Happy Home Building Experiences at Rarity Bay and More

2013 BEST TENNESSEE COMMUNITY OF THE YEAR - Rarity Bay

Building a new home is a sweet reward and great way to make some of your long-held dreams come true. New homes are often expressions of our tastes, lifestyles and family priorities. For many Baby Boomers, building a custom home is a dream come true. It’s the culmination of years of preparing, saving and planning. That’s true of homes in urban areas, waterfront retirement communities or anyplace you call home. 

Community Finder is always in the process of finding the best home builders. In Eastern Tennessee and at Rarity Bay, Denny Smith and Greystone Construction in Vonore are the names that keep coming up from satisfied customers. That’s because Greystone Construction embodies a passion for client care and smart work. They view they clients relocating to Tennessee as partners, not just customers.  Here’s what a few happy homeowners had to say:

“The minute details have been addressed as much as major details. We would definitely recommend Greystone Construction again!”

Chuck & Linda Brummond, Vonore, TN

“The building experience was a very good & relaxed one. There was very close supervision and lots of helpful, creative ideas from Denny that didn't end up costing us more $. I would recommend Denny Smith for any construction project and will use him myself in any future construction endeavors. Denny is honest, smart, creative, has great interpersonal skills, and has great knowledge about building construction.”

J. Carey & Nancy McHugh, Vonore, TN

“We were very satisfied with our overall building project using Denny Smith. He is easy to work with and very honest. I highly recommend Denny to anyone contemplating building in the Lake area, or ANYWHERE!”

Tim & Diane Kirby, Vonore, TN

Our trusted colleague at Rarity Bay, Karen Millikan of On the Lake Realty has this to say about Greystone Construction “If building a good home was the only thing important in selecting a builder, there would be a few others to choose from, BUT thru the years I have seen great homes built by not so honest builders and the end result is a great home, and a BROKE and angry homeowner so honesty and character are 2 other strong attributes of a great builder.” Greystone Construction has a thumbs up from us.

There are currently about 35-37 homes in different stages of construction in Rarity Bay which is a phenomenal number in comparison to 2012 or 2013. If you’re looking to relocate to Tennessee, Rarity Bay is among the waterfront retirement communities you’ll want to consider. It sits along 10 miles of shoreline along Tellico Lake Tennessee, located 30 miles southwest of Knoxville. Because of its close proximity to the Great Smoky Mountains, aka “The Smokies” the lake features not only breathtaking views, but also a vast assortment of wildlife.

One of the finest views you will find of The Smokies is visible from Rarity Bay. Add to the list of community amenities: championship golf, fine dining, tennis courts, a full service equestrian center, swimming pool and a doggie park at this gated community.  

Another perk for retirees: Tennessee does not tax individual income earned by its residents. Having no state income tax is a huge draw for many people looking to retire in Tennessee.

Spring is a great time to visit the beautiful waterfront retirement communities of Rarity Bay. Driving through Rarity Bay on a fresh spring day, you'll be struck by the natural beauty of the blooming flowers, rolling greens hills, Lake Tellico and the Great Smoky Mountains. Drive further along and you'll begin to twist and turn among the area’s championship golf course.

Call Karen Millikan direct at On the Lake Realty 423.519.3258 ext 1 to schedule a tour of Rarity Bay.

Here are a few factors to consider when choosing a custom home builder:

CUSTOMER SERVICE -  When you talk to your homebuilder, you want to feel respected.  Homebuilders can differ in experience, ability, and overall efficiency. And a homebuilder’s efficiency is one of those factors that can often be a “make or break” component when differentiating between construction companies. Efficiency is about being able to get the job done as close to what the client wants without breaching industry standards. How you find out about a company’s efficiency? The best way is to have an in-person meeting with the company. Are they professional and above board with their initial assessment? And are they willing to establish a firm deadline for the project? 

EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE - You want to find a builder with a track record with projects of similar scale and price. You'll also want a homebuilder to provide you with a resume of current and completed projects. If you have the opportunity, walk through a home of a similar size so you can be sure the room sizes will pair up with your furniture and vision. If your home will have a second floor, ask to see the views from a ladder before you finish the architectural designs to maximize the views and privacy. These are not unreasonable requests. You wouldn't want to hire someone who is too busy to make your dream home a priority.

SATISFIED CLIENTS - You want to make sure the builder has a list of references.  Ask for the property address of completed homes so you can see the finished product. Notice if the contractor honors their written guarantee in the client testimonials. What you want to hear is that the company works well with people and that they have the client’s best interest in mind. If you see a string of negative reviews on the internet, you’ll probably want to keep searching.

HIRE A LICENSED CONTRACTOR - Sounds simple but you might be surprised how many contractors farm-out their license requirement to a qualifier who may never be involved with your custom home build. A licensed contractor himself invests hundreds of hours into certification and continuing education. This keeps the contractor informed about quality building practices and new products in the market place that could save you money. Contact the local building department to confirm licensing information before you go to contract.

OBTAIN ESTIMATES - The low bid doesn’t always mean the best contractor for the home build. You might be surprised to know contractors may use left over materials to keep the prices low. Ask for an itemized breakdown of what the contractor is offering you and compare against at least three estimates. 

PUT IT IN WRITING - No one like cost overruns, time extensions and any other surprises at the end of a home build project. A contract explains in depth what is and isn’t covered. It’s normal to make changes during construction which can effect the cost and completion date. Get the cost and time delay in writing so you know what to expect. Ask for a written guarantee and understand what that includes.