Wednesday, May 12, 2004

One in three

Avery Park, SummerGrove combine for 36 percent of Coweta’s new home sales

Something unlikely is happening in Coweta County. Two communities, both developed by Pathway Communities, are enjoying enormous success. And while each offers great amenities and an outstanding location, that’s about where the similarities end.

Upon entering the Coweta County market with SummerGrove in 1999, Pathway Communities’ research and demographic information indicated that the market was strong and could support a large master-planned community. But, when Pathway announced the development of Avery Park in 2000, many wondered if the smaller community could go head-to-head against giant SummerGrove.

Three years and over 250 home sales later, the answer is a resounding “yes.” Avery Park is the #2 selling community in Coweta County, behind SummerGrove. According to Smart Numbers, a real estate forecasting company, Avery Park and SummerGrove make up 36 percent of all Coweta County home sales priced $130,000.

“It is very rare that a developer has this type of success and market share within one county,” said Steve Palm, president of Smart Numbers. “This speaks highly of the product offering at both communities and the type of atmosphere Pathway Communities has created.”

While the communities do compete for some of the same buyers, each has its own distinctive characteristics. Avery Park is a more intimate community, made up of 350 acres with approximately 550 homes at build out. At Avery Park, Pathway Communities has designated 30 percent of the overall development to be open space, green belts, parks and amenities.

Avery Park homeowner David Slaton had both SummerGrove and Avery Park on the top of his home search list. “While SummerGrove offered everything I wanted and then some, Avery Park’s small-town atmosphere was the deciding factor for me. It has all of the amenities and diverse home styles, except on a smaller scale,” stated Slaton.

SummerGrove, on the other hand, spans more than 1,600 acres and will have approximately 2,500 homes. The focal point of the community is its Golf Digest-ranked golf course, along with two jam-packed amenity areas. A third amenity area is now in the works.

The Crowley family recently moved to SummerGrove from East Point, and they credit SummerGrove’s expansive offerings as a big draw. “We renovated a home in a small East Point neighborhood,” said Chad Crowley. “After having our first child, we wanted to find a large community with a golf course and plenty of family-friendly amenities, and SummerGrove matched all of our criteria.”

Peggy Sullivan, vice president of marketing at Pathway Communities, believes that both communities meet the needs of different buyers. “Avery Park and SummerGrove have both evolved into destinations based upon location, amenities, value and charm,” said Sullivan. “With all of these attributes, it’s no surprise that Avery Park has had over 30 and SummerGrove has had nearly 120 home sales just in the past four months.”