Page 105 - Southern Oregon Magazine Spring 2018

“One thing I’m most proud of is evolving,” says Hamilton, his concept
of how he has moved forward in business. Suncrest first built Craftsman
homes, striving for authenticity while utilizing modern construction
standards. All was going well until the housing crisis that started in
late 2006. They were in a solid position, so they pulled back and cre-
ated the Lot Purchase Program. When a potential homeowner signs
on, Suncrest handles the lot purchase and manages construction costs
and financing, which eliminates much of the headache a buyer endures
with a new build. The owner closes escrow when the home is finished.
In a way, Hamilton and Thirkill’s early necessity of doing it all became a
business model. This kept them busy through the downturn as Suncrest
diversified from subdivisions to custom homes in its next evolution.

In 2009, Suncrest Homes started building sustainable Earth Advantage
homes. Earth Advantage is a third-party verified certification program
developed in 2000. A home qualifies based on points in five categories:
energy efficiency, healthy indoor air quality, resource efficiency,
environmental responsibility, and water conservation. The program
requires two verification visits. When the house is complete, it is
pressurized to detect any air leaks.

Suncrest’s Verde Village in Ashland is a planned community, each
home certified Earth Advantage Platinum and planned to be Net Zero
Ready. That means that after the installation of solar panels, the home
generates as much energy as it uses, benefitting both the environment
and the homeowner’s wallet. Prior to construction, energy needs
are calculated. True South Solar of Ashland studies the results and
recommends the number of panels needed. While Suncrest directs
the process, they allow homeowners to pay for the panels directly so
they can receive the tax credit. Forty percent of the owners in Phase
I have installed panels, the cost of which have come down in recent
years. Sustainability is not limited to the homes, but carries into the
neighborhood environment as well. Phase II will be even more earth
friendly, including features such as bioswales.

Verde Village features homes designed with modern adaptations to
the mid-century look. People see such homes in Portland and Seattle,
and they want them here in Southern Oregon. Although the homes
follow an architectural theme on the outside, Charlie urges people to
do whatever they want inside, to make it truly theirs.

Changes kept coming, new evolutions. Some folks approached Charlie
about building a two-bedroom/two-bath home. Considering practical-
ity and resale, he tried to persuade them to rethink their idea. But they
insisted, so he went ahead, though skeptically. Eventually, he admitted
he had been wrong. Young professionals and retirees who are downsiz-
ing like the smaller units, some at six-hundred square feet, others at
a thousand. With land scarce in Talent and a city committed to urban
density, Suncrest has taken on William’s Way, where smaller homes
will sit on small lots—detached, common wall, and zero-lot line. The
closeness allows a sense of community. Suncrest has plans for town-
houses and apartments as well. They envision retirees moving into a
setting that will allow them to age in place. They also hope for younger
families to help create a healthy neighborhood balance that’s beneficial
for old and young alike. Here, too, the homes are Earth Advantage
certified.

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