KILMARNOCK ARichmond man is entering the Northern Neck market at an uncertain time with an untried concept.

But Fred West thinks his development will appeal to a demographic that yearns for a relaxed lifestyle, a planned setting and small-town charm.

Grace Hill features 66 single-family home sites on 42 acres within a triangle of historic towns on the Northern Neck -- Irvington, White Stone and Kilmarnock.

The houses, which will average 2,400 square feet, will come with a comprehensive lawn maintenance program, including mulching, mowing, snow removal and gutter cleaning.

Unlike most Northern Neck developments, there's no water in sight. West said the property will appeal to people who already live on the Chesapeake Bay or one of the region's storied rivers and now seek a simpler life inland closer to the amenities of town.

"It's an alternative for older homeowners to come out of a high-maintenance home they can sell for a net of $750,000 and move to us for $400,000 and put $350,000 in the bank," he said. "You can do dumber things in this world than that."

The project is one of the few inland developments on the Neck that is not associated with golf courses or geared to starter homes.

John Dorsey, a real estate agent who is co-listing the development with another Northern Neck Realtor, said West made a good call by designing a development for people who want to downsize their homes and homeowner responsibilities.

"We downsized six years ago, and it's the best thing we ever did," he said of leaving his Carters Creek waterfront home for the Hills Quarter development just outside Kilmarnock that features smaller homes beside golf links.

He expects the concept will prove itself once the sluggish real estate market regains the confidence of buyers and sellers.

"As this little bump in the road starts clearing, it will make it more at tractive to put your house on the market and go someplace that's more comfortable," he said.

"That's a niche market that hasn't been served," said Kilmarnock Town Manager Lara Burleson.

The Northern Neck is populated with older homeowners who moved to the rural region in their retirement.

"The numbers don't lie," said Jerry Davis, Northern Neck Planning District Commission director. Slightly more than 38 percent of Lancaster County's residents, or 4,498 people out of 11,790, are age 60 or older, the latest census estimates show.

West has spent his career in the commercial real estate business in Richmond but formed a partnership that has invested $3.5 million into the Grace Hill project.

The project has been in the works for three years. Grace Hill will resemble a village setting with small house lots served by sidewalks, West said. Paths will lead hikers through about 10 acres of woodlands that will be left on the property as open space.

One prominent feature is the main road into the property. Braxton Way will not be interrupted with driveways or cluttered with parked cars because home sites there will be served by back alleys.

Lots start at $98,500, and all are served by Kilmarnock water and sewer. Two Richmond-area builders, McMahon Homes and Mountcastle Homes, will build approved home styles from $350,000 to $450,000, including the lots.

"We'll start with six home styles and introduce more as we go along," West said. The first model home will be finished in late July with three more following and completed this year.

People want to see, touch and feel something before they buy, he said.

They can buy lots and start construction within 36 months or defer construction until their old houses sell, West said. "Yes, we have a slow real estate market, but this market won't be slow for another 36 months."
Contact Lawrence Latané III at (804) 333-3461 or llatane@timesdispatch.com.