Carriage Hill & Homearama Attract New Buyers

LIBERTY TWP. — Less than two miles from this year’s Homearama site, area builders are hoping to attract potential home buyers to what they say will be a premier community and the first of its kind in the region.

Carriage Hill, located along Ohio 747, Princeton and Millikin roads, is a 400-acre homestead where plans are to create a unique community complete with tennis courts, a fitness facility, walking paths, bike trails, parks, stocked ponds, pools, gathering rooms and a Village Towne Center for shopping, dining and entertainment.

As a builder in many high quality communities, Bob Luckey said, “This one has the potential to be something special. I think that if you want to reside in Liberty Twp., this particular piece — Carriage Hill — should definitely spark some interest in new homes and hopefully build some new momentum going into the next couple years and light a little bit of a fire under the housing market in Liberty Twp.”

Tours of the land will begin next week to introduce people to the Terry family’s vision, which is several years in the making. Liberty Twp. Board of Trustees President Christine Matacic said local officials are in full support of the project.

“That is so unusual for developers to come to us and say ‘we want to make sure it fits in your plans,’ so it became sort of a team effort,” she said. “They are so conscientious about making sure that it is a quality estate, a quality development. They’ve grown up here. They’re graduates of Lakota High School. They have a vested interest in this community … I can’t say enough about how much they care what they put in …that it will be here forever. That’s the kind of care and quality that they put into whatever they do, and I think it will be reflected in the development.”

Home prices will range from $300,000 to more than $900,000 and preferred builders include the Robert Lucke Group, Zicka Homes, W.V. DeStefano Homes, and Justin Doyle Homes. Dan DeStefano said he especially likes to close proximity to Ohio 129 and I-75 and also the amenities to be offered in the development.“I like the community feel,” the custom builder said, adding that it is appealing to build in a community with a 10-year development plan.

“It’s obviously going to be based on sales, but the market certainly is going to turn around in 10 years,” he said.
While the housing market has impacted all builders, things are starting to pick up for him, he said, because new construction costs are down along with interest rates.

“We see people who have just gotten off the fence post. They’ve decided that now is the time to buy. In my market, we do see an uptick. I don’t know how long it will last.”His niche is empty nester single ranch style homes, which start at $300,000 and average $500,000 and are custom designed with a lot of open space. “My clientele are looking for nice lots with some privacy, but they still want to have that larger lot,” he said.

Bob Lucke, who lives in Liberty Twp., said his niche is “move up” buyers, ready for a more high-end custom home from $400,000 to more than $1 million.“The influx and the interest that HOMEARAMA’s going to generate will be very good,” he said. “(Carriage Hill) is unique. That’s why I’m so excited about it. It is quite possibly one of the prettiest pieces of land that I’ve seen since I’ve been in this businesses. The opportunity that this particular farm — 400 some odd acres presents — is just extremely exciting with the pocket parks and the trails and the different price points. The rolling hills and the mature trees — it is an absolutely spectacular opportunity.”

He said the local government, the schools and the potential for more shopping and dining experiences make it a strong vision.
“Like any new community I think as soon as the public sees a few rooftops going in there, then the momentum gets going and the excitement gets going. We ‘re still living in a somewhat bound economy, so it won’t be as fast as years past, but there’s nothing else like it. It’s not a cookie cutter development. It’s unique.”

From June 11 to June 22, tours will take place 1.7 miles from HOMEARAMA, introducing the public to the concept from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 2 to 9 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Tours also are available to see the historic Carriage House, located at the center of the development. Built in 1882, it serves the residents of Carriage Hill as a venue for wedding receptions, family reunions and holiday parties.
For more information about , call 513-894-4455, or visit www.CarriageHillLiving.com.