2010 Was A Year To Celebrate!

As Atlantic Builders wraps up 2010, we have much to celebrate for the year. We have exceeded our goals and have done it with the addition of excellent employees to round out our team. We have many wonderful and delighted customers celebrating the New Year in their new homes. Our trade partners have been very instrumental in working with us to deliver top quality homes at the best possible price. A win for everyone.

One of our proudest accomplishments this year was partnering with Homes for Our Troops and the community to deliver a specially adapted home to our friend and hero, Sgt. Steven Kiernan.

Through working with Homes for Our Troops, we discovered the art of Sgt. Peter Damon, whose painting ‘Summer Sidewalk’ now adorns the entry wall in our office foyer.




Our team has much to be proud of this year, and we look toward 2011 with much joy and hope. And of course the excitement of building two more homes for our wounded veterans.

We wish everyone a wonderful holiday season!

Atlantic Builders Charity Contest Winners

Congratulations to Janis Snider of Fredericksburg, VA & Lisa Moore Gee of Seattle, WA who have been chosen out of all the entries in our December contest. Janis & Lisa will both receive a $100 Visa gift card and we will be writing a check to their charities.

We have posted the winning entries below and would like to thank all of those who participated!

Janis Snider, Fredericksburg VA., writes....My favorite charity is Micah Ministries. It’s a local organization which involves several churches in the downtown area but which encompasses many people of varied political beliefs, numerous religious affiliations, and differing walks of life. It’s a group of people who are striving to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly....I am involved with Micah Ministries via several directions:  I volunteer as a cook and bottle washer in the preparation of breakfast meals for the homeless at the Micah facility on Princess Anne Street, next to Fredericksburg Baptist Church.   I also prepare meals for the Micah Respite House, a residential "home" where homeless people can recuperate from serious health issues.  I give of my time.  I also contribute monetary gifts, material goods, and prayer support for this very worthy endeavor.  Perhaps the greatest reason for my interest in Micah Ministries stems from the concern of the people who are served by Micah Ministries:   They are our neighbors, friends, loved ones, and relatives who need a helping hand.  I also greatly admire the staff of Micah Ministries:  They all repeatedly prove their love and compassion for those they serve.      

Lisa Moore Gee, Seattle WA., writes....One way I like to give back is via the Ronald McDonald House, specifically my local one in Seattle,WA.  Since I was a young child this has been a charity close to my heart. My grandma donated to them, usually a substantial donation which would go to a family.  There was one family with a young boy who was ill and they wrote back to my grandma and thanked her for her donation.  The family corresponded with my grandma for years, even after their son lost his battle with his disease.  To my grandma it was just an act of kindness. To this family it meant their child could be treated and they wouldn't have to stress about where the money came from.  My grandma also sent cards for birthdays, Christmas and other holidays.  Just like she would for all of her grandkids, she would stick $5 or so in the cards so the boy would have something for himself as well.  The family told her that he really appreciated this and by sharing the letters and pictures with me, my grandma taught me the importance of giving back.  She also would put the change in the box in front of the register after every order at McDonalds.  This is something I have carried on in my adulthood, and am teaching to my children.  It's just pocket change, or what’s left after placing an order.  But it adds up and it goes to someone who could really use it.  I also recently made a donation of $100 to the Seattle area Ronald McDonald House and look forward to helping to make small changes in the life of others.

We would like to wish every one a safe and happy holiday!

New Richland Forest Model Home Opens!

The Sweetbriar model home at Richland Forest celebrates its grand opening on Saturday, December 11, 2010. Hours are 11 am -5 pm Mon., Thurs., Fri., Sat., and Sun.

“The Sweetbriar is our newest home design and it is so flexible that the structural option combinations are incredible. Homebuyers can choose from morning rooms, sun rooms, family room extensions, breakfast nook extensions, study extensions, and first floor bedroom options,” notes Community Sales Manager Charlie Baity. “And now that we are open here at the new model home, I will be available to show homebuyers how much room they will have.”

The basic Sweetbriar design is 2,300 square feet, but the model is shown with a family room extension and a finished basement that increase its size to 3,300 square feet. The Sweetbriar in Richland Forest starts at $339,900.

“I love getting out with our customers to walk all the large acreage home sites (3 acres +) that we have to offer in Richland Forest,” enthuses Charlie Baity. “The community even has access to the Rappahannock River through the conservation easement owned by the City of Fredericksburg.”

In addition to the Sweetbriar, a quick delivery Chelsea model (with 3,310 square feet of living space!) is under construction for occupancy in March 2011. This Atlantic Builders’ most popular design configuration, according to Charlie Baity.

A Grand Opening event at the Sweetbriar model in Richland Forest is scheduled for January, 2011. Don’t Miss It!

To get directions or to learn more about Richland Forest, please visit www.atlanticbuilders.com. Contact Charlie Baity at 540-295-4284 or cbaity@atlanticbuilders.com for sales information.


Adam M. Fried

Atlantic Builders Opens Widewater Village Model Home

The Graham model home in the gated community of Widewater Village opens on Saturday, December 4, 2010 at 11 am. Located in North Stafford County just a few miles from the Quantico Marine Corps Base, the Graham model (lot 379) is available for $288,850. Atlantic has “the only new 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2 car garage home with a basement and a front porch in North Stafford County for below $300,000,” exclaims Community Sales Manager Michele Gillenwater.

Among the amenities included with HOA dues are trash pickup, basic cable, lawn mowing, and use of the community pool. For more information, please visit Immediate Delivery Homes at www.atlanticbuilders.com.

Community Sales Manager Michele Gillenwater will be available in Widewater Village on weekends (Sat. and Sun.) from 11 am to 5 pm and by appointment. She can be contacted at 540-891-0001 or mgillenwater@atlanticbuilders.com. For directions, please visit www.atlanticbuilders.com.


Adam M. Fried

Top 10 Reasons You Should Buy an Atlantic Builders Home

Classic and Executive Homes:

1) Top 10% Customer Satisfaction among US homebuilders*

2) 3 acre and larger home sites (including well water filter systems)

3) Energy Star Certified

4) Gourmet Kitchen Layout with Granite Countertops and Stainless Steel Appliances

5) Brushed Nickel light fixtures, doorknobs, and hinges

6) 6 pound higher density carpet pad

7) Low Maintenance Exteriors

8) Ceramic Tile Bathroom floors

9) Flexible floor plans with scores of options

10) 1st Floor Master Bedroom Designs


*Avid Ratings Surveys

Historic interest rates & great affordability mean now is a great time to buy a home!

Historic low interest rates for home loans and the great affordability of homes in the Fredericksburg area make NOW the time to make a home purchase. According to Brian Whetzel, Branch Manager for C&F Mortgage in Fredericksburg, “Our economist has determined that Spotsylvania and Stafford Counties now have the most affordable homes relative to resident’s incomes in all of Virginia.”



Whetzel, a Fredericksburg native and perennially one of the largest mortgage bankers in the region for over 20 years, feels many buyers can benefit from the VHDA (www.vhda.com ) loan program for first time homebuyers. “VA (Veterans Administration) buyers who qualify for VHDA financing can earn up to $112,950 for a family of 3 or more. These buyers may lock in a loan rate for up to 6 months for only $120. VA/VHDA loan rates are now (10/18/10) 0.375% lower than typical VA loans,” points out Whetzel. (To be eligible, VHDA buyers may not have owned a home for 3 years prior to closing on the new home purchase.) Whetzel also noted, “Mortgage rates are hovering in the 4% range for 30 year loans. Rates are at historic lows and are expected to remain that way through 2010.”

C&F Mortgage is the largest originator of VHDA loans in Virginia. Brian Whetzel is one of the top loan officers at C&F in helping customers obtain VHDA loans. For more information and to see if you are eligible, contact Brian Whetzel at bwhetzel@cfmortgagecorp.com.

Adam M. Fried
Chief Executive Officer

Only 17 Lots Remain at Widewater Village

“The best value for a new home in Stafford County, VA and the lowest price for a new home in North Stafford County is in Widewater Village”, exclaims Tom Schoedel, President of Atlantic Builders.

Only 17 lots remain in Widewater Village located on Rt 1 North of exit 143-A and just South of Quantico Marine Base. The Graham, a 1,900 sf 4 bedroom colonial home, is available starting from $284,900. Widewater Village boasts a gated entrance, clubhouse, pool, tot lots, bike and walking trails, and street lamps.

Atlantic Builders has just begun construction of 2 new homes that will be ready for move in after Thanksgiving.

For more information please contact Michele Gillenwater at 540-891-0001 or mgillenwater@atlanticbuilders.com.

Homes For Our Troops Acquires Queensguard Home Site from Atlantic Builders

Homes For Our Troops has just acquired a lot in Atlantic Builders’ Queensguard community in Stafford County, Virginia. Atlantic will be acting as the general contractor for construction of a home for Sgt. Jude Recendez. The home will be similar to the home Atlantic Builders completed for Sgt. Steven Kiernan in June 2010.

Sgt. Jude Recendez suffered the loss of both his legs while deployed to Baghdad, Iraq in October 2006. Sgt. Recendez is an active outdoorsman who enjoys mountain biking, road cycling and kayaking. He is a Fine Arts student who enjoys ceramics and pottery and aspires to own his own workshop and studio upon completing his education.

Homes For Our Troops plans to complete over 30 homes in the US for severely injured veterans and their families in 2010, and as many as 40 in 2011. With the help of Atlantic Builders, Homes For Our Troops plans to complete at least one additional home in Stafford County in 2011 for Sgt. Kenny Lyons. Lyons is currently Sgt. Steven Kiernan’s roommate. According to David Brandon, Land Acquisition Specialist for Homes For Our Troops, “ There are probably over 1,000 severely injured veterans who would qualify for our program.”

Atlantic Builders and our trade partners were able to complete Sgt. Kiernan’s home thanks to the donation of all the labor and materials. “To complete the next two homes here in the Fredericksburg area, we will need other regional trade partners and suppliers to chip in so that we can continue to build the homes as close to 100% donated as possible,” says Gene Brown, Vice President of Production at Atlantic Builders.

If you are a trade partner who wishes to provide labor and/or material, please contact Gene Brown at gbrown@atlanticbuilders.com .

For more information about this project please visit www.homesforourtroops.org/recendez

To make donations of time or funds please call 866-7-TROOPS or email info@homesforourtroops.org.

Adam M. Fried
Chief Executive Officer
Atlantic Builders

Atlantic Builders Welcomes Melanie Edwards Back To The Team!

Atlantic Builders is thrilled to welcome back Melanie Edwards as Design Director. Melanie rejoined our team on August 30^th.

As Atlantic Builders president Tom Schoedel noted, “ It is fantastic to be a part of the modest turnaround in new home sales in the Fredericksburg, Virginia area and to be able to bring back our first full time hire. Everyone – customers, trade partners, and fellow team members – loves working with Melanie”.

Like most of our tight team here at Atlantic Builders, Melanie is a great multi-tasker. While her primary responsibility is to coordinate our design center (now located at the Breckenridge model home), she is involved in almost all facets of our company.

“What I do touches every piece—not just floor plans, brochures, optional features selections, and design selections, but takeoffs, purchasing, and marketing,” Melanie pointed out. “I get the biggest kick out of putting all the little pieces into a gracious living experience,” she enthused.

Melanie manifests a rare combination of talents that includes a great sense of color and design flair, amazing people skills, and tremendous attention to detail that makes her formidable at helping homebuyers make the best design option and color selections for their new homes. And as Atlantic Builders’ sales continue to increase, she will provide superior service to customers in the design center, while allowing our sales team of Michele Gillenwater and Charlie Baity to spend to spend more time with prospective and newer customers.

Melanie has devoted much of her life to helping the disadvantaged, the homeless and the disabled as part of her deep faith. During her short “sabbatical” from Atlantic Builders, she amped up her community service work by helping Hope Tree Family Services to conduct in-depth needs assessments and to create a database about the people with intellectual disabilities who live in that organization’s Fredericksburg area group homes. She has also spent countless hours with the people served by Hope Tree providing TLC.

Melanie has also been heavily involved in helping the over 100 children born in refugee camps in Rwanda/Burundi who have relocated to Fredericksburg in the past few years. She has helped organize day camps and ESL preschool for children mostly from Tanzania, and has worked for years with the Fredericksburg Baptist Church providing spaghetti dinners weekly for the hungry and homeless.

Melanie enthusiastically recommends the book Same Kind of Different As Me (especially page 104) by Ron Hall and Denver Moore, about the authors’ shared experiences in a Ft Worth homeless shelter.

Melanie feels “it is important for us to build relationships and families and not just homes”. A little wistful about becoming an empty nester, Melanie has just seen her daughter off to James Madison University. And she has a lighter side, too: She is a “very heavily weaponed assassin” called Bella Donna in Mafia Wars on Facebook.

Guess that means that working with Melanie is an offer that nobody can refuse!

Adam M. Fried
Chief Executive Officer

Now is The Time To Buy!!

The Wall Street Journal ran an article July 24, 2010 pointing out how record low interest rates and low home prices “are presenting unusual opportunities in the housing market these days—even for so-called underwater borrowers.” Some intrepid homeowners are intentionally taking a loss on their current house, and writing a big check to retire their old mortgage IN ORDER TO BUY TWICE THE HOME FOR NOT MUCH MORE MONEY.

This is a great time to buy a home in the Fredericksburg area. Northern Virginia is one of the top new homes markets in the US now. Prices for homes in the Fredericksburg area have bottomed and are starting to move up. As The Wall Street Journal noted, one family bought a new home because they “expect better price appreciation in their new home.” With a young daughter and plans for another child, they needed more space anyway. “We don’t want to wait for the market to come back. We wanted a better quality of life now.”

Atlantic Builders is ready for buyers who want to move in immediately to a new home. As of August 4^th, we have begun construction on seven unsold new homes and have permits ready for many more. This way, buyers can more quickly take advantage of the values in the market, as well as historically low mortgage rates.

Of course, we are ready if you want to build a new home exactly your way also! Please visit our website at www.atlanticbuilders.com or call 540-891-0001 or 540-295-4284 for more information.

Here is a link to the Wall Street Journal article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704421304575383490870014662.html?mod=WSJ_RealEstate_LeftTopNews

Sgt. Kiernan's House is Complete!!!!

Sgt. Kiernan’s house is complete and is ready to deliver to him.

The key ceremony is this Saturday, June 12th, at 11 AM. Directions are on our website(www.atlanticbuilders.com) – just follow the Homes For Our Troops button in the lower right hand corner of the home page.

100% of the cost of the home was donated by the subcontractors and suppliers who worked on this project. We can’t thank you enough for what you did.

We would like to thank everyone who donated to this amazing cause!!

Carpet House – flooring install labor and materials

United Granite – kitchen and bath countertops and sink

MidSouth Building Supply – cabinet install labor

Quality Cabinets – cabinets

Big Al’s Landscaping – yard grading, sod and landscape package install labor

Noah Turner Turf Farms – sod

Commonwealth Irrigation – irrigation system

Automatic Overhead Garage Door – garage door and opener materials and labor

Gotta-Go Porta Potties – portable sanitation services

TAC Tile – ceramic tile materials and labor

Railing Systems – wrought iron rail materials and labor

Cary Quality – shelving, insulation, bath hardware, and mirror materials and labor

Virginia Gutters – gutter materials and labor

Mitchell’s Septic – yard grading and septic system installation

Dynasty Cleaning – cleaning services

GE Appliances – appliances

Virginia Water Conditioning – water treatment system materials and labor

John L Danielson Jr. Well drilling – well

Franklin Electric – water pump and system

Ferguson Enterprises – bath and lighting fixtures

Best Buy – flat screen TV, surround sound system and TV stand

Bruce Hardwood Flooring – hardwood and install materials

Hartwood Volunteer Fire Dept. – sod watering

Ingleside Plantation Nursery – landscape package

Mitchell's Septic Service - clearing, excavating and grading

Sullivan, Donahoe, and Ingalls - site engineering

White Oak Equipment - equipment

James River Equipment - equipment

Sisson Company - containers

Hirschler Fleischer - legal

Timm Engineering - architecture

Stafford County - permitting and inspections

Dominion Soil Services - soil services and inspections

NoVA Blue - printing

Luckstone - stone

VAMAC - septic equipment

CC Carpentry - framing labor

Stock Building Supply - wall panels, windows, doors, trim, and lumber

Structural Technologies - roof trusses

Rent A Crane - crane,

Bradco - shingles

Archer’s Exteriors - roofing labor

Mid-South Building Supply - siding

Napco - siding

JH Kim & Associates - siding labor

First Choice Heating & Cooling - HVAC labor

York - HVAC equipment

Southern Spotsylvania Plumbing - plumbing labor

Ferguson Enterprises - plumbing material

KL Rowlands Electric - electrical labor

Ferguson Enterprises & Rexel - electrical material

Patriot Sound & Security - low voltage labor and material

Build a Home for the Brave

“Build a Home for the Brave” was the title of an article in the February 2010 issue of the Fredericksburg Area Builders Association newsletter. As I read the story, I somehow knew we were going to do just that. Now, four months later, the home is complete and we await the key turnover ceremony from Homes For Our Troops to Sgt. Steven Kiernan.

Our first step was bringing our trade partners in one day and showing them the video Sgt. Kiernan had made with Homes For Our Troops. Each meeting ended the same way. There would be silence in the room as everyone waited their turn to sign up. Three months later, I watched as many of those same people and more lined up to sign a banner for Sgt. Kiernan wishing him well in his new home.

The team that assembled to build this home broke three records with Homes For Our Troops. They earned honors for the most accomplished during a three-day “Build Brigade” – they were done by the end of day two! The home was built within a 24-day cycle time (and was built beautifully, I might add.) And it was 100% donated to Homes For Our Troops.

I knew we could do it, I just didn’t know how well. Gene Brown took this project and executed it perfectly. He will tell you it was my tears that got him involved, but I know better. It was his heart that got him involved, just like mine had done to me. There was hardly a day that went by that I wasn’t awed by someone or something that touched this project. We all gained something, and for me personally it was much more than I gave. To witness the amazing gift of compassion and caring exhibited by everyone involved was priceless. There is a wonderful bond that develops between people when they share in such a rare and special experience.

One example of this came for me about 6:00 pm on the first day of the Build Brigade. We brought sandwiches donated by Chick-Fil-A to the workers who did not want to stop to eat. They had been working hard since 9:00 am with only a short break for lunch. We walked around handing out sandwiches, which they accepted with grateful smiles. (It would have been a great Chick-Fil-A commercial, Gene pointed out.) After we were finished eating, I picked up a trash bag to clean up the leftovers. I had a handful of trash in the bag when I turned to find one of the workers with an armful of trash to add to the bag. One by one they all stopped to pick up trash and the site was clean in no time. We were helping each other help Sgt. Steven Kiernan. That was a wonderful moment.

Homes For Our Troops deserve an amazing amount of credit and support for what they are doing to help our wounded veterans. They have completed 50 homes and expect to have 30 more done this year – changing the lives of so many heroes. In the process, they are allowing the rest of us the opportunity to experience the gift of giving. Whether it was the labor or the concrete or the lumber needed to construct the home, everyone we asked said, “Yes”. I discovered we were all looking for a way to make a difference and show our appreciation. I like to think that we also gave hope and comfort to Sgt. Kiernan and his fellow heroes by showing that people do care and are forever grateful for their service and sacrifice.

Thank you to everyone that contributed and worked so hard to “Build a Home for the Brave.”

Dawn Settle

Sgt. Kiernan's House Is Ready For Construction!!

Sgt. Kiernan's house is cleared and ready for some construction to begin!

Atlantic Builders would like to thank and recognize those that have

already contributed services and/or materials up to this point.

Mitchell's Septic Service - clearing, excavating and grading

Sullivan, Donahoe, and Ingalls - site engineering

White Oak Equipment - equipment

James River Equipment - equipment

Sisson Company - containers

Hirschler Fleischer - legal

Timm Engineering - architecture

Stafford County - permitting and inspections

Dominion Soil Services - soil services and inspections

NoVA Blue - printing

Luckstone - stone

VAMAC - septic equipment

We will continue to recognize the donors to this project as the work

progresses. It's a long list! Apologies if there are those we've

inadvertently left off. If we did, please let us know and we'll fix it!

Tom Schoedel

President

Atlantic Builders Joins Forces With Homes For Our Troops

We have decided to join forces with Homes For Our Troops, a great organization that builds homes for our severely injured veterans at no cost. (www.homesforourtroops.com).

We are building a home for Sgt. Steven Kiernan of the United States Marine Corp who lost both his legs while serving in Irag in May 2008.

We are so happy to be able to do something for a brave member of our military.

Follow the progress on Sgt. Kiernan's house both here on our blog and on our Facebook fan page.

Click on the following link for more on Sgt. Kiernan: http://www.homesforourtroops.org/site/PageServer?pagename=StevenKiernan