Solar panels are the type of feature homebuyers would love to have but can rarely afford. That's not the case with The Orchards development near downtown Wyandotte, however.
The developer, Rivertown Construction, is making solar panels standard with the purchase of one of its carriage house units. The purchaser only needs to buy the converter to put the solar panel system on line.
"The system pays for itself between seven and nine years," says Linda Perry, president of Rivertown Construction.
Rivertown is adding this feature to attract more buyers in a tough real-estate market. The company has built three carriage houses --which means the living space is above a garage-- as the first phase of The Orchards development. Each unit in the two-story buildings has an attached garage and a balcony. They range in size from 1,200 to 1,400 square feet and come as one- or two-bedroom residences. Prices start at $140,000.
The development overlooks the Wyandotte Shores Golf Course and the Detroit River. Its location at the intersection of Biddle Avenue and Orchard Street puts it within easy walking distance of downtown Wyandotte.
The other two phases call for loft-style condos and townhouses. All of the units come with attached parking, balconies, gourmet kitchens and spacious open floor plans. They range in size between 1,200 to 2,100 square feet with prices expected to go as high as $220,000. Construction on the next two phases will begin once most of the first phase is sold.
Buyers of each unit will receive a Neighborhood Enterprise Zone tax break that will cut taxes by 65 percent. The NEZs, a commonly used tax break throughout Metro Detroit, save new home buyers thousands of dollars in taxes by lowering the tax rate to 16.86 mills from the normal city millage of 47.8 mills for 12 years.
Rivertown Construction hopes to finish the project within two years. For information, call Perry at (734) 362-0991.
Source: Linda Perry, president of Rivertown Construction
Writer: Jon Zemke
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