 square feet, ranging in price from $230,000 to $260,000. Each has a two-car garage with an 8-foot tall garage door to accommodate larger pick-ups and SUVs.

Of the 14 currently built, 11 homes have been sold and three are available to move right in, Walker said.

Standard features and amenities include solid surface “Livingstone” countertops; custom wood cabinets with included designer hardware; 20-inch floor tile in bathrooms, kitchen, entry and other “wet areas”; 8-pound carpet pad (versus standard 6-pound) to prolong carpet life; and a microwave/range hood that vents outside.

Construction features include DuPont Tyvek Housewrap moisture barrier; 30-pound roofing felt (versus standard 15-pound), 3,000 p.s.i. concrete slabs (versus standard 2,500 p.s.i.); and 5/8-inch Type X rated drywall on all ceilings (versus standard half-inch).

Ceiling fans with light kits are in each bedroom and living room. A living room fireplace is standard. RG6 TV cable comes in each bedroom and living room. CAT5 phone cable is wired into each bedroom and the spacious kitchen.

In the larger homes, a room at the front of the house can serve as a fourth bedroom or a roomy office.

The spacious master bathroom has a separate toilet, and separate tubs and showers. “We try to make our bathrooms a little bit oversized,” said Walsh.

Closets are also spacious, with walk-in closets in the master bedroom and one of the other bedrooms. The large utility room has plenty of extra space that could serve as storage.

Recessed “trayed” ceilings in common rooms and the master bedroom add an elegant touch.

Outdoors, each home includes professionally designed and installed landscaping, including an irrigation system. A back deck is a popular option.

“There are just too many upgrades to mention, really,” said Walker.

“Yes,” agreed Walsh. “Our standards are other builders’ upgrades.”

Walker said every house is pre-wired for security systems, “because our customers’ safety is a big concern.”

The homes are built to 140 mph wind code “even though it is not required in Crestview,” she added.

The homes boast superior energy efficiency, with an R13 rating in the walls and an R38 rating in the attics, thanks to blown insulation.

In the market for a smaller home built to the same standards? Across P.J. Adams Parkway, Key Lime is developing Walsh Glen Estates.

Walsh Glen’s homes are slightly smaller, and are built in the “Florida craftsman” style, said Brian Walsh. Prices range from the $190s to $220s.

Of the 18 lots available at Walsh Glen, the largest is five acres. The development offers the quiet of country living off a gently meandering cul-de-sac.

Key Lime Homes is “a local contractor who’s been in the area a long time,” assured Walsh. The firm was named Builder of the Year in 2003 and 2006.

“The big things we believe we beat the competition at are our quality, our service, and the options and choices we allow the buyer to make,” Walsh said.

To view a model home or for further information, call Walker at (850) 974-0672 (cell) or (850) 897-4663, or e-mail celia.walker@cox.net. Visit their Web site at www.keylimehomes.com.