Comfortable Cotton :Foxbank Plantation offers elegant living on a budget

The 2,490-square-foot Dorchester floor plan is one of eight styles from Sabal Homes in Cottonhope at Foxbank Plantation, off U.S. Highway 52 north of Goose Creek. The upscale kitchen in this Sabal Homes house in Cottonhope at Foxbank Plantation is an upgrade requested by the owner. The master bedroom in the Dorchester model has lots of extra space for a sitting area. The house is at Cottonhope at Foxbank Plantation, where Sabal Homes is building 69 dwellings. Stairs lead from two front rooms to an upstairs hallway in the Dorchester floor plan. No argument here: Developers selected prime land in establishing Foxbank Plantation. The 405-acre site is minutes from a highway that runs from Charleston to North Carolina. Yet it is in a semi-rural area, buffered by woodlands and sprawling plant farms. So it’s not surprising that the planned community, a short commute on U.S. Highway 52 to Moncks Corner or Goose Creek and onto North Charleston, has attracted a wave of builders since its groundbreaking four years ago. Sabal Homes is among those early contractors, placing a model near the development entrance and building homes not far away. Recently, the Mount Pleasant company kicked off its second phase, 69-home Cottonhope. The houses, running from 1,233 to 2,490 square feet, are a bit smaller than the builder’s first batch. They are also less expensive at $139,000-$189,000. “We’ve done a lot with custom.” There are eight floor plans at Cottonhope, each with decidedly Lowcountry names. They are the Jasmine, Azalea, Middleton, Cypress, Dogwood, St. George, Ladson and Dorchester. Sabal has built nine homes, and a few homeowners have moved in. “My wife has always liked this neighborhood,” says Paul Blocker, who with spouse Anne built a 2,490-square-foot Dorchester model. “She wanted something with more room,” he says. The Dorchester floor plan provides formal living and dining rooms and a private balcony. Depending on the model, the vinyl-sided homes come with one- or two-car garages. One-level ranch homes are also available. While offering many standard features, Sabal Homes crafted the dwellings so buyers can also select from a bunch of options. For instance, the Blockers desired an upper end kitchen, and their food preparation center comes with top-end appliances and granite countertops. Elsewhere, the two-level house has four bedrooms and a sizable yard. The couple appreciate that the neighborhood is convenient and removed from traffic. “It’s kind of country but five minutes from everything,” Blocker says. Another perk: Cottonhope residents will be able to use the amenities of Foxbank Plantation, which will include a swimming pool and pool house near the community’s 700-acre lake. Burke says the builder has spent the past few months selling lots at Cottonhope and is now into constructing homes. While designs will vary, they will revolve around favorite themes such as Charleston-style homes “with the double porches. People like them,” she says. Visit http://www.sallyandj.com/ for more real estate information.