November 20, 2012

French Country Living at Twin Lakes of Piperton

The following article on Boyle’s Twin Lakes of Piperton by Matthew Fite was published in the Homefinder section of The Commercial Appeal on November 18:

A world of front porches, pristine lakes, rail fencing, and hundred-year-old trees surrounded by rolling farmland awaits you at Twin Lakes of Piperton under development. Twin Lakes affords home buyers the luxury of the good life of Piperton without sacrificing the comfort or convenience.  Just minutes from town, Twin Lakes is arguably the best location around Collierville.  This upscale, walkable, rural porch community provides more than 40 acres of common open space and abundant outdoor amenities including fishing and canoeing.  Both waterfront and 5-acre equestrian lots are available.

“Twin Lakes offers residents the pastoral lifestyle of Piperton with its rolling hills, scenic railroad trestles, and canopies of tree-lined roads,” said Doug Dickens, Vice President of Boyle.  “In addition, you can’t beat this location, which is so convenient due to the new 385 loop with the interchange at Poplar (Hwy 57).”

Open this weekend at Twin Lakes is a two-story, 3,700-square-foot French country home built by Dickens and Associates that offers views of the lake from the front porch and every room in the house.   This all-brick, 4-bedroom, 3.5-bath home has many aesthetically pleasing features including a front porch and large covered porch and patio in back.  Ceilings are 10-feet-high except for coffered areas that extend a foot and a half higher. The dining room has arched entryways and tasteful molding. The great room features a pre-cast stone fireplace.  Downstairs, all floors are hardwood.  The home is priced at $489,000.

The home also offers many practical features. “I loaded this house up,” says Chris Dickens, builder for Dickens and Associates.   Among these items are custom cabinetry, a surround-sound system in the great room and outdoor area, a playroom, ample attic space and a master bath with walk-in shower and rain can, dual walk-in closets and his-and-hers vanities.

These features fit into the kind of home and lifestyle that many people want today, Chris Dickens says.

These home buyers want to downsize from their larger homes with high utility bills, extensive maintenance, and high taxes.  However, these usually middle-aged home buyers don’t want to give up amenities.

“The homes are not only built with impeccable craftsmanship but also are energy efficient due to the insulation package, the mechanical package, and windows,” explains Dickens.

Dickens built this Twin Lakes home smaller than many customers’ current houses.  Also, he built it on a half-acre lot, smaller than most lots in Fayette County.

He notes that the property taxes in Piperton are far lower than those in other locations in Shelby County:   Memphis, Germantown, Collierville and unincorporated Shelby County included.   The result is thousands of dollars in tax savings, he says.  Piperton’s annual property tax is an estimated $2,775.00* as compared to Memphis ($9,337.50), Germantown ($7,037.50), and Collierville ($6,712.50).

The Twin Lakes subdivision, off Highway 57 (Poplar) near the western edge of Fayette County, is close to many places in Collierville than are some places in Collierville itself.  For example, it is about six minutes from the Collierville Historic District.

Boyle Investment Company developed Twin Lakes, and Doug Dickens, Vice President and father of Chris Dickens, says “It’s like all real estate, it’s location, location, location.” As for the municipality in which Twin Lakes is situated, he says, “Piperton is really coming into its own.” He says the town is rural yet close to Collierville and I-385.

Twin Lakes provides extensive walking trails that go over dams adjacent to lakes and the Wolf River.

Chris Dickens says the goal for his company is constructing quality homes with attention to detail and excellent service.

He is building infill homes in Collierville, as well.

Also an affiliate broker, Chris Dickens is selling the home in Twin Lakes. You can contact him at (901) 262-5019 or at chrisd@boyle.com.

*Example based upon $500,000 value.