December 7th, 2015
Sumner County offers good life for less
Bill Lewis, for The Tennessean
Durham Farms, the Hendersonville neighborhood being launched by Texas-based Freehold Communities, will have 1,100 homes with prices expected to start in the mid to upper $200,000s.
Homes in phase one of Durham Farms will be built by Lennar Homes, David Weekley Homes, Drees Homes and Celebration Homes. The neighborhood’s grand opening is expected to be held next spring.
In Gallatin, Ole South, one of the region’s largest builders, offers homes in several subdivisions, including Stratford Park and Cairo Estates, where prices start in the $160,000s, and Fairway Farms, with prices beginning in the high $200,000s.
Sumner County’s growing population is creating demand for new neighborhoods like Durham Farms, said Suzanne Maddalon, vice president of Freehold Communities. The population, which the U.S. Census Bureau estimated at 172,706 in 2014, has grown about 25 percent since 2000.
Many of those new residents will commute to Nashville on Interstate 65 or Highway 31 East. But Maddalon said others will be employed locally by companies including Beretta USA. The firearms manufacturer relocated to Gallatin, where it will operate a $45 million manufacturing and R&D facility that is expected to create 300 jobs.
“Freehold Communities believes that Hendersonville provides an excellent location for a new home community due to the top-performing schools, the access to Old Hickory Lake, the expansive trail and park systems, which allows for a healthier lifestyle, as well as the proximity to downtown Nashville and all the city has to offer,” Maddalon said.
Durham Farms is expected to attract move-down empty nesters as well as young, move-up families. In addition to its 1,100 homes, the community will feature a recreation-amenity center called The Farmhouse with more than 5,200 square feet of space.
The Farmhouse will include a state-of-the-art fitness facility complete with a group fitness room, The Hub Wi-fi Cafe, a resort-style pool and splash pad for children, a great lawn for community events, a natural “playscape” tot lot, and a full-time social and activities director. In addition, the neighborhood will feature 3 miles of walking trails and several pocket parks.