McKee Homes Installs Smart Garage Door Openers

Posted on September 19, 2018 by John Rives

McKee Homes has added to our Apple^® HomeKit™ compatible devices by installing smart garage door openers by LiftMaster. The Liftmaster belt drive WiFi garage door openers are quiet, and with the MyQ Home Bridge and mobile app, homeowners can receive alerts and use Siri voice commands to control the opener from anywhere**.

SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE

Smart garage door openers can simplify your life in many ways. You can operate them remotely to let someone in to your home if necessary or even open and close it to allow a package delivery. You can check to see if you left your garage door open and close it remotely or even set it to close automatically if you leave it open.

McKee Homes is currently installing the LiftMaster 8155W and 8165W belt drive WiFi garage door openers in our new homes. These smart garage door openers use a belt drive system for quiet, maintenance-free performance and have built in WiFi.

SECURITY FEATURES

LiftMaster smart garage door openers include:

SECURITY+ 2.0^®: Sends a new code with every remote click.
POSILOCK^®: Electronically protects against forced openings.
ALERT-2-CLOSE: signals when a door is being closed by MyQ.
THE PROTECTOR SYSTEM^®: Invisible light beam auto-reverses the door if there is an obstruction.

The LiftMaster smart garage door openers come with a multi-function control panel which includes lockout controls and accessory programmability. They also include a 3-button remote control which operates up to three openers or MyQ light accessories.

POWERFUL ADD-ONS

Add-ons available for the LiftMaster smart garage door openers include:

MyQ HOME BRIDGE: Adds Apple^® HomeKit™ compatibility and Siri^® voice control to WiFi-enabled openers. Installs easily in the garage within WiFi range**
MINI UNIVERSAL REMOTE: Compact and portable to provide quick, easy garage access
REMOTE LIGHT CONTROL: Plug in any lamp to this device to control it with a smartphone or garage remote
REMOTE LIGHT SWITCH: Replaces an existing wall switch to control home lighting with a smartphone or garage remote
GARAGE DOOR AND GATE MONITOR: Monitors and closes up to 4 garage doors from any room in the house

For more information about our smart garage door openers and how they can simplify your life, give us a call at 910-672-7296 or contact us by email.

** Controlling the HomeKit-enabled accessory automatically and away from home requires an Apple TV^® with tvOS™ 10.0 or later or an iPad^® with iOS 10.0 or later set up as a home hub. With this setup all HomeKit-enable devices installed in the home can be controlled remotely.

McKee Homes Builds 2018 Idea House

Posted on June 5, 2018 by John Rives

McKee Homes is working with the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville and the local building community on an exciting project called the 2018 Idea House. This amazing new home will feature some of the latest design ideas, technology innovations, and cutting-edge products all under one roof.

The 2018 Idea House is being built using one of McKee Homes’ most popular floor plans, the Beaufort Craftsman. The Beaufort floor plan features an expansive family room and kitchen layout that includes a breakfast area, center island and optional gourmet features. The relaxing master suite offers an immense walk in closet, a garden tub and a separate shower, as well as dual sinks which round out this beautiful private retreat.

McKee Homes helped get the land at a discounted price for the 2018 Idea House in our Village at Rockfish subdivision. Many of our vendors and the HBA are donating time and supplies to the project. One of our Builders is overseeing the construction of the home that the Fayetteville HBA will use to showcase unique and innovative features which are usually found in custom homes not available for touring.

The new home will be on display on specific dates from July 20 to Aug 19. Visitors will be able to tour, ask questions, and receive detailed literature about the features and design of the home. There will be a diverse array of products and techniques throughout this home. The Idea House will be placed on the market and be for sale on Monday, August 20, 2018. After the public touring ends, more information on how to purchase the home will be available.

For more information about the 2018 Idea House including the tour schedule and photo gallery, please visit www.2018ideahouse.com

Idea House Information

Floorplan: Beaufort Craftsman
Ft.: 3,643
Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 4
Garage: 2-car
Owner’s Suite: Upstairs

Neighborhood Information

The Village at Rockfish is located near I-95 and Hwy 87. Only 10 minutes from downtown Fayetteville and 20 minutes from Fort Bragg. The development borders Rockfish Creek. With direct access to Interstate 95, it’s only a short drive to Raleigh or the coast. Village at Rockfish has a pool and pool house available to residents of the neighborhood.

McKee Homes Introduces Two New Single-Story Ranch Floorplans

Posted on May 30, 2018 by John Rives

McKee Homes has just introduced two new single-story ranch floorplans. The Caldwell Classic and the Owen Classic were first built in Summerwind Plantation in Garner, NC as prototypes and have now been added as permanent floor plans to our Classic Collection.

There is a big demand for single-story ranch floorplans from first-time home buyers as well as existing homeowners downsizing from larger homes after children have left the nest.

Single-story ranch floorplans and homes have always been very popular but often hard to find in newer neighborhoods. With the cost of homes and interest rates rising, McKee Homes has introduced these two new floorplans to meet the demand of home shoppers looking for three-bedroom, two-bath homes at around 2,000 sq. ft.

The Caldwell

The 1,910 sq. ft. Caldwell Classic has three bedrooms and two full baths. The main living area includes a formal dining room, large kitchen island, walk-in pantry and mudroom with a bench and cubbies. The master bath has separate shower and garden tub with walk-in closet that leads directly into the laundry room.

There is plenty of convenient storage with a large 70 sq. ft. storage room as you enter the house from the garage, across from the laundry room. Options for the Caldwell include deluxe master bath, covered front porch and rear patio.

The Owen

The 2,061 sq. ft. Owen Classic has three bedrooms and two full baths with an additional room that can be used as a study, den or fourth bedroom.

The Owen has a large kitchen island, walk-in pantry and trey ceiling throughout the main living area that makes the home feel open and spacious. The Master bedroom comes with dual vanities, water closet, large shower, and walk-in closet. A covered porch completes the package of a home loaded with features.

These are both highly functional open single-story ranch floor plans and are a great addition to the McKee Homes Classic Collection.

More Information

For more information about these new single-story ranch floorplans by McKee Homes, please visit our website floorplans page or give us a call at 910-672-7296 to talk with one of our friendly online sales consultants about where these new ranch-style floorplans are being built.

McKee Homes Receives 2016 Builder of the Year Award

Posted on November 29, 2016 by John Rives

McKee Homes receives 2016 Builder of the Year award by the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville. The award was presented to Pat McKee, President of McKee Homes, at an awards luncheon hosted by the HBAF on November 15, 2016 at Highland Country Club in Fayetteville, NC.

One of the reasons McKee Homes received Fayetteville’s 2016 Builder of the Year Award and a primary reason that McKee Homes stands out in the community is their involvement in numerous local and national charities. McKee Homes has been the presenting sponsor of the Fayetteville Walk to End Alzheimer’s for the past six years which has raised approximately $350,000 to support Alzheimer’s Association® initiatives. The 2016 Walk was held on September 24 at the SwampDogs Stadium in Fayetteville and raised over $97,000 to date with a goal of $104,000 by the end of 2016.

Modern Home Builder magazine published a profile article about McKee Homes in their Summer 2016 edition focusing on their charitable community involvement with special focus on the Fayetteville Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

Upon founding McKee Homes, Executive Officers Pat and Mike McKee established the Joe McKee Memorial Alzheimer’s Fund in memory of their father whose dream of becoming a home builder was taken away by this devastating disease. A percentage of every new home sale goes into this fund to support Alzheimer awareness, care and research.

McKee Homes is currently rebranding the company logo, website and marketing collateral, including neighborhood signage, with the purple and white color scheme used by the Alzheimer’s Association® to demonstrate continued support and alliance with this important cause.

In addition to being awarded for its community involvement, McKee Homes was also recognized by some of the most prestigious national home building magazines in 2016. McKee Homes was one of only 15 new companies to be added to the ranks of America’s up-and-coming home builders by Builder Magazine in the 2016 Next 100 list at position 186. They also made the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing private companies for the third year in a row at position 1,654 and are ranked #230 in Professional Builder’s 2016 Housing Giants list.

McKee Homes hosted a VIP open house at their new office and Design Studio in downtown Fayetteville on November 16 and will have the official ribbon cutting event hosted by the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce in December.

With the amount of attention and recognition McKee Homes has received in 2016, it makes perfect sense that they would be named Fayetteville’s 2016 Builder of the Year.

2016 Fayetteville Walk to End Alzheimer’s

Posted on November 10, 2016 by John Rives

The 2016 Fayetteville Walk to End Alzheimer’s was by far the most successful to date, raising over $95,750 to support Alzheimer’s Association® initiatives, which include Alzheimer’s care and research, and raising awareness of this devastating disease.

This was the 6th annual Walk hosted and sponsored by McKee Homes in Fayetteville, NC and second year the Walk was held at JP Riddle Stadium, home of the Swamp Dogs minor league baseball team.

Over 1,100 people showed up to support the 2016 Fayetteville Walk to End Alzheimer’s . Thanks to all the volunteers and staff that helped the event run smoothly. There were 125 teams signed up for the Walk this year.

Julie Russo and Pat McKee of McKee Homes started the first Fayetteville Walk to End Alzheimer’s in 2011. Since then the Fayetteville Walks have raised approximately $350,000. Julie Russo describes organizing the Walk as “throwing a party for 1,000 of her closest friends.” A job she does not take lightly.
2016 Walk Photo Gallery

Helping Hits Home

Pat McKee, of McKee Homes, is all too familiar with the impact Alzheimer’s has on those who have the disease as well as their loved ones. Pat’s father, Joe, succumbed after a ten-year battle with this devastating disease. While Joe McKee had a long and successful career in business, he also built personal homes for his family. Alzheimer’s robbed him of his dream of one day becoming a builder. When Pat McKee and his brother, Mike, formed McKee Homes – to focus on building homes at The Cottages at North Ramsey and throughout the Fayetteville area – they dedicated the company to the memory of their father.

The McKee family – Pat, Mike and their mother, Shirley – wanted to do more to honor a beloved father and husband. In the hope that one day other families may not have to face the heartbreak wreaked by Alzheimer’s, they established the Joe McKee Memorial Alzheimer Fund. A percentage of every home sale by McKee Homes goes into this fund to support Alzheimer’s research and care. In addition, the McKees work closely with the Eastern North Carolina Service Area of the Alzheimer’s Association®, supporting efforts such as the Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

McKee Homes Donates $30,000 to Alzheimer’s Association

Posted on February 29, 2016 by John Rives

McKee Homes sponsored the Fayetteville Chamber’s Business After Hours event at Marquis Market in downtown Fayetteville Thursday evening, Feb. 25 at 5:30 pm. The Business After Hours event brings together many local residents, professionals and business owners from the Fayetteville area for a popular networking event.

Pat McKee, President of McKee Homes and President of the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville, along with wife Julie Russo who is VP of Human Resources at McKee Homes, presented the Alzheimer’s Association® with a promotional check for $30,000 which covers all the donations made in 2015 by McKee Homes. Lisa Roberts, Executive Director, Eastern North Carolina Chapter Alzheimer’s Association, accepted the check at the Business After Hours event. From 2011 to 2016, McKee Homes has donated approximately $135,000 to the Alzheimer’s Association® through the Joe McKee Memorial Alzheimer’s Fund.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association® website at alz.org®, North Carolina is home to more than 160,000 individuals living with Alzheimer’s and half a million unpaid caregivers. The Eastern North Carolina Chapter is responsible for providing programs and support services, information, referral, education and advocacy to the 51 counties of Eastern North Carolina.

“Our mission is to utilize our resources and good fortune to support the Alzheimer’s cause in the greater Fayetteville, Wilmington and Raleigh areas by raising awareness of this devastating disease, supporting initiatives of the Alzheimer’s Association® and helping fund Alzheimer’s care and research,” said Pat McKee.

The Business After Hours event was well attended with great food and door prizes given away by McKee Homes.

McKee Homes Featured in Builder and Developer Magazine

Posted on February 17, 2016 by John Rives

McKee Homes is featured in Homebuilders Prosper with Epcon Franchising, a recent Builder and Developer Magazine article about Epcon Franchise Builders.

According to the Builder and Developer article Another Franchise Builder, Pat McKee, owner of McKee Homes has seen success with Epcon Franchising as well. Since 2007, McKee has been a developer and homebuilder in the Fayetteville, N.C. market.

Most recently he is responsible for developing and building one of Fayetteville’s most successful communities, The Cottages at North Ramsey. He attributes part of its success to being an EpconFranchise Builder. McKee sold close to 100 homes last year and 150 this year, becoming a large regional builder in [the] Fayetteville area.

Epcon is a home building company offering franchises to other builders dedicated to serving the luxury, low-maintenance, ranch-style home niche for consumers looking to downsize from their existing home. Epcon is the 38th largest homebuilder in the nation and is the 19th largest privately-owned homebuilder. Franchise Builders have sold more than 28,000 homes since 1986.

In addition to the Builder and Developer article, McKee Homes has been featured in Epcon articles about their Franchisees and Epcon’s Pathways of Hope Foundation.

How Epcon Franchises Enables Home Builders to Quickly Grow from Niche to Regional Markets features Pat McKee, owner and President of McKee Homes. This article is largely an interview with Pat McKee (see video below) about the advantages of being an Epcon Franchisee. According to the Epcon article Traditional single-family home builder Pat McKee was able to quickly become a large regional builder with assistance from the Epcon homebuilding franchise system.

“Our depth of knowledge is difficult to achieve. Large regional builders often partner with Epcon to develop specific sections within their developments because they recognize that Epcon is the best way to satisfy a particular market niche,” says Rob Krohn, Epcon’s Franchise Marketing Manager.

On the move and moving up: Epcon Communities Franchisee Pat McKee gives back to NC residents by Nanette Overly covers McKee Homes’ commitment to giving back to the community, especially as it relates to their work with the Alzheimer’s Association® through the Joe McKee Memorial Alzheimer’s Fund and sponsorship of the Fayetteville Walk to End Alzheimer’s. From 2011 to 2016, McKee Homes has donated approximately $135,000 to the Alzheimer’s Association® through the Joe McKee Memorial Alzheimer’s Fund.

McKee Homes Epcon Communities

Posted on January 29, 2016 by John Rives

McKee Homes is currently developing over 20 communities in Eastern North Carolina, three of which are Epcon communities.

What’s an Epcon community? Epcon is a home building company offering franchises to other builders dedicated to serving the luxury, low-maintenance, ranch-style home niche for consumers looking to downsize from their existing home. The homes are specially designed with high-end features and options and built with 36″ wide doorways inside the house and easy access with no stairs between the inside and outside areas. With an Epcon home, homebuyers know they can live in the home into retirement without having to make any modifications to their home.

McKee Homes offers Epcon homes in The Cottages at North Ramsey in Fayetteville with all exterior home and yard maintenance taken care of by the HOA. It’s an ideal situation for busy professionals, military families and retirees who don’t want spend their free time maintaining their home’s exterior and yard.

We also offer Epcon homes in The Cottages at Carriage Creek and Carriage Glen in Anderson Creek Club where landscaping and yard maintenance is taken care of by the neighborhood association. With all the luxury amenities of a golf club community available there, it’s a real benefit to homeowners not to have to spend their weekends maintaining their yards.

Epcon Communities Franchising Inc. (Epcon) celebrates two important milestones in 2016: 20 years of franchising anchored on a rock-solid foundation of 30 years of homebuilding experience.

“Over the past 30 years, we’ve mastered the concept of low-maintenance, lifestyle housing down to a science,” says Tim Rini, Vice President of Franchising, “Population demographics indicate that we’re just now at the tip of the iceberg in terms of demand. As we celebrate these important milestones in Epcon’s history, we’re ready to meet this underserved market with fast-to-market, winning home solutions for our Franchise Builders.”

Since this article was first published, McKee Homes has opened two new Epcon home neighborhoods. Evergreen at Flowers Plantation in Clayton, NC and Eagle Point at Mid South Club in Southern Pines.

Housing Outlook Very Strong For 2016

Posted on January 21, 2016 by John Rives

The housing outlook for 2016 looks very strong. For the first time in three years it seems even the most conservative economic experts are in agreement. This year will be the best since the housing recession of past years.

The indicators that these experts rely on are all looking better for the coming years, starting with this year. Household formations will top 1.25 million in 2016…this is a large driver of new home sales. The rental market is very tight causing rents to increase significantly. Combined with low mortgage interest rates, buying a home looks even more affordable. The “Home Purchase Sentiment Index” from Fannie Mae has two compelling improvements for December of 2015. First consumer sentiment improved with regard to income, job security, and economic outlook. Secondly, more consumers now believe that it is a good time to sell a home.

What does all this mean for McKee Homes? First time buyers are coming into the market and we are well positioned to appeal to them. Great plans at very affordable prices…and we include features that are optional elsewhere. With special financing available many buyers will not need a down payment…usually a barrier to purchasing.

Why is being confidant about selling a home good for McKee? Because most move up buyers need the equity from their current home…and do not want to sell in a “down market”. Selling their current home gives them the opportunity to purchase a new home with the features they want.

With an improving economic forecast and the government raising interest rates, most of these experts are predicting mortgage interest rates to be 4.75%-5% by the end of the year. This may not seem like much…but here is what it means.

For the average buyer of a McKee home, the principal and interest payment will be $134 higher by the end of 2016…over thirty years this amounts to $48,240!!!

Or put another way, a buyer could add $28,000 in options today for that same $134 per month additional payment.

The other compelling factor for purchasing sooner rather than waiting is the increasing price of homes. Even Robert Schiller, the foremost housing expert, is anticipating prices rising 4-5%. Based on our average sales price that means prices will go up by almost $12,000 this year.

All this bodes well for McKee homes in 2016. Let’s make it happen together!

McKee Homes Building in Anderson Creek Crossing

Posted on November 24, 2015 by John Rives

McKee Homes is now building in Anderson Creek Crossing just outside the main gates of Anderson Creek Club in Harnett County, NC just north of Fort Bragg between Spring Lake and Lillington. We are building our Craftsman elevation floor plans in this new community designed for individuals and families that want beautiful new homes, luxury amenities and 24/7 security without the high cost.

Our Craftsman elevation floor plans include all the great interior features of our Classic floor plans with the addition of custom exterior details that give the homes distinctive elegance and refinement. A blend of stone, siding and specially styled roof lines and supports give our Craftsman floor plans a custom upscale look.

Anderson Creek Crossing will be an amenity-rich new home community with easy access to new schools, daycare, Fort Bragg, and the Championship Anderson Creek Golf Course.

The amenities in Anderson Creek Crossing will be developed over time as the new homes are being built. The master plan for this community includes:

Gated Entrance with Guard House for 24/7 Security
Expansive, Luxurious Lodge-style Clubhouse
Full Fitness Center Complete with Locker Rooms and Showers
Pool with Outdoor Snack Bar
Community Pavilion and Event Center
Tennis Courts
Basketball Court
Huge Playground
Restaurant and Bar
New Schools and Daycare Nearby
Less Than 15 Minutes to The Gates Of Ft. Bragg
100Mbps High Speed Internet
Quick Access to 4.5-Star Championship Anderson Creek Golf Course

Anderson Creek Crossing will develop into a robust bustling community growing to a total of 1,000 homes. Anderson Creek Commons Commercial Center– the latest addition to the Anderson Creek Club Developments, is less than a mile down the road and includes convenient store, gas station, full service restaurants, bakery and church.

If you’ve been looking for an affordable new home community with country club amenities close to shopping and schools, contact McKee Homes to get more information on the community and our new Craftsman elevation floor plans.