Latest News

What is Green?

Thu, 03 May 2012 11:09:06 -0400

We are always getting asked "what is Green" and there seems to be as many answers as there are people. So, we have decided to start publishing our thoughts on this subject to help you understand where our heads are on this. To begin with, we have created some new pages with an outline that we will be using to capture our thoughts. You can jump to this outline by clicking HERE

We will be continually updating this information, so.... check back often! :)

We have a new Office Manager

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 08:38:32 -0400

We are really excited to be able to introduce our new Office Manager ..... Sharon Hunt. It took us a while to find her, but she is an excellent fit for our team and brings some real talent as well! Sharon will bring some much needed support to Steve and John allowing them to spend even more time meeting with clients and checking on our jobs. To learn more about Sharon, visit her bio HERE

Our New Ranch is Done!

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:20:17 -0500

We have finally completed the plans and elevation for our newest Ranch plan, the Williamsburg 1. We hope to have the engineering done and submitted for permit to construct within the next several weeks. For more information about this great plan, please CLICK HERE

New Solar Home Project

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:05:13 -0500

We are really excited to be building a new custom home for the Jarmusz family in the Chapel Ridge Community in Chatham County. As with all of our homes, this home will be certified to the new Energy Star 3.0 requirements as well as being certified Green.

Some of the features of this home will be:

Spray Foam insulation

Solar Hot Water heater

18 Panel Solar voltaic array for supplemental electricity

Rain water harvesting system for irrigation

Energy Management system to control peak usage of major electrical appliances

An energy monitoring device to track usage

Additionally, this home will feature many Universal design elements.

For more information about this home, please contact John at 919-981-0341.

Happy Holidays!

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:13:42 -0500

OUR WINTER HOURS

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 07:49:04 -0500

With the change in Daylight Savings time, our sales office in Briar Chapel has new hours. The sales office will be open Monday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sundays we will be open Noon to 5:00 p.m. Early and late appointments are available. For more information please CLICK HERE

If you would like information about our Custom Homes, other neighborhoods or assitance with finding a lot, please CLICK HERE.

Have a great day!

Custom Homes in Briar Chapel

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 08:09:47 -0500

We are really excited about being able to offer full custom homes in Briar Chapel. In addition to our existing product line, we now are able to offer full custom...design/ build homes in this truly remarkable neighborhood. We now have over 40 lots to select from to build the home of your dreams. Stay tuned for more information.

For more information, please CLICK HERE

Thanks and have a great day!

Parade of Homes 2011

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:22:43 -0400

We had a very exciting 2011 Parade of Homes this year, saw some old friends, made many new friends and hopefully will build some homes for some of our new friends! Our next big event won't be until the Spring when we will feature at least two homes in the Spring "Green Home Builders of the Triangle" show.

But don't wait till then to come and see us! Stop by our Sales Office in Briar Chapel and visit with Lynn or shoot us an e-mail. We would love to hear from you. Don't forget to check out our facebook page.

Have a great day!

Introducing a New Web Application for our Clients

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:20:30 -0400

In an effort to continual improve our communication and services to our clients, we are introducing a new web based application to keep track of selections, options and e-mails. Each customer will be given a log-in user name and password which will allow them to access a "private" site that will have all of their selections. While they are in this private site, not only can they view the selections they have made, but they can see the selections that are either pending a final decision or have not been made at all. They can communicate directly with us about these selections as well as any options that they may be considering.

Since this is a web based application, there will be no need to download any software to your computer. As long as you can access the internet, you will be able to access this site and your selections. You will also be able to access this site from your smartphone. Future releases of this application will include the ability to post photos of the home under construction which we think will be very helpful for our out of town clients. Check back often for more updates regarding this exciting new application!

WE'RE ON FACEBOOK!

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 11:46:47 -0400

Check out our new Facebook page. Be sure and "Like" us when you're there!

Have a great day!

Click here to go to our Facebook page

ON YOUR LOT!

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 15:46:43 -0400

We just wanted to remind everyone that Morningstar Homes is one of the leading "on your lot" custom home builders. We just recently started building in a neighborhood, Briar Chapel, where we have a commitment to certain lots, but for the majority of our business, our clients come to us already owning a lot.

Now, what happens if you want to build with us and don't own a lot? Not to worry, we will help you find a lot! We are constantly on the lookout for available lots, in the areas that we build, so we can pass this information on to our clients. We will gladly look at any lots that you may be considering and give you an objective opinion as to the pros and cons of a particular lot so that you can make an educated final decision.

For more information, please give us a call at 919-981-0341 (ask for Lynn) or use out contact page link below.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK HERE

Morningstar Commits to Energy Star V3.0

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 09:45:13 -0400

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 31, 2011

Contact: John Lile, 919-981-0341, jlile@morningstarhomesinc.com

Morningstar Homes Commits to Building the Next Generation of ENERGY STAR Qualified Homes

(Raleigh, NC-August 31, 2011) Morningstar Homes Inc is announcing that it is committing to build and label its homes to meet the new and more rigorous ENERGY STAR requirements set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) for 2012.

"We're proud to be making a commitment to continue building ENERGY STAR qualified homes in 2012, said John Lile. "By stepping up to the new requirements, we're going to be offering customers state-of-the-art performance in our homes with a comprehensive package of features that deliver greater value, quality, and comfort than ever before."

Homes built to the new, more rigorous requirements (referred to as "Version 3") will be at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), and will include additional features to give them a performance edge of 20-30% compared to typical new homes and even more when measured against most re-sale homes on the market today.

ENERGY STAR qualified homes that earn the label in 2012 will be built with a comprehensive, building science-based approach that features:

A detailed package of home envelope air sealing, properly installed insulation, and high-performance windows to deliver comfort, durability, and lower utility bills.
A high-efficiency heating, cooling, and ventilation system designed and installed for optimal performance.
A complete water and moisture management package to protect roofs, walls, and foundations.
ENERGY STAR certified lighting and appliances that help reduce monthly utility bills.
Third-party verification, with independent inspections and testing by a certified Home Energy Rater.

"EPA has raised the bar for what families can expect when they buy a new home that has earned the ENERGY STAR," said Jonathan Passe, Acting Chief of EPA's ENERGY STAR Residential Branch. "Builders who meet the new ENERGY STAR requirements are making a strong statement about their leadership and commitment to providing American homebuyers with truly energy-efficient homes that offer lower utility bills and greater benefits for the environment."

About ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency. Today, ENERGY STAR offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, save money, and help protect the environment for future generations. More than 20,000 organizations are ENERGY STAR partners, committed to improving energy efficiency in homes, products, and businesses.

About MORNINGSTAR HOMES INC.

Morningstar Homes is one of the leading custom home builders in the Greater Triangle area of North Carolina which includes Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and the surrounding areas. They are the only member of the invitation only "SOUTHERN LIVING CUSTOM BUILDER PROGRAM" and have been building ENERGY STAR Certified homes for several years. In addition, they are members of the GREEN HOMEBUILDERS OF THE TRIANGLE and can provide a GREEN built home to those clients desiring these features.

Welcome Lynn!

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:32:04 -0400

Welcome Lynn Tomkins!

We're excited here at Morningstar to have Lynn Tomkins join our team as Sales Manager. We first became aquainted with Lynn when she brought a client to us here in Briar Chapel (who bought a home) and felt that there was an immediate connection. As is the case in life, some things changed for Lynn and she became available and the rest is history.

Lynn is a native of England and moved here as a result of her husbands employment. She is an active Mom and is active in the local real estate community.

Stop by and say hello to Lynn ... she would love to sell you a new home!

Two New Home Designs!

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:02:02 -0400

We are currently in the process of designing two brand new home designs to enhance our product line in the Briar Chapel community. One of the homes will feature a 3rd floor walk up bonus room and the other will be a modified "ranch" with a master and second full bedroom and bath on the first floor. Keep checking back often as we update and post more information on these plans.

If you just can't wait ... drop by our sales office in Briar Chapel and we'll be happy to show you what we are doing with these two new plans.

Have a great day!!

2011 Parade of Homes

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 13:47:12 -0400

We are really excited to participate again in this years Parade of Homes with a new home design in the community of Briar Chapel. The dates for the parade are the weekends of October 1, October 7 and October 14. Our Parade Home will be staffed and open for veiwing each weekend of the Parade from Noon till 5. Our on-site Sales Office and Model Home is open daily from 11 till 6. Stay tuned for more updates on our Parade home which is currently under construction.

Of course you don't have to wait for the Parade to take a look at the home. It is currently just coming out of framing and we are able to show it to anyone who is interested.

Have a great day!

Raleigh tops list of Boom towns!

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:13:26 -0400

Top 10 real estate boomtowns: 2020

U.S. population projected to jump 8.9% in next decade

By Andrea V. Brambila, Wednesday, June 15, 2011.

Inman News^TM

The U.S. population will rise 8.9 percent between 2010 and 2020 to 337.1 million, according to projections from data analysis firm ProximityOne. The firm's estimates take into account results from the 2010 census as well as historical birth, death, migration and economic data. According to the 2010 census, the nation's inhabitants grew to 308.7 million between 2000 and 2010, a 9.7 percent increase.

The 10 metro areas expected to see the biggest jumps in population between 2010 and 2020 are mostly in states that experienced increases of between 15 percent and 25 percent in the last decade: North Carolina, Texas, Utah, Georgia, Idaho and Colorado.

Rank	Metro area	Pop. 2010	Pop. 2020 (projected)	% change
1	Raleigh-Cary, N.C.	1,140,057	1,546,556	35.7%
2	Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, Wash.	255,485	345,779	35.3%
3	Austin-Round Rock, Texas	1,729,845	2,302,813	33.1%
4	Provo-Orem, Utah	530,931	700,234	31.9%
5	Hinesville-Fort Stewart, Ga.	78,595	102,769	30.8%
6	Logan, Utah-Idaho	126,348	163,550	29.4%
7	Grand Junction, Colo.	147,759	190,114	28.7%
8	McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas	779,858	992,706	27.3%
9	Idaho Falls, Idaho	131,198	166,378	26.8%
10	Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, N.C.-S.C.	1,769,001	2,236,368	26.4%

Source: ProximityOne

At the top, the Raleigh-Cary, N.C., metro area is expected to see a 35.7 percent rise in population by 2020, after a 41.8 percent rise between 2000-10. The area's economy is buoyed by a relatively young population attracted to the area's universities and research facilities.

"Raleigh (has) always been a hot spot for growth and relocation. It doesn't surprise me that we are slated for tremendous growth," said Sheri Moritz, broker at Keller Williams Preferred Realty in Raleigh.

"We have many great (businesses) in the area producing jobs that will eventually relocate people to the area."

We've Been Busy!

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:38:04 -0400

Our apologies for not keeping everyone abreast of the latest happenings with MorningStar, but it was for a good reason. With the warm weather and some "trickles" of good news about the economy ... we have seen a marked increase in traffic at our new sales center in the Briar Chapel community. The result has been two recent sales, both of whom wanted to get started on thier new home as soon as possible. So, we have been hunkered down working on making that happen and it has been at the expense of keeping our news updated. Hopefully you will understand.

We now have 3 "pre-sales" under construction in Briar Chapel and will be posting some pictures in the next couple of weeks. But don't wait for that! Come on out and visit us and see for yourself why Briar Chapel is a booming community.

Don't forget that the Green Home tour is in the month of May and it would be great to see you stop by.

For more information about Briar Chapel, click here: BRIAR CHAPEL PRODUCT

For more information about the Green Home tour, click here: GREEN HOME TOUR OF THE TRIANGLE

Have a great day!

John, Steve and Cathy

Celebrate the Oscars with Morningstar!

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 14:07:32 -0500

Join Morningstar Homes in celebrating the Oscars and get a chance to win $100.00 worth of movie tickets to a theater of your choice. A visit to our Sales Center is required to fill out the entry form and the winner will be annouced on our website on February 28th.

Our sales center is located in the exciting new community of Briar Chapel located just outside of Chapel Hill. Come and see why we are one of the leading "Green" communities in the Carolinas.

Click below for directions to Briar Chapel. Our Sale office is located right next to the community information center.

http://www.briarchapelnc.com/OurLocale/FindUs.aspx

FRANKLIN STREET COMING OUT OF THE GROUND

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 13:38:18 -0500

We're really excited to be starting a pre-sale in the Briar Chapel Community located just outside Chapel Hill. Our client was so taken with our Franklin Street model that they just said ... "build it just like the model with all the same colors and features!" We hope to have the permits pulled and construction starting sometime in early February. For more information about our homes in Briar Chapel, follow this link ...

BRIAR CHAPEL

Happy New Year!

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 13:35:54 -0500

Happy New Year!

We hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season and had a chance to visit with family and celebrate the season with much joy and happiness!

We are excited at Morningstar because a number of clients that we have been working with have made decisions to start their new homes this year as a vote of confidence in the changing economy. We are excited about a new custom home that we are in design stages on to be built in Chapel Ridge that will feature many energy saving items such as solar hot water, Photovoltaic panels and a rain water recycling system for landscape irrigation. Check out our "Homes under construction" page for updates.

We are also in the process of getting ready to start another Craftsman home for a client the Briar Chapel Community and are working on 3 additional sales to start in early spring.

Have a great day!