BRIDDLEFORD RIDGE AND BLACKBERRY FARMS

By: BOB LANG   
Originally Published on: 9/01/01

Homes come loaded in Briddleford, Blackberry New homes in Briddleford Ridge and Blackberry Farms come with vinyl siding and two-car garages. Prices start at $99,000. White cabinets, ceramic tile flooring and a built-in microwave oven are standard in new homes. A built-in entertainment center sits above a gas fireplace in this
home in Briddleford Ridge. One- and two-story floor plans are available.

LADSON - Most new houses in the Lowcountry priced under $150,000 come with few frills. Sure, you might find a house in this price range with some hardwood flooring in the foyer or white cabinets in the kitchen, but that's usually the extent of it. If you really want extras, you more than likely will have to pay extra for them. Old South Development, however, is doing something different. This new Summerville-based company is building homes in the Ladson area priced between $99,900 and $144,900 that come with such standard features as ceiling fans in all bedrooms, ceramic tile flooring in the kitchen and bathrooms, a fully sodded yard, a two-car garage and a gas fireplace.

The neighborhoods are Briddleford Ridge, at the College Park Estates subdivision, and Blackberry Farms, at the Sangaree subdivision. Don Couto, Old South president and a Realtor with The AgentOwned Realty Co., said home buyers today are put off when they have to pay extra for features that should be part of such a big-ticket purchase. "It's a shame to have a new house with only a couple of phone or cable jacks. That's why we put a phone and cable jack in every bedroom," he said. "Why sod a house only in the front yard? You're giving them half a yard. That's why we give them sod in the front and back. "All we're doing is giving people what they want. If we don't make as much money on these homes as other builders might, then so be it. At least we're pleasing our customers, and maybe they'll tell other people about us," he said.

The exclusive builder with Old South Development is Charlie Edwards, who has built more expensive houses in Mount Pleasant for years. "What I'm doing here is building basically the same house I built in Mount Pleasant, just at a smaller scale and for a lot less money. The features are basically the same," Edwards said.
Briddleford Ridge and Blackberry Farms are both tucked away in quiet sections of older subdivisions. A total of 81 new homes are planned in Briddleford, while 49 homes are planned in Blackberry.

Buyers can choose a house in inventory or have a house built from among four floor plans. Each floor plan is available in slightly expanded forms. One- and two-story homes are offered, each with at least three bedrooms. Square footage ranges from 1,132 to 1,608.

All homes come with vinyl siding and a finished garage, with a concrete patio out back. The floor plans are open. Ceilings range from eight to 11 feet. Other standard features include architectural shingles, built-in microwave oven, walk-in closet in the master bedroom and high-grade insulated windows. Rick Zurbrick, an AgentOwned professional who sells homes in Briddleford, said Old South's homes appeal to a wide range of buyers. "We've already sold to young families and empty nesters," Zurbrick said. "The empty nesters like the fact that even though they're downsizing, they don't have to lose quality."

To get to Briddleford Ridge, take College Park Road north off Interstate 26 for about a mile and take a left into the College Park Estates subdivision at College Drive. At the first stop sign, turn right onto Oxford Road and follow Oxford until you get to the new section of homesTo get to Blackberry Farms, take U.S. Highway 17A north off I-26 and turn right into the Sangaree subdivision at Longstreet Drive. Take your first left at Longleaf Drive (Stratford Downs entrance) and follow that until you come to Paddock Way. Take a left onto Paddock Way and follow that until you get to the new homes.

Besides those two neighborhoods, Old South Development is building larger homes in the Knightsville area of Summerville off Butternut road. Homes there range between 2,000 and 2,800 square feet and start around $180,000.

Old South Development will build to suit on anyone's lot in the Lowcountry, Couto said.
Bob Lang covers automotive and real estate news. Contact him at 937-5594 or at blang@postandcourier.com.
    
NEIGHBORHOODS
Briddleford Ridge and Blackberry Farms

BUILDER
Old South Development

MARKETING AGENCY
The AgentOwned Realty Co.

MORE INFO
Phone: 832-6405
Open house: Saturday and Sunday, 1-6 p.m. both days. Showings also available by appointment.

TOTAL LOTS
Briddleford Ridge, 81; Blackberry Farms, 49

HOME PRICES
Briddleford Ridge, $99,900 to $139,900; Blackberry Farms, $109,900 to $139,900

SQUARE FOOTAGE
Briddleford Ridge, 1,132 to 1,552; Blackberry Farms, 1,212 to 1,552

STANDARD FEATURES
Double garage
Ceramic tile in kitchen
Smooth ceilings
Architectural shingles
Gas fireplace
Microwave oven

PROPERTY TAXES
$604 on a $125,000 owner-occupied home

AREA ATTRACTIONS
Exchange Park, Crowfield Golf Club, historic Summerville, Wannamaker County Park, numerous grocery stores and restaurants.

DISTANCE TO DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON
Briddleford Ridge, 20 miles; Blackberry Farms, 25 miles

SCHOOLS

COLLEGE PARK ELEMENTARY (BRIDDLEFORD)
Grades K-5; 797-2711; enrollment, 730; certified staff, 53; PACT results, 24.9 percent of fifth graders scored above basic on the English/language arts portion, 14.6 percent scored above basic on the math portion.

SANGAREE ELEMENTARY, INTERMEDIATE (BLACKBERRY)
Elementary grades K-3; 820-3868; enrollment, 700; certified staff, 53. Intermediate grades 4-6; 820-3850; enrollment, 632; certified staff, 36; PACT results, 30.1 percent of fifth graders scored above basic on the English/language arts portion, 19.1 percent scored above basic on the math portion.

COLLEGE PARK MIDDLE
Grades 6-8; 553-8300; enrollment, 1,170; certified staff, 74; PACT results, 18.6 percent of eighth graders scored above basic on the English/language arts portion, 20.1 percent scored above basic on the math portion.

STRATFORD HIGH
Grades 9-12; 820-4000; enrollment, 2,602; certified staff, 175; SAT results, 506 verbal, 501 math. The 1,007 combined score is higher than the state average (966) but lower than the national average (1,019).

HOUSING TRENDS IN NORTH CENTRAL BERKELEY COUNTY
(Area includes parts of Berkeley County between College Park Road and U.S. Highway 17A)

Number of sales in fourth quarter of 2000: 78 (down from 82 in the fourth quarter of 1999).

Average sales price in fourth quarter of 2000: $95,400 (up from $90,000 in fourth quarter of 1999).

Median sales price in fourth quarter of 2000: $89,000 (up from $85,000 in the fourth quarter of 1999).