Park place: Harbor Homes' neighborhood off Henry Brown Parkway caters to first-time homebuyers, start-up families

Moderate-size homes at midrange prices are trademark features at Brickhope Park, a new 73-home community from Harbor Homes. The neighborhood is near Goose Creek. In an uncertain housing environment, it helps to market homes at a moderate cost, showcasing features such as engineered construction and sodded yards while displaying neighborhood perks, such as ponds and a playground. Local builder Harbor Homes has melded these attractions at Brickhope Park. The 73-home community off Henry Brown Parkway in Berkeley County is adjacent to its existing Brickhope Greens subdivision, which has homes that are a bit larger and pricier. Brickhope Park displays six floor plans from 1,115 to 1,657 square feet. The houses are priced from $134,900 to $161,900. Sales began earlier this year. Home purchasers "primarily are first-time homebuyers (and) young couples, a few singles and young families," says Penny A "play park" with climbing equipment and slides, and a 3-acre green space with soccer goals recently opened in the village. A handful of ponds dot the community, so that many houses are near water or wetlands, she says. Sidewalks link houses throughout the neighborhood. Three of the Brickhope Park floor plans are one story, and three are two story. All come with three "elevations," or looks, and have three bedrooms and two to 2 1/2 baths. One-car garages are standard on all models except the largest floor plan, which offers a two-car garage. Shaffer says a number of purchasers are paying for extras, such as fireplaces and hardwood floors. "I had a lot of people who very much like to upgrade floorings," she says. Another allure is that the community is somewhat removed from Henry Brown Parkway. "It is very private because there's one way in and one way out," she says. The neighborhood is outside the Goose Creek city limits, yet close to main arteries such as the parkway, Liberty Hall Road and North Rhett Avenue. Eventually, the parkway will connect north to Montague Plantation Road. The subdivision is a few miles from the Charleston Naval Weapons Station complex, she says. That blending of central location and modest price has proven a key draw for home shoppers from throughout the Lowcountry. "We have a lot of people looking here who work in downtown Charleston and Mount Pleasant, because of the convenience," Shaffer says. To reach Brickhope Park from downtown Charleston, head west on Interstate 26 to U.S. Highway 52, exit 209A. Follow Highway 52 into Goose Creek. Turn right on Liberty Hall Road. Follow Liberty Hall to where it ends at Henry Brown Parkway (North Rhett Extension). Turn left. Continue on the parkway to Harbor Homes' Brickhope Greens entrance. Drive past Brickhope Greens to Brickhope Park. An alternative route is to take I-26 to I-526 East, take the North Rhett exit and follow the roadway to Brickhope. Neighborhood Brickhope Park. Location Berkeley County. Typical features --Sodded front yard. --Stove, stainless steel sink, oak frame cabinets in kitchen. --Built-in pest control system. --Lifetime warranty vinyl siding. --Laminate vanity tops in bathrooms. Total homes 73. Home sizes 1,115-1,657 square feet. Home prices $134,900-$161,900. Property taxes $550 on a $145,000 home. Area attractions Charleston Naval Weapons Station, Charleston Southern University, Trident Medical Center, Charleston County Wannamaker Park, Northwoods Mall, Goose Creek Municipal Complex and Interstate 26. Distance to downtown Charleston 23 miles. Schools Goose Creek Primary Grades K-2; phone, 820-8008; enrollment, 701; certified staff, 66. Sedgefield Intermediate Grades 3-5; phone, 820-4090; enrollment, 623; certified staff, 42; PACT results, 25.5 percent of fifth-graders scored proficient or advanced on English/Language Arts, 30.3 percent on math, 25.5 percent on science and 22.4 percent on social studies. Sedgefield Middle Grades 6-8; phone, 797-2620; enrollment, 864; certified staff, 59; PACT results, 17.2 percent of eighth-graders scored proficient or advanced on English/Language Arts, 14.9 percent on math, 29 percent on science and 10.8 percent on social studies. Goose Creek High Grades 9-12; phone, 553-5300; enrollment, 1,753; certified staff, 121; SAT results, 494 verbal and 513 math. The 1007 combined score is higher than the state average (984) and lower than the national average (1017). Housing Trends Goose Creek/U.S. Highway 52: Number of sales in the second quarter of 2008: 141 (down from 168 in the second quarter of 2007). Average sales price: $158,400 (down from $172,900). Median sales price: $156,800 (down from $161,100).