Do not go with Evergreene. consider yourself warned! Their customer services is horrible. They have no oversight on the work performed by their subcontractors. Its a complete nightmare. Run away...dont walk...RUN!

A relative is building with Evergreene in Vienna. It has been a terrible experience all around. Customer Service, delays, lies, avoidance, shoddy work in some places, idiot supervision in others. Sad state of affairs - and the place is still not finished.

Anonymous wrote:we are looking at Woodson Reserve as well. 4300-5200 sq ft depending on model. three car garage side-load. lot size .4-.5 acres. school pyramid 8, 9, 8. it's an established community of 22 like homes in a cul-de-sac. meaning your neighbor won't be a 1950's split level. minus the congestion of Vienna for 1.4-1.5M are all positive selling points.

Agreed on the "established community" part , but you loose the walkability that Vienna offers. Route 50 is very congested as well. And Vienna has better re-sale values than FFX, even parts zoned to Mantua ES.

Anonymous wrote:Original poster again.

Another question - Should we use a real estate agent or an attorney to review the contract?

This one cracks me up! Home builders don't modify their contract. It is what it is...you may be able to add mutually agreed upon contingencies but that's it! Save your money on a "attorney review."

we are looking at Woodson Reserve as well. 4300-5200 sq ft depending on model. three car garage side-load. lot size .4-.5 acres. school pyramid 8, 9, 8. it's an established community of 22 like homes in a cul-de-sac. meaning your neighbor won't be a 1950's split level. minus the congestion of Vienna for 1.4-1.5M are all positive selling points.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are also looking at their Woodson Reserve development in Fairfax, right off of 50.

We are looking at the Woodson Reserve as well!

OP, if you are considering Woodson Reserve at 1.5, it's not a good investment. You can buy a new home in Vienna for that kind of money.

Too high for Vienna, try McLean high zone

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are also looking at their Woodson Reserve development in Fairfax, right off of 50.

We are looking at the Woodson Reserve as well!

OP, if you are considering Woodson Reserve at 1.5, it's not a good investment. You can buy a new home in Vienna for that kind of money.

While I can't speak specifically to Evergreene, I will tell you that you're probably going to go over any monetary estimate that you sign. We built a custom home (not with a builder, rather an architect and contractor) - did a May move out and the project didn't start until August. We were told 9 months. It took 17. I imagine a builder with pre-set plans and development underway would not run into that many issues, but walk around a development they've finished and ask questions of the neighbors. It's just some of your time and it might answer some of your questions, and my guess is people will be more than willing to give their opinions.

Unforeseen issues (building site, county delays, weather, mistakes, subcontractor backups, different choices once you see X wall built vs on the blueprint, etc.) end up costing you money. That's not to mention the time delays that might have you staying in a rental longer than anticipated.

If you're having doubts, look for a house that's either nearly finished or newly built. It's a long, emotional and stressful process anyway to buy a house - to go through a build is just that more challenging. If I had to do it again, I wouldn't. But most people who have been through a build would probably tell you the same thing.

Anonymous wrote:We are also looking at their Woodson Reserve development in Fairfax, right off of 50.

We are looking at the Woodson Reserve as well!

Anonymous wrote:A lot of the issue with delays with new construction is getting the permits on time. We built with a builder who had built our exact house numerous times and the county still took forever to get the permits approved. Once the permits were done, the actual build process went quickly, but there are always delays due to weather, permits, and such that can't be helped. IF a builder tells you your house will be ready in 10 months, mentally add some extra time to that date, and don't make any plans to move out of your current house or such until the date gets much closer.

put in penalties for late

A lot of the issue with delays with new construction is getting the permits on time. We built with a builder who had built our exact house numerous times and the county still took forever to get the permits approved. Once the permits were done, the actual build process went quickly, but there are always delays due to weather, permits, and such that can't be helped. IF a builder tells you your house will be ready in 10 months, mentally add some extra time to that date, and don't make any plans to move out of your current house or such until the date gets much closer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi All,

We are looking to buy a home in a new community built by Evergreene. Has anyone bought an Evergreene home? What has the experience been like? Any insights on them as a builder would be really helpful. Are there any gotchas? What should we be looking out for during contract negotiation? (We have never bought a home from a builder.) Should we opt for having the basement finished with the builder or look to do it later in life? (Price is a big concern as it will likely come out to 1.5 million which is the top end of our budget.)

We are looking at their Chapman model.

Looking at their website, I would assume you are looking at Brooks Place in Sleepy Hollow? To me 1.5 seems high for that location with small lots. You could do a new build in McLean or Falls Church (22046 or 22043) for about that same price and have a much better lots, better commute, and better schools.

I'm in this area and the new houses are $1.7 M now.

Anonymous wrote:Being behind schedule is par for the course with building new house. This will happen with any builder if it upsets you this much you should probably buy a spec house.

DO you work for Evergreene? LOL

Being behind schedule is par for the course with building new house. This will happen with any builder if it upsets you this much you should probably buy a spec house.

I know someone who is building with them in Vienna. The builder is behind schedule by 2 months!