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New Home Model: The Harrier, Covington Park
Covington Park home sales soared in 2002's last quarter. The key? Many affordable models.
By JANET ZINK
© St. Petersburg Times, published February 14, 2003
SUMMERFIELD -- Homes at Covington Park are selling at a pace that rivals that of Newland Communities' other south Hillsborough County property, FishHawk Ranch.
Covington Park is a 244-acre master-planned community on Big Bend Road west of Interstate 75. Home sales there shot up 127 percent in the fourth quarter of 2002. Sixty-one were sold in the last quarter of 2002, more than double the 27 sold in the final quarter of 2001.
Plans call for Covington Park to have 800 single-family homes at buildout.
A contributing factor to the popularity of the community is the abundance of affordable homes from Cardel Master Builders.
Cardel recently opened its Harrier model in the village of Covington Stone. The basic floor plan, with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and 1,805 square feet of living space, goes for $156,995, including the home site.
With all the upgrades in the 2,085-square-foot model -- an upstairs bonus room, built-in entertainment center, screened-in swimming pool, Corian countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms, columns framing the dining room and ceramic tile in the living and kitchen areas -- the home is priced at $259,914.
Other upgrades include a wine rack in the kitchen, rounded drywall corners and crown molding on the cabinets.
Plenty of standard features add interest to the Harrier without adding to the cost.
Even the stripped-down model boasts three 8-foot-high sliding glass doors topped by transom windows in the family room, art niches in the master bedroom and foyer, arched doorways, and arched cutouts in the dining room and master bedroom walls. The master bathroom has a glass-enclosed shower, twin vanities and an oversized garden tub accented by a glass-block window.
The ceilings in the great room soar up a spectacular 15 feet, and one of the two spare bedrooms has an arched window and small walk-in closet.
Model homes at Covington Park are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.
For more information about Cardel at Covington Park, call 643-0793 or visit www.covingtonpark.com.