Notable architectural design marks Sabal Homes' kickoff at Branch Creek in lower Dorchester County

Leroy Burnell
The Post and Courier

The two-story Santee model is Sabal Homes' first house at Branch Creek, a newer community on Summerville's south end.

Leroy Burnell
The Post and Courier

An island, tall cabinets and stainless-steel appliances including the refrigerator dominate the kitchen in this floor plan. The Branch Creek model is situated off U.S. Highway 78 near the meeting point of Dorchester, Charleston and Berkeley counties.

Leroy Burnell
The Post and Courier

A tray ceiling sets apart the master bedroom in the Sabal Homes model at Branch Creek, near the Berlin G. Myers Parkway in lower Dorchester County.

Before launching its neighborhood in Branch Creek, builder Sabal Homes concluded that it wanted to do something distinctive. So executives went back to the drawing board. They drafted eight new floor plans not found at any of their other communities.

"We wanted to give buyers what they're looking for," says Sarah Burke, sales manager.

Developers rolled out Branch Creek two years ago along U.S. Highway 78 in the southern nub of Summerville. Sabal Homes recently started sales in its section, which will have 116 homes when completed.

Houses cost $269,900-$332,900. Sizes are 2,126-3,480 square feet. The model is The Santee, which is 3,070 square feet and priced at $318,900. Other floor plans are The Cooper, Wando, Stono, Hobcaw, Edisto, Waccamaw and Ashley. All houses are two stories with two-car garages, front porches and three to four bedrooms.

Lots are just less than 1/3 of an acre, and there are home sites for sale on a pond in the neighborhood.

While somewhat secluded, Branch Creek is situated less than a mile south of the Berlin G. Myers Parkway and is a few minutes drive from downtown Summerville and Interstate 26. Customer interest picked up after Mount Pleasant-based Sabal Homes opened its model this spring. "You can't beat the location," Burke says.

Sabal Homes is showcasing its "green" building program at Branch Creek. All homes are certified through EarthCraft, an Atlanta-based group that cites houses that meet certain quality levels for protecting the environment and energy efficiency. The construction features include tankless water heaters and fully cased windows and door openings.

The builder says that it offers features such as ceramic tile in the baths, kitchen, breakfast room and laundry as standard that are options with competitors. Combined, the routinely included items are valued at $42,300, according to promotional materials from Sabal Homes, which expanded to Bluffton two months ago.

Some perks are standard in just one plan or a handful of models. They include the master bedroom up or down, great room, loft, "flex" room that can be converted to a bedroom or study, and formal living and dining rooms.

"We've seen a lot of different people move through here," Burke says, such as the "move-up" purchaser seeking more space. "We've seen a variety of age ranges."

To arrive at Sabal Homes' sector of Branch Creek from downtown Charleston, head west on Interstate 26 to Exit 199A, Main Street in Summerville. Merge onto Main Street and follow it to the turnoff for the Berlin G. Myers Parkway. Make a left and continue on the parkway to West 5th North Street, which is also U.S. Highway 78. Turn left and continue for about three-tenths of a mile. The entrance to Branch Creek is on the left. Follow signs to the Sabal Homes properties.

Neighborhood

Branch Creek (Sabal Homes).

Location

Dorchester County.

Developer, marketing

Sabal Homes.

More info

phone: 873-4300.

HOURs: 11 a.m-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 1-6 p.m. Sunday.

WEB SITE: www.sabal homessc.com.

Total homes

116.

Typical features

--Sodded yard with landscape package.

--Stainless-steel appliances and 42-inch cabinets in kitchen.

--Smooth ceilings.

--Fiber-cement siding and trim.

--Hardwood floors, crown molding in dining room and foyer.

--Garage.

--9-foot first floor ceilings.

--Energy Star rated, EarthCraft certified for ecological efficiency.

Home sizes

2,126-3,480 square feet.

Home prices

$269,900-$332,900.

Property taxes

$2,009 on a $300,000 home.

Area attractions

Downtown Summerville, Azalea Square Shopping Center, Exchange Park Fairgrounds, Charleston Southern University, Trident Medical Center, Azalea and other city parks.

Distance to downtown Charleston

25 miles.

Schools

Spann Elementary

Grades K-5; phone, 873-3050; enrollment, 881; certified staff, 68; PACT results, 40.1 percent of fifth-graders scored proficient or advanced on English/Language Arts, 29.8 percent on math, 36.7 percent on science and 25.8 percent of social studies.

Alston Middle

Grades 6-8; phone, 873-3890; enrollment, 830; certified staff, 67; PACT results, 24.7 percent of eighth-graders scored proficient or advanced on English/Language Arts, 20.4 percent on math, 38.3 percent on science and 14.1 percent on social studies.

Summerville High

Grades 9-12; phone, 873-6460; enrollment, 3,517; certified staff, 207; SAT results, 501 verbal and 520 math. The 1021 combined score is higher than the state average (984) and the national average (1017).

Housing trends

Summerville/Ridgeville area of Dorchester County:

Number of sales in the second quarter of 2008: 218 (down from 381 in the second quarter of 2007).

Average sales price: $222,900 (up from $219,600).

Median sales price: $183,000 (down from $194,750).

Reach Jim Parker at 937-5542 or jparker@postandcourier.com.