Saluda River Club, the South Carolina Midlands most successful new home community, was recognized with nine Regal Awards for 2011. The annual recognition program sponsored by the Sales and Marketing Council of the Home Builder Association of Greater Columbia was held February 18, 2012.
For the second time since its grand opening in October 2008, Saluda River Club was named “Community of the Year.” Saluda River Club also won four home design awards as well as Best Interior Merchandising and the Judges’ Choice Award.
Gilbert & Sheppard Group is proud to be the marketing partner for Saluda River Club and honored to receive the Regal Award for Best Overall Advertising Campaign and Best Special Promotion. The 2011 Advertising Campaign successfully reached a variety of prospective buyers; creatively communicated a consistent theme for the community; and generated sales by driving qualified traffic to the community’s website and sales center.
We focus on providing creative solutions that work for our clients. Being acknowledged for the success of those strategies is an honor!
A recent article in the Atlanta Business Chronicle reported that the top-selling communities in the Atlanta are located away from the heart of the city. In the outskirts of the metro area, older buyers are enjoying the Georgia countryside with the conveniences of proximity to the city.
Now that active adult communities are offering more all-inclusive lifestyles, older buyers are not in need of the closeness to a town center. Organized activities for retirees within the communities as well as group outings and trips make the convenience of the city unnecessary.
In the article, Robert Tutterow, professor of economics at Mercer University stated: “This is probably a segment of the market that is not fixated on trying to time the absolute bottom of (home) prices. They’re looking for a lifestyle choice.”
Also according to the article, the active adult sector is “a great emerging market that we’re going to see and hear more about as the years progress.” The baby boomer generation is getting closer to retirement and will add a significant number of retirement buyers to the housing market.
Charlotte Sears, president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Atlanta said, “Atlanta is going to be more and more attractive for retirees. The families that moved to the city in the housing boom have grown up, and now that the oldest members are ready to retire, they’re less likely to leave the state.” She also noted, “the metro area has good weather, quiet mountain areas, relative proximity to beaches and plenty of activities geared to older populations.”
As marketers for active adult and retirement communities we look forward to a strong active adult market in and around the Atlanta area!
