Seabrook’s Beach Camp Cottage neighborhood, featuring ten cabins representing true Olympic Peninsula travel traditions, is now completely sold out after a happy family from Seattle purchased the last remaining cottage.

In just over six months, all ten beach cabins were quickly gobbled up, and most of the homeowners are already moving in. This popular part of Seabrook will have all the expected modern day conveniences, yet include casual detailing inside and out for a true “cabin camping” experience. Some of the new homeowners have already signed up for the Seabrook Cottage Rentals vacation rental program. This way, the beauty of these little jewels can soon be experienced by everyone.

The cottages will be accessed through a rustic National Park Style-inspired archway and will encircle an intimate grassed park area. The park will be outfitted with a neighborhood rock boulder campfire ring, log benches, outdoor barbeques, and a sprinkling of native forest shrubs and wildflowers. Work on all of these details will begin shortly after all the houses are completed.

As we close the curtains on the Beach Camp Cottage neighborhood, another small part of town is emerging as the place to be for 2010. Lily Walk, our newest neighborhood addition, has to be the cutest and most affordable way to create memories at the beach here at Seabrook. Click here to see detailed homeplans of the houses in Lily Walk!

As the summer is slowly progressing into its final stages, sales at Seabrook could not be moving at a faster pace! People have been visiting Seabrook’s Sales Office in record numbers which has led to a big wave of sales!

Click on the image below to see the full list of sales and closings that have been made so far in 2009. The list is going to grow, however, so check back on our blog for the latest updates on Seabrook’s growth.

In an e-article recently published by Kiplinger.com, they outlined the four most important questions to ask yourself when considering buying a second home. Suffice to say, we couldn’t agree more!

First: How accessible is the property?
Kiplinger: Gas prices dim the appeal of a place that’s hundreds of miles away. You can usually hop a cheap flight to Florida, but that’s not necessarily true of Corpus Christi, Tex., or Durango, Colo.

Seabrook: We always stress to potential buyers that the way to reap the most benefit from a second home or investment property is by using it as often as possible. For investment properties, it makes sense to maximize both income and time spent at your property by spending that time visiting during the off-peak seasons. Nevertheless, Seabrook inherently fosters lifelong memories and how can you create memories without investing some time in a little R&R?

Second: Is the community well planned?
Kiplinger: In rural areas, a beautiful new cabin may adjoin a cluster of rusting trailers.

Seabrook: We’ve got plans for everything!
Third: Is the house in good shape?
Kiplinger: New construction is fine, but an older place or summer home is likely to be the victim of deferred maintenance and premature wear. Instead of asking for a price concession, you may be better off asking the seller to hire a carpenter and a painter.

Seabrook: New construction = ready to enjoy/rent ASAP

Fourth: Will you feel at home there?
Kiplinger: “[...] nothing beats a visit to see if the locale offers what you’re looking for.”

Seabrook: On numerous occasions, our homeowners have said to us that they know their neighbors in Seabrook better than they do their neighbors at their primary residence. This goes back to our detail-oriented planning, but simply put our pedestrian-friendly town plan does wonders for neighborly relations. This being said, we know neighborly relations doesn’t always imply a feeling of home. We firmly believe home is where the heart is and we invite you to take Kiplinger’s advice. Your heart will not want to leave!

Shown below are the footings of Seabrook’s NW Glen’s lot 159. DO NOT be fooled, these are no ordinary footings! 40% of these foundation footings are made up of fly ash rather than concrete.

What exactly is fly ash and why do I want incinerated insects in my foundation, you may ask?

Don’t worry, here is the technical scoop:

Fly Ash

Power plants fueled by coal produce more than half of the electricity we consume in the United States today. But in addition to electricity, these plants produce a material that is fast becoming a vital ingredient for improving the performance of a wide range of concrete products. That material is fly ash. Fly ash is comprised of the non-combustible mineral portion of coal. When coal is consumed in a power plant, it is first ground to the fineness of powder. Blown into the power plant’s boiler, the carbon is consumed — leaving molten particles rich in silica, alumina and calcium. These particles solidify as microscopic, glassy spheres that are collected from the power plant’s exhaust before they can “fly” away — hence the product’s name: Fly Ash.

Chemically, fly ash is a pozzolan. When mixed with lime (calcium hydroxide), pozzolans combine to form cementitious compounds. Concrete containing fly ash becomes stronger, more durable, and more resistant to chemical attack. Mechanically, fly ash also pays dividends for concrete production. Because fly ash particles are small, they effectively fill voids. Because fly ash particles are hard and round, they have a “ball bearing” effect that allows concrete to be produced using less water. Both characteristics contribute to enhanced concrete workability and durability. Finally, fly ash use creates significant benefits for our environment. Fly ash use conserves natural resources and avoids landfill disposal of ash products. By making concrete more durable, life cycle costs of roads and structures are reduced. Furthermore, fly ash use partially displaces production of other concrete ingredients, resulting in significant energy savings and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

That, my friends is how you earn one LEED point toward LEED certification!