Business

Prescott Orchards provides serene setting for first-time buyers

By Sarah Ashley Durrell
Correspondent
Published: November 8, 2009

EPPING, N.H. — In a struggling real estate market, one development is setting the bar high. The Prescott Orchards development has seen a tremendous increase in home sales of late, with 24 new homes going under contract since July.

"We believe this incredible surge in not only activity, but commitment, is due to the attractive price range of these homes and the quality of product being built," said Kim Tufts, sales director of Prescott Orchards. "These have been near record setting numbers for us, and we are thrilled to be fulfilling the dreams of so many new homebuyers."

Close to 90 percent of homes being sold in Prescott Orchards are buyers taking advantage of the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit.

Situated in a great location, with breathtaking views of fields and the apple orchard that weaves between the homes, this neighborhood is currently in phase one of its development. This includes 37 home-sites, almost all of which have been sold, built in one of four sections, aptly named "Cider Village," "Cortland Village," "Braeburn Village" and "Orchard Heights." Each section defines a specific group of houses, each with their own price bracket and design aesthetic.

Phase two, which will begin in early 2010, will include an additional 40 homes.

Prescott Orchards is just minutes from the fast-growing downtown of Epping, a charming New England town with major names like Walmart and Starbucks, as well as historic attractions like the Leddy Center for the Arts and the New England Dragway. Route 125 and Route 101 also run through town, providing easy access to the beaches, as well as Portsmouth and Manchester.

The development is being built by three different builders — Matte Home Builders of Portsmouth, a construction and development firm that specializes in restoration and renovations, started in 1985; Chinburg Builders of Durham, which was founded in 1987 and is a complete design/build firm specializing in residential and condominium development in the southern and central New Hampshire regions; and R.J. Moreau Communities, LLC of Manchester, established in 1992, servicing the southern New Hampshire area and the company behind an Extreme Home Makeover in 2007.

Each home in the development sits upon roughly a half acre to two and a half acres of land. The standard features include elegant interiors, spacious kitchens, two-car garages, granite mailbox posts, decks and beautiful landscaping. Additional options and upgrades can be customized to a buyer's specifications.

Perhaps the most unique feature of Prescott Orchards is its open space management plan, which is the reason behind the preserved apple orchard, thick forests and open spaces surrounding the homes. This provides residents the ability to coexist with a wide variety of wildlife in a serene and beautiful setting. Residents of Prescott Orchards will also have access to wooded walking trails throughout the property

The development is being marketed by The Gove Group Real Estate of Stratham. More information on Prescott Orchards can be obtained by calling Kim Tufts, sales director, at 603-778-6400, or by visiting www.PrescottOrchards.com.

AT A GLANCE

Where: Prescott Orchards, Epping, N.H.

Designed for: Families and first-time home buyers

Price: Home packages start from the mid-$200,000 range

Listing agency: The Gove Group Real Estate, LLC, 603-778-6400, TheGoveGroup.com