Finding the Perfect Place

The couple toured a few neighborhoods during their search. None of them felt quite right. Then one day, on their final stop, Bre and Sean checked out Riverlights.

It was the perfect fit; near their jobs, downtown, and of course, the beach.

They wanted to move forward with building a home in Riverlights and began the process of selecting a contractor. Unfortunately, the first few meetings didn’t go as well as they had hoped.

“We’d spoken to a lot of builders in the neighborhood and never really felt comfortable moving forward,” Sean said.

That’s when they heard about New Leaf. So the Donnellys reached out to New Leaf Sales Consultant Tyler Henrikson to learn more about the plans.

Just like when they knew Riverlights was the neighborhood for them, the initial interaction with New Leaf sealed the deal.

“I think even just that first meeting with Tyler, we were sold,” Sean explained.

Kicking Off Construction

After meeting with Tyler, the Donnellys were ready to move forward. New Leaf would be their builder.

Now, the fun part: picking out a floorplan.

Sean and Bre landed on The Haywood, part of The Coastal Collection at Riverlights.

“We were drawn to the backyard,” Sean said. “With the master upstairs, it had a little more yard space.”

With two dogs (one adopted during the building process), the Donnellys wanted plenty of room to play with their pups and enjoy the outdoors.

Bre said she fell in love with the kitchen colors for The Haywood and the lighting throughout the home. In addition, this plan’s living room is set in the back of the house, adding an element of privacy.

“I really like the living room space,” Bre said. “It has great windows and lighting.”

The Donnellys thought they’d pick out colors and make a few changes to the cosmetic appearance, but they were very happy with nearly everything that came with the design.

Fun isn’t often a word associated with building a home and working with contractors, but that’s exactly how Sean described the process.

“I thought it was a lot of fun,” he said with a smile. “We got to learn a lot. I was like a sponge learning.”

Bre and Sean noted how New Leaf kept them informed throughout the construction process.

“We always knew what was coming next,” Bre said.

Sean and Bre requested a few changes along the way, like removing a planned sidewalk from the front yard to the backyard. New Leaf worked closely with them to make these changes.

“Both Tyler and Alan [Degen, New Leaf Wilmington Division President] were flexible with the changes,” Bre said.

Making Their House a Home

The Donnellys have settled into their new place. They go on walks around Riverlights with their dogs and find themselves in long conversations with their neighbors.

“Everyone is just so friendly,” Bre said. “They just stop and talk to you.”

Soon, they want to add string lights to their backyard and install a projector for movie nights and watching sports. As they make their new house a home, Bre and Sean reflected on their New Leaf experience and how the team supported them right down to the moment they received the keys.

“Even on the actual closing day, Tyler and Alan met us at the office and were there if we had any questions,” Bre explained.

Bre and Sean said New Leaf offered them sound advice during a tough market when interest rates and building costs were unpredictable. Even after closing, the Donnellys have asked the New Leaf team a few questions and they’ve been available to help.

“It meant a lot to us,” Sean said. “We just have a lot gratitude for them and the whole team.”