New home buyers are attracted to the Hopewell Valley area for its natural beauty
The Packet Group
More than 400 years ago, members of the Stout family established a settlement
in Mercer County’s Hopewell Valley, because of the area’s rolling hills and
green, fertile land. Today new home buyers are attracted to the area for the
same reason: its natural beauty.
But the 60 square mile township of Hopewell Valley has much more to offer
now than when the Stout family first laid claim to the land in the 1680s. For
example, Hopewell played an important role in American history. This country’s
path to freedom during colonial times wove its way through the area and is immortalized
in the famous painting of General George Washington crossing the Delaware and
defeating the British.
The community also features an abundance of public recreation sites for boating,
fishing, golf, picnicking and even skiing. A charming antique shop area, top-ranked
school system, and a strong tradition of culture enhanced by the township’s
close proximity to three major colleges and the Princeton area add to its appeal.
"Hopewell Valley has such a fine reputation for being an upscale community,
with great access to both Philadelphia and New York, that we were pleased that
we could offer our homes in this market,"explains Jennifer Van Cleef Wilke,
marketing manager of Country Classics. "Currently, we are the only new
homes in our price range under construction in the area."
Built by the Van Cleef family, one of Central Jersey’s original landowner
families, Country Classics at Hopewell includes eight homesites on lots of more
than two acres. Prices at this location start at $456,000. Since 1988, Scott
and Todd Van Cleef have built more than 400 premiere homes in Somerset, Mercer
and Hunterdon counties. Their Flemington site has only one home remaining, and
their Montgomery location on Dutchtown-Harlingen Road has just opened for sales.
Beyond the scope of the central New Jersey market, they’ve also received national
accolades in Builder magazine as builders with an exceptionally strong sales
track record.
Central to their success is their Quick Delivery Home (QDH) concept, which
promises buyers less than 60-day closings and appeals especially to corporate
transfers. At the Hopewell location, Country Classics has two homes available
for immediate delivery. "The buyer needs to just pick out the carpeting
and get ready to move in," explains Ms. Wilke. "We also have a third
home under construction, which will be ready for a May 2001 delivery."
One of the QDH’s (ready for immediate occupancy) is the Classic Bentley,
a 3,833 square foot home distinguished by a 2-foot cantilever on the second
floor, 9-foot first floor ceilings, sitting room off of the master bedroom,
wood/glass French doors from the sunken library to the living room, first floor
study, full brick front, brick quoins, and vaulted ceiling and skylight in the
master bedroom. Set on a 2.67 acre lot, this home sells for $515,462.
In addition, Country Classics at Hopewell has a 3,330 square foot Havilland
II as a QDH (immediate occupancy) on a 2.83 acre lot for $503,588. This home’s
special features include a wraparound porch, sunken family room with vaulted
ceiling and rear staircase, two story foyer with circular staircase, first floor
library, tray ceiling in the master bedroom, gourmet kitchen with 42-inch cabinetry,
ceramic tile flooring in the foyer, kitchen, breakfast area, rear hall and laundry
room, and two-zone heating and air conditioning.
All Country Classics at Hopewell homes have the following amenities: basements
with 12 courses of block, oak flooring in the living and dining rooms, Andersen
interior pre-finished windows with screens, six-panel doors, ceramic tiled bathroom
floors, masonry fireplaces, cultured marble countertops in all baths, and crown
molding and chair railing in the dining room.
Also of importance is the quality of the materials used in the construction.
Country Classics at Hopewell uses fir plywood flooring, which is nailed and
glued, GPI flooring system, plywood roof and sidewalls, GAF Timberline roofing,
Moen faucets, GE appliances, and Trane heating and air conditioning units.
Country Classics at Hopewell hosts an open house each weekend day from 11
a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, contact the main business number at (908)
359-3276 or visit the Web site at www.country-classics.com.
The Hopewell location can be reached via Route 206 south to Route 518.
Turn right onto Route 518 west and follow approximately six miles to the town
of Hopewell. This turns into Hopewell-Pennington Road. Bear left on Route 654
(Hopewell-Pennington Road) and continue about two miles from town to the community
on the right. The site can also be reached from Route 31 north to the traffic
light with an exit for Hopewell-Pennington Road (Route 654). Turn right and
follow for about 1.4 miles to the community on left (you will pass Hopewell
Valley golf course on right).