Caviness and Cates is pleased to announce that they will be breaking ground on a new development in New Bern North Carolina this year! Breighmere on Broad Creek is an exciting new residential and boating community located in Pamlico County, just 6.5 miles from New Bern on Highway 55.

Two intersecting creeks allow for navigable water access to the Neuse River and Fairfield Harbor, making Breighmere an ideal boating community. There will be off-water, water view and waterfront creek lots available as well as affordable housing designs for all price ranges. Location and home design will make this a very desirable community. Current plans for the popular Caviness and Cates Discovery Series homes are coming soon.

More information about Breighmere's various amenities will be available at www.CavinessandCates.com

ENERGY STAR® LEADERSHIP IN HOUSING AWARD

CAVINESS AND CATES COMMUNITIES IS RECOGNIZED WITH A 2010 ENERGY STAR® LEADERSHIP IN HOUSING AWARD

Caviness and Cates Communities earns award for building new homes that protect the environment through energy efficiency.

Fayetteville, NC – Caviness and Cates Communities is pleased to announce that it has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with a 2010 ENERGY STAR Leadership in Housing Award. This award recognizes the important contribution Caviness and Cates Communities has made to energy-efficient construction and environmental protection by building more than 206 ENERGY STAR qualified homes last year. Collectively, these homes will save our customers approximately $92,082 on utility bills each year.

The environmental benefits of these ENERGY STAR qualified homes are equal to the equivalent of:

• Eliminating the emissions from 101 vehicles;
• Saving 610,584 lbs of coal;
• Planting 167 acres of trees; or
• Saving the environment 1,197,478 pounds of CO2 per year.

To earn the ENERGY STAR, a home must meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20–30% more efficient than standard homes.

“Caviness and Cates Communities is committed to fulfilling their responsibilities as a leading Home Builder in the community by providing quality energy efficient homes at an affordable price that saves our homeowners money everyday,” states Scott Wilson, Energy Star Program Manager

ENERGY STAR qualified homes offer homebuyers all the features they want in a new home, plus energy-saving features like effective insulation systems, high performance windows, tight construction and ducts, properly-sized and installed efficient heating and cooling equipment, efficient products, and third-party verification of energy performance.

“Most homebuyers focus on what's outside the walls,” said Sam Rashkin, National Director for EPA's ENERGY STAR Homes Program, “but they also need to look behind the walls for the energy-efficient features found in ENERGY STAR qualified homes that help ensure comfort, quiet, improved indoor air quality, and low utility bills for years to come.”

More than one million ENERGY STAR homes have been built in the United States since the program first began labeling homes in 1995. Thanks to the dedication of our partners, families living in ENERGY STAR qualified homes will save more than $270 million this year on their utility bills, while avoiding greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 370,000 vehicles.

About ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency. Today, ENERGY STAR offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money and help protect the environment for future generations. More than 17,000 organizations are ENERGY STAR partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes, buildings and businesses. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov or call toll-free 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937).

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Scott Wilson
263-6249

Will the $8,000 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Expand to $15,000?

Source: US News & World Report
In an effort to jump-start the ailing housing market, Sen. Johnny Isakson, a Republican from Georgia (and a former real estate professional) has introduced legislation that would beef up the tax credit for first-time home buyers. Under the terms of his bill, which was introduced Wednesday, the size of the credit would expand to a maximum of $15,000 from the previous cap of $8,000, and it could be taken by anyone who buys a primary residence, instead of only by first-time home buyers. The bill would also remove the income limits that had prevented individuals making more than $75,000 a year from claiming the credit, which would be available for a year after the date of the bill's enactment. > View Full Article

Greenville, NC Ranked #2 By Forbes Magazine

In a special report released on March 25 by Forbes Magazine, Greenville, NC ranked second in the category of the nation’s Best Small Metropolitan Area for Business and Careers. Greenville is the 10th largest city in North Carolina. In 2008 Greenville ranked eighth in the same category by Forbes Magazine.

Growth and stability continue for the developing city of Pitt County. Research from East Carolina’s School of Business indicates that the local work force grew by more than 14 percent over the past five years—that’s more than double the growth experienced by the state as a whole. Employment is essentially spread across these three sectors: education, healthcare and manufacturing.

To find homes in the Greenville area, visit our new home community page.