Savanna Shackleford, Author at Building Happiness

Savanna Shackleford

Floor Plan Favorites: The Lilac

By Savanna Shackleford, in All Communities

April 9, 2020 | Comments Off

Schell Brothers offers numerous unique floor plan design options to its potential homebuyers. With so many to choose from, we thought it would be nice to highlight some of our favorites in this new blog series, Floor Plan Favorites. At each of our communities we have models available for touring. Since we are now living in a virtual world, there is no better time to take advantage of our virtual tours and the photo sets on our website, in order to get a more in-depth look at what we have to offer. Hopefully hearing from our Community Sales Managers and taking a step into the virtual models will help you in making your decision about which floor plan is right for you and your family!

The Lilac is one of our more popular floor plans, a perfect home for single families, people looking to own a second home, and couples looking to have extra bedrooms for grandkids. It is part of our Coastal Series homes which we have available to build in a number of our communities; The Peninsula, Solitude on White Creek, Tidewater Landing, Jefferson Creek, Governors, Bayside, Truitt Homestead, Saddle Ridge, River Mill, and Arbor-Lynn. The Lilac models available for virtual touring are located at Jefferson Creek and The Peninsula.

The Lilac offers numerous options such as living area extensions, finished basements, home theaters, extra bedrooms, and so much more! Not only that, The Lilac has various elevation options, so you can choose the exterior that is the perfect fit for you and your family.

Natalie Hay, one of our Community Sales Managers at Jefferson Creek, loves The Lilac model that she works out of. I asked her what she loves about the Lilac and why it is such a popular floor plan:

“At Jefferson Creek our model home is the Lilac and people have fallen in love with it for so many reasons. One of the great things about this floor plan is that it comes included with 4 bedrooms plus a flex room, which we have set up as a home office in our model. So it is great for people who need those extra rooms for family or guests. We’ve found a lot of people select this floor plan if they are purchasing a beach home and want to sleep a lot of people or if they have large or growing families and want to have room for the kids and grandkids to visit. You can expand the home to have 5 bedrooms as well, and there is also an option to change one of the upstairs bedrooms to a second owner’s suite so it is perfect for an in-law suite, two families, or just having a nice suite for guests. Of course, all of the main living is on the first floor and the kitchen, dining, and great room are all the “open concept” that we love for easy entertaining. A couple of unique features in this home that people have really loved actually relates to the stairs. The staircase has an oversized landing with a picture window looking out to the backyard which we have the option to add a “tech nook” (built-in desk), window seat, or daybed to. This is such a cute feature and adds function to a space which usually doesn’t have a function. Not only that, underneath the stairs is a huge storage closet that always surprises people when they see it!”

Tyler Teed, our Community Sales Manager at The Peninsula, also loves the Lilac model. Here is what he had to say:

“The Lilac is a home that fits so many needs of today’s home buyer. Open floor plan, a first-floor master bedroom and you can’t under appreciate the home office these days. The second floor has 3 nicely sized bedrooms options to have 2 full baths and to top it off your guests have their own living room in the loft and you still have a spot for all of your “stuff” with the included storage area. The outside of the home is just as well thought out as the inside. Options that really stand out to me are the second-floor front and rear decks.”

I couldn’t have said it any better myself! Take a look at the Lilac at Jefferson Creek in our virtual tour here, or the Lilac at The Peninsula here. Our website includes a page dedicated to the floor plan with a brochure to help you understand the difference between elevations and what the inside of the home will feature.

Don’t be afraid to reach out to our Community Sales Managers at Jefferson Creek, The Peninsula, or even River Mill in Richmond, which does not yet have a virtual tour. They have all the knowledge regarding our Lilac floor plan and are happy to answer any questions you may have.

Visit our website for more information.

Posted in All Communities | Tagged building happiness, happiness, schellbrothers, spreadgoodvibes, virtual tours | Comments Off

How to Stay Connected in a Virtual World

By Savanna Shackleford, in All Communities

April 2, 2020 | Comments Off

If you’re anything like me, this time of solitude and quarantine is driving you crazy! Being confined between the walls of your house can seem daunting and unpredictable. At this point, you’ve probably run out of board games to play, the puzzles are all finished, you’ve re-watched your favorite season of Friends four times, and you’re starting to get tired of those you’ve been quarantining with. I’m here to tell you that there is so much more out there! Many businesses, including ours, have had to adapt and remain in communication with one another in order to maintain productivity, as well as help boost morale.

Human connection is such an important aspect of maintaining happiness, which makes it crucial to learn how to stay connected, even in a virtual world. Here are a few tips and a few resources that you can use in order to maintain that connection as well as support the community, even in this time of stress and uncertainty.

Virtual Games

It’s not out of the question to hold a virtual game night with your friends. In fact, there are so many apps and other digital tools available to make a virtual game night fun and easy for everyone! Ellen DeGeneres has an app called ‘Psych’ that lets participates play from across the room and across the country. Choose from a variety of games to keep things interesting. Check it out here. ‘House Party’ is another fun party game application. It allows participates to FaceTime with each other while they are inside the app, creating a fun space to entertain and laugh together as if you were in person. Download it here. Just the other day, my family and I were able to play a few board games over the phone. We just sent each other pictures of the cards or the board, and they were able to tell us how to move the pieces. Get creative! There are so many ways to stay in touch with family and friends through the fun of gaming.

Virtual Watch Parties

Netflix has changed the game for everyone by allowing users to view movies and TV shows together in real time. ‘Netflix Party’ is a Google Chrome extension that allows users to chat and get together and watch their favorite movies, all over the internet! I have personally taken advantage of this opportunity by viewing the new Netflix docuseries ‘Tiger King’ with some of my childhood friends. Netflix, as well as many other viewing platforms, are also releasing movies that were originally in theater early, so that you can still enjoy them from the safety of your home. Try it out yourself, grab the popcorn, and see if your family would be interested in a movie night, it’s the next best thing to that movie theater experience we’ve all been missing. Here is the link to sign up.

Virtual Happy Hour

Virtual happy hours have become the norm hang out the past couple of weeks. Companies have implemented the social hour as a way of increasing happiness amongst employees, I know we have! But it doesn’t have to just be for employees and companies, you and your friends can enjoy a drink on the back porch together. Just grab your phone or laptop, set up Zoom, FaceTime, Teams or whatever virtual chat platform you prefer, and head outside with your favorite drink. This is a great time to start some of those virtual party game apps as well. Virtual happy hours also give you a chance to catch up with old friends you wouldn’t normally have had a chance to catch up with!

Virtual Athletic Competitions

A lot of organizations are throwing virtual 5Ks or virtual walkathons to help continue to raise money in support of the local communities and organizations it sponsors. I’ve been reading about a lot of companies who are implementing similar competitions in which they have their employees compete based on how many steps they walk each day, using a Fitbit or an Apple Watch. You can create a competition amongst you and your friends, to make sure people are staying active and keeping their energy level high. This is a great way for friends and family to stay connected, as well as possibly give back to the community. Check out this Disney virtual 5K coming up in June!

Virtual Hobbies

Although usually considered a solitary hobby, reading can become a fun activity for a large group of people to take part in. Many libraries and other literary groups are hosting virtual book clubs where people from all over can discuss books and meet other book lovers. Buzzfeed Bookclub is a great one you should check out, as well as Now Read This, hosted by PBS News Hour and The New York Times Book Review. If reading isn’t your thing and you’re more interested in ways you can help out your community or city, there are tons of opportunities to become a virtual volunteer. I’ve recently started helping out the Smithsonian transcribe documents and diaries. It is extremely fulfilling and something you can pick up or put down whenever you want. Check it out here. You can also check out The United Nations Volunteer Program, and the Crisis Text Line for other opportunities to help out.

Hopefully this list of virtual activities gives you a few ideas about how to stay connected. We here at Schell Brothers love that we support a culture of happiness, and we want to make sure you guys stay happy even during this stressful time. So, grab your phone or tablet and get on FaceTime, I’m sure your old college friends would love to have a game night or watch the latest trending TV show on Netflix! Maybe even try transcribing field notes from the 1920s or run a 5K, the possibilities for virtual human connection are endless!

Visit our website for more information about our homes and floorplans. Feel free to explore our models through our virtual tours and contact the community sales manager with any questions you may have.

Posted in All Communities | Tagged building happiness, happiness, projectkudos, schellbrothers, stayconnected, virtual connection, virtual walk through, virtualworld | Comments Off

Schell Scoop: The Sales Team’s Favorite Movies

By Savanna Shackleford, in All Communities

March 26, 2020 | Comments Off

Now that you are spending a little bit more time inside due to the COVID-19 virus, it is the perfect opportunity to discover some new cinematic masterpieces. Whether it be Scorsese, Spielberg, Tarantino or The Coen Brothers, you’re sure to find something entertaining to watch in order to pass the time. Our amazing sales team loves movies just as much as you do, and they are here to tell you all about their favorites, the ones that made them laugh, the ones that made them cry, and the ones with the best memories. So, while you think to yourself “there’s no place like home,” and that right now “life is like a box of chocolates,” we say “may the force be with you” as you pick a movie to watch this week. And with this awesome selection by the Schell Brothers sales team, I keep saying “I’ll have what [they’re] having.”

Alli Perry (CSM at Coastal Club in Lewes, DE)

“One of my absolute favorite movies is Pirates of the Caribbean! I grew up traveling with my family to the Caribbean and obsessing over pirates and their way of life! I always joke that my mom was a Pirate in her past life. Anytime I need a good laugh or an escape from reality I just turn on the TV and sail away!”

Alli is currently working out of our model homes in Coastal Club. Be sure to check out the virtual tour of the Hatteras Model here, our Bristol Model here, and our Mayberry model here. Feel free to contact her with any questions to make an appointment.

Austin Oswinkle (CSM at Saddle Ridge in Lewes, DE)

“My favorite overall movie of all time is Gladiator starring Russell Crowe. It is an incredible story of triumph, and an enlightening experience into an incredible mindset. My mother and I watch this movie together once a month, and I think that is truly why it is so special to me. No matter your circumstance, situation, upbringing, social status, or whatever you can achieve anything you set your mind to. That is what this story truly embodies and is something that I’ve always believed. My favorite comedy of all time is Superbad. This movie came out when I was in high school and was one that I watched with every friend I ever had from the time I was a Freshman in High school until I was a super senior at my boarding school in New York. It was a film that for anyone in high school at that time could relate to immensely.”

Austin is currently working out of our model homes in Saddle Ridge. Be sure to check out the virtual tour of The Montauk model here, and The Whimbrel model here.

Adam Pettengell (CSM at Governors in Lewes, DE)

“The Greatest Showman – great music, great storyline. Whenever I hear a song from the movie I’m instantly infused with energy and a ‘want’ to do better. Maybe I try to dance and sing as well but no one knows that.”

Adam is currently working out of our model homes in Governors. Be sure to check out the virtual tour of The Bluebell model here, and The Jasmine model here.

Leigh Monette (CSM at Palmilla and Forest Hills in Magnolia Green and The Sanctuary in Richmond, VA)

“This is tough. I have too many favorites to list just ONE! Two of my favorites growing up were The Sandlot and A Christmas Story. Both were classics in my family and were watched on repeat. I think I could quote every line in both. But now I love a good romantic comedy – who doesn’t love a good movie that you can laugh and cry in!”

Leigh is currently working out of our model home in Magnolia Green. Be sure to check out the virtual tour of The Waterford model here.

Tyler Teed (CSM at The Peninsula in Millsboro, DE)

“Hook with Robin Williams is definitely a movie that we watch a couple of times a year around our house. I can remember watching it in the Midway Theater as a boy. I was 9 or 10 when It came out and I became a sword wielding, pirate fighting lost boy from that day on. Now I get to have the pleasure of watching my son enjoy the same movie and I get reminded that you can’t forget that there is a fun kid in all of us.”

Tyler is currently working out of our model homes in The Peninsula. Be sure to check out the virtual tour of The Lilac model here, The St. Croix model here, and The Shearwater model here.

Some of these films really are the “stuff that dreams are made of” and by viewing them, you can escape from reality for a little while. As with every week, “I’ll be back” with more tips and tricks, and more advice on how to “just keep swimming” amidst the Coronavirus outbreak.

Be sure to check out our website to find all of our virtual model tours. Feel free to give us a call with any questions.

Posted in All Communities | Tagged building a new home, favoritemovies, newhomebuilder, projectkudos, Schell Brothers home, schellbrothers, schellscoop | Comments Off

Keeping Busy at Home

By Savanna Shackleford, in All Communities

March 17, 2020 | Comments Off

As schools close, offices send their employees home, and restaurants move to take-out only, it’s no secret that the COVID-19 virus is changing the nature of our daily lives. Although at times challenging, this is an opportunity where people can rest, listen, educate, exercise, and learn new ways of being. It’s a time when our population can meditate and find parts of themselves, they didn’t know were there. They can discover new interests, be creative, and connect with each other, although virtually, in meaningful and real ways that we are not often able to do in the busyness of normal life.

With the gift of time, often comes the possibility of boredom. I questioned our Schell employees over the past couple of days as the coronavirus fears have kept many Americans inside, and was pleased to find a world of opportunity to combat that boredom. As you all rack your brains for ways to entertain your kids, what to do in your down time, and how to keep a positive attitude, look at what our awesome employees have found on the internet to keep you moving onward and upward!

The Digital World

With the digital world at our fingertips, TV shows, podcasts, movies and virtual tours readily available. Austin Oswinkle, one of our Community Sales Managers at Saddle Ridge, provided me with some shows he and his son are enjoying right now, “this is a fantastic time to watch The Wire, Entourage, or The Sopranos which are all on HBO GO free with a subscription.” He also pointed out that Disney released Frozen II on Disney+ this past Sunday, earlier than they had promised originally. Netflix is known for their amazing original TV series like Stranger Things, and Austin recommends catching up on The Ranch, one of his favorites. Austin works out of our model homes in Saddle Ridge, be sure to check out a virtual tour of our Montauk model here, and our Whimbrel model here.

Kaylie Austin, a Sales Coach down at our Richmond, VA office, enjoys Netflix as much as the rest of us. She recommends checking out Safe “if you are into mysteries,” Love is Blind “if you like ridiculous reality shows like I do,” and You, a full-of-surprises thriller great for a date night. She was also able to find out that the Cincinnati Zoo is doing a Facebook live every day at 3pm. This gives kids an opportunity to learn about a different animal every day and experience its habitat without having to go to the zoo.

Her discovery of the virtual Cincinnati zoo tours motivated me to do more research into what we can do online over the next couple of weeks. The National Parks Service has livestream cameras set up around a few of the National Parks. We are able to watch what goes on at the Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park from the comfort of our living rooms! Check it out here. USA Today is releasing weekly Virtual Reality 360 videos of various things such as scuba diving, jousting and walking through the jungle with elephants. Check it out here. If you like the Opera, The Metropolitan Opera in New York City is live streaming its Operas for the next couple of weeks. Check it out here and be sure to look back often because they will be switching out which Operas are showing every day.

I could go on and on about all the amazing virtual tours and experiences you can try right now. Check out your favorite museum (here is a collection of some virtual museum tours), park, streaming service or business, I’m sure they’ve figured out a way to provide you with entertainment from afar.

Face-to-Face Activities

Kaylie also talked with me about some fun and creative activities for you and your kids. She mentioned drawing your dream house, which reminded me that Schell Brothers has their very own coloring book! You can use this link to download a few of our model houses to color in: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/onlvlj6xwyf0ntq/AAA4fPY9vIRkfo5zEJW9_6uIa?dl=0.

“Try making a playhouse out of cardboard boxes, we all know we have amazon boxes lying around. You can also use playing cards, toothpicks, or any other household items to build a house or castle,” Kaylie Austin. The possibilities are endless! Beloved children’s author, Mo Willems, has offered to stream “Lunch Doodles” for kids to learn to draw with him. He will be posting a new episode every weekday at 1 p.m., and you can find them here.

Adam Pettengell, our community sales manager at Governors in Lewes, has enjoyed time playing Monopoly with his daughter. The opportunity to play those board games you’ve been meaning to take out is NOW! Whether it be Monopoly or Mad Gab, The Game of Life or Sorry, board games are a sure way to bring some smiles to you and your family. You can check out a virtual tour of the Bluebell model Adam works in, here, and the new Jasmine model here.

Now is the best time to discover the resources and opportunity that we have at our fingertips. Even here in Delaware, you can watch a 360 video of our beautiful beaches and towns at visitdelaware.com. You don’t have to leave your house!

Spend time with family, enjoy the comfort of your home, kiss your furry friends, and remember that we are all in this together.

Be sure to check out our community webpages, they all include virtual tours of our model homes so you can continue dreaming about your future. Be safe and use these resources to keep you and your families from getting bored!

Posted in All Communities | Tagged coronavirus, local business, new home communities, newhomebuilder, schellbrothers, virtual walk through | Comments Off

Homeowner Hotseat: Ken & Marco Korba

By Savanna Shackleford, in All Communities

March 13, 2020 | Comments Off

In addition to our amazing and loyal homeowners here in Coastal Delaware, we have a booming homeowner family down in Richmond, Virginia. Getting to chat with Ken and Marco Korba over in The Highlands was such a privilege. They shared with me their love of plants, cookies, and of course, their grandchildren. They live in a beautiful Shearwater and were one of the first people to build in this solely Schell Brothers community. I asked them about their experience so far, and what they love most about Schell Brothers, this is what they had to say:

What is your favorite room in your Schell home?

M: My favorite area is this great room with the kitchen behind me and the way it all flows back into the sunroom. Through any of those areas we get to see all of these wonderful windows and the tremendous light that comes in. Last night we had a full moon that was shining right straight in through the window, and it was magic, it was gorgeous.

K: How can you pick a favorite room in a Schell home?

Why did you choose to build in this community?

M: When we started getting ready to retire, I wanted a bigger piece of property. The 1+ acre lots had a big draw for me. I wanted trees; they were very important to me. We chose Richmond because it’s a calmer way of life then DC where we were. There’s so much to offer here! Everything down here is so accessible.

How was your experience with Schell Brothers?

K: Oh. Absolutely fabulous. Cory our construction manager is just top notch. One of the reasons we chose to go with Schell is because the thing I was most impressed about was one, their construction practices, two, the attention to detail, and three, just the design and architecture of these homes. They aren’t cookie cutter, even though Schell could be considered a production builder, it feels much more like a custom home. Their commitment to the customer has just been phenomenal, before, during, and after construction.

M: Communication in this company is just incredible. People are on it. If you have a question, they are just right there, they really hear you, they really listen to you, and they make things happen!

K: They really truly go above and beyond. I’m not just saying that, they really truly are concerned about making their customers happy. They’ve become like family to us, they are like friends, honest to God they really are!

M: One feature we have found very useful is the whole heartbeat system –

K: Yea, the electronic work order system. That’s really fabulous for after you’ve settled and you moved in and you found something which you invariably will even in a Schell Home, the response time is within 24 hours and there is usually someone out here scheduling it the same day, if not the very next day. Within a few days, the problem is taken care of, I mean, that’s just phenomenal after care.

Check out their full interview here and be sure to visit our website and take a virtual tour of the floorplan the Korbas chose, the Shearwater. We love talking with our homeowners and hearing about their amazing experiences. Keep checking back for future Homeowner Hotseats so you can learn more about what we offer and how much we love our customers!

Posted in All Communities | Tagged happy stories, homeownerhotseat, homeowners, new homes Delaware, new homes Richmond, newhomebuilders, Richmond, schellbrothers | Comments Off

Community Amenities Spotlight

By Savanna Shackleford, in All Communities

February 27, 2020 | Comments Off

I don’t know about you guys, but I am BEYOND ready for summer. Feet in the sand, sand in my shoes, ya know, the whole thing! Arguably one of the best things about living in Southern Delaware are the beaches. However, living in a Schell home takes summer and sun and fun to a whole new level with our amazing state-of-the-art amenities.

Looking for a low-maintenance, resort-style community with amazing views right outside your window? Peninsula Lakes is stacked with awesome warm weather fun. This past fall they opened their incredible outdoor pool and pool house that overlooks one of the many lakes sprinkled throughout the community. Equipped with a splash pad AND a lazy river, the pool is out of this world! They also broke ground on their clubhouse this past year, something to look forward to in 2020!

You must love the beach if you’re looking to build in Sawgrass North, just five miles from the water. But on those days when the crowds are at their peak and you don’t feel like dealing with the sand, you can spread your toes at one of the TWO awesome clubhouses and pools within the community. Stay active at the fitness center or grab your friends for a game of tennis on the courts, either way you’ll be sure to find something amazing to do!

Where are all my kayakers and fisherman? Tidewater Landing is the place to BE if you are ready to get active and enjoy the summer heat. With direct access to Love Creek, homeowners can look forward to launching their kayaks and fishing the day away, a luxury coming soon! Not only that, the kids can enjoy a day at the playground while the adults relax at the poolside bar and grill. Take a dip or grab your friends for a tennis match, either way, you’ll be sure to have a blast at Tidewater Landing.

If you love fun in all sense of the word, check out our incredible amenities at Coastal Club. Splash around in either the indoor or the outdoor pools and if you’re thirsty swim up to the pool-side bar run by Big Fish Grill. The kids will be begging for summer to come around when they see the kiddie splash park with an interactive fountain and a PIRATE SHIP PLAY AREA. Yea, that’s right, a pirate ship! If the pool isn’t your thing, don’t worry, you can plant your own vegetable patch in the community garden, take a cooking class in our state-of-the-art kitchen, enjoy our nature viewing areas, or take your dog to the community dog park.

As you can see, Schell takes fun in the sun very seriously. Be sure to consider what activities you love when choosing which Schell community to build in. There is something for everyone! Check out our website for more pictures and give us a call if you have any questions. Summer is almost here and you don’t want to miss out on these awesome amenities!

Posted in All Communities | Tagged amenities, Delaware Beaches, new home communities, newhomebuilders, schellbrothers, southern delaware, summer home | Comments Off

Working With Your Valentine

By Savanna Shackleford, in All Communities

February 13, 2020 | Comments Off

There’s nothing better than seeing the love of your life every morning when you wake up. But for some of our employees, getting to work with them as well is the cherry on top! Over 10 couples within Schell Brothers have the amazing opportunity to work along side their spouse or partner every single day. With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, it was only appropriate to give them a chance to explain why they love working with their significant other so much!

Natalie & Josh Hay

“Josh and I met through working together at Schell Brothers. I love that we work for the same company! We are both on the sales team but we work in different communities. We really only see each other at work for meetings and events. But it’s really nice that we have the same job because we both love our jobs and talk about work all of the time. We understand each other’s situation and know all of the same people. Josh has also worked for the company a lot longer than I have so whenever I have a question or need advice he is my go-to person!”

Kat von Vorys & Savanna Shackleford

“I love that I get to just casually see her throughout the day. It’s a nice little surprise that breaks my day up. I like being able to do things for her when she isn’t feeling well too, like get her tea.”

“Kat works at the front desk and I love that she gives me the inside scoop on everything. I know when my packages are here before everyone else, which is great. She also calls up to peoples desks a lot (I’m on the third floor) and I love hearing her voice go ‘hello’ throughout the day. We met while attending school in North Carolina, taking the step from classmates to coworkers has been so amazing!”

Kelly Thomas & Kenny Faries

“Working together adds an extra element of fun and surprise to my day. I love our weekly Taco Tuesday lunch dates, and not having to explain who everyone is when I tell a work story! Since we are in different departments, we both benefit from each other’s point of view when going through our day-to-day work role. But honestly, my favorite part is when he surprises me with snacks!”

Grace Reardon & Josh Hoinowski

“There are two amazing things about working together at Schell. One of them is definitely getting to experience the culture together –the events, the trips, and even just meetings on the beach make every day feel like an adventure that you get to experience with your best friend. The other is when you can be present to celebrate the workplace victories and successes of your spouse in real time. Seeing each other do well and be celebrated for it in the work environment brings such a happiness and pride that is felt on another level. I swell with pride and joy every time Josh is recognized or has a win. I am smiling just thinking about how we both get to experience this level of happiness on a day to day basis!”

Amanda Ritter & Scott Kincaid

“My fiancé and I love working for a company who believes in their employees’ wellbeing and happiness. We are fortunate to be able to enjoy trips together and create new memories!”

Frank & Karen Ryan

“My wife is my best friend (corny I know) but that just means that we have more in common and more to share, I feel like we listen to each other more. Plus sharing the culture and events just means I always have my partner in crime.”

“It’s nice to just be able to come home and share the day and know that he understands, it makes us a stronger couple and stronger at work.”

As you can see, love and happiness are in the air here at Schell Brothers! Whether you are married, single, in a relationship or its just a little complicated, we hope you enjoy your Valentine’s Day and that it brings you love in whatever form (especially in the form of chocolate).

Love, Schell Brothers.

Posted in All Communities | Tagged newhomebuilders, projectkudos, schellbrothers, spreadhappiness, spreadlove, Valentine's Day | Comments Off

2020 Nationals Awards Wins

By Savanna Shackleford, in All Communities

February 6, 2020 | Comments Off

Every year, we work our hardest to make our customers happy. We implement intricate marketing campaigns, spend months working on floor plan designs, and call on many hands to make our model homes and design studios beautiful. Although the greatest accomplishment is a happy customer, we are just as ecstatic to be nationally recognized for the hard work of our company and the hard work of our individual employees.

This year we are so excited to announce that we have been awarded a total of seven awards at the 2020 National Builders Show Awards held every year in Las Vegas, Nevada. Two of the awards were gold awards, setting us apart from thousands of other submissions and builders across the country.

Gold Award: Best Direct Mail Program: At Home With Schell Brothers

We can now say that our in-house produced magazine, At Home With Schell Brothers, is an award winning magazine! At Home With Schell Brothers is published bi-annually and features local recipes, innovative home designs, and stories by our homeowners and employees. The magazine was awarded a Gold Award at this year’s National Builders Show.

Gold Award: Building Industry Community Spirit Award: Project Kudos

It looks like we sent enough good vibes into the world to ring in a gold award for our marketing campaign, Project Kudos! This initiative was started with happiness and spreading good vibes in mind. Giving one kudos, leads to another and another. The National Builders Show gave us the ultimate kudos with this award!

Silver Award: Best Digital Marketing Campaign: Home Reimagined Silver Award: Best Print Campaign – Series of Ads (2 or more): Home Reimagined

Our marketing brand campaign, Home Reimagined, got us not just one, but two silver awards! With this campaign, we encourage you to reimagine what home can and should be. Through the reimagination of Monday mornings, weekends at grandma’s house, and date nights, we showcase different areas of our unique floorplans.

Silver Award: Best Special Promotion: Kindness Rocks

This awesome brand campaign got us a silver award for best special promotion. Even a small act of kindness has the power to change the course of someone’s life. With this, we challenged the community to paint a rock with a special message and hide it somewhere for someone lucky to find.

Silver Award: Best Design Center: Schell Brothers Design Studio – Richmond, VA

Our design studio in Richmond, VA was created to be consistent with the company’s high-end reputation and mission of happiness. This world-class experience for our customers was awarded a silver at this year’s National Awards and we couldn’t be prouder!

Silver Award: Best Single-Family Detached Model Home 3,501 to 4,000 sf: The Chesapeake

This award-winning floorplan is perfect for large families and provides ample space for guest and entertaining. The two-story home has both luxury and functionality all in one brilliant combination, and we are so proud that it won for best single-family detached model home.

We can’t thank the National Builders Show, our employees, and our homeowners enough for the recognition and the hard work that went into these projects. We are so excited and proud to have received these seven awards this year, what a way to start off 2020! Check out our website to find out more about our floor plans and the campaigns mentioned above!

Posted in All Communities | Tagged athomemagazine, athomewithschellbrothers, homereimagined, kindnessrocks, nationalbuildersshow, nationalsawards, newhomebuilders, projectkudos, schellbrothers | Comments Off

Best Indoor House Plants for Your Schell Home!

By Savanna Shackleford, in All Communities

January 30, 2020 | Comments Off

There are so many things you can do to take your Schell Home to the next level, add a courtyard, re-design your flex space, build a bookshelf, and perhaps best of all, add a few indoor house plants! But let’s be real – most people don’t know the first thing about plants and wouldn’t know where to begin!

Luckily, Schell Brothers has an in-house plant of the month club and have been working hard to become as close to experts as we can on all things house plants! With the help of Windsor’s Flowers, we auction off one plant every month to help make the office greener! We recommend finding plants that work based off of the conditions of your space, and we can help with that since, ya know, we are building your home!

Our company mantra is to choose happiness, and since it has been found that interacting with indoor plants increases happiness, we can only say yes to as many indoor plants as we can buy!

So what are YOU waiting for? Get to the store, hurry! Here are the best of the best choices for your Schell home:

Snake Plant/Basket Snake Plant

The snake plant, unlike the animal it is named after, is very tame! This plant was selected as one of our plants of the month, so we know a lot about it! Once a week stick an ice cube on its soil and let the water do its thing! These plants are so easy to take care of and add a pleasing and fun aesthetic to your home! You may want to consider sticking it in a shady corner of your office, since it is believed that snake plants love to grow next to electronics!

Parlor Palm

The parlor palm is the PERFECT indoor tree to make your home space feel like a garden oasis! It thrives in low light, even watering, and is perfect for the corner of a living room or bedroom, hence the name parlor palm. Best of all, the parlor palm is safe for pets, which means your fur family will enjoy the palm just as much as you! It’s even considered to be good luck if kept alive and well.

Calathea

The Calathea plant is a tricky one. A bit harder to care for, this plant needs bright light, so definitely perfect for your naturally lit great room or your loft area. Calathea plants like to have moist soil, but not too much. So as long as you keep the soil constantly wet it should be a happy plant! An added bonus is that these beautiful plants are also pet safe!

Spider Plant

The spider plant, although not one of our plant of the month picks, is perfect in a room with big windows (so not in an office with no windows!). Luckily, you are sticking with us, so your great room will never be without many windows and plenty of sunlight. This plant perfectly drapes over the edges of its basket, so it’s great for hanging. It is also easily propagated, so feel free to cut off a baby spider and re-plant it, soon you’ll be living in a jungle. The spider plant also must have received a tip from one of our Schellter Advantage science methods, SanctuAIR, since it is known for helping purify the air!

ZZ Plant

If you’re always on the go, visiting the nearby beaches and local restaurants, the ZZ Plant is perfect for you! It is drought tolerant and low maintenance, so if you forget to water it for a few days, it won’t mind. This plant would look great in a shady corner of your bedroom since it doesn’t need much sunlight. This plant was another perfect choice for our plant of the month club, we have one living in the second floor of our office building!

Dracaena

Our current plant of the month draft is the Dracaena, we haven’t picked a winner yet, but the winner will have a blast with this easy-going plant. It is perfect for someone who is always on the go. It is able to adapt to different light environments, so you can put this plant anywhere you want! The basement, bedroom, kitchen, wherever!

We be-leaf in your ability to pick the best indoor house plants for your Schell Home! We are rooting for you! Go to the store, find a plant that doesn’t succ, say aloe to them, bring them home, and then its party thyme!

Post some pictures of your indoor house plants and tag us on Facebook and Instagram, we’d love to see how you’ve greened up your space!

Posted in All Communities | Tagged indoorhouseplants, interiordecorating, interiordesign, plantofthemonth, plants, schellbrothers, schellter advanced building science | Comments Off

How to Find Your Perfect Community

By Savanna Shackleford, in All Communities

January 23, 2020 | Comments Off

It can be overwhelming to start the build process, we know that, which is why we try to make the process as easy and breezy as possible. At Schell Brothers, we have plenty of tools to help you determine what community is right for you! From our Community Sales Managers in each model to our award-winning Design Studio, we help make the process easy and fun! But which community is the absolute PERFECT community for you? Well that’s up to you to decide. Here are some tips to make sure that decision is the best one you make throughout your time with us:

Location

Whether you want to be 5 minutes from the beach or a short walk from your favorite restaurants, Schell Brothers has the perfect communities for you to choose from!

Do you crave being just a short bike ride to the beach?

Jefferson Creek, Truitt Homestead and Governors are just minutes from Coastal Delaware’s best beaches.

Do you love the beaches but prefer to be out of the hustle and bustle of summer tourists?

Communities like Peninsula Lakes, The Peninsula on the Indian River Bay, Independence and The Estates at Reddenwood are just a short drive from the beach but will keep you away from the summertime traffic.

Amenities

It is important to consider amenities when searching for your new forever community.

Do you want onsite community amenities like a clubhouse, and pool?

Coastal Club, Sawgrass North, Truitt Homestead and The Peninsula on the Indian River Bay provide many features which include pools, clubhouses, restaurants, walking trails and more. Peninsula Lakes, Governors, and Saddle Ridge are all in the process of building state-of-the-art clubhouses and community pools. In Richmond, Magnolia Green and The Highlands provide amenity-rich communities that include clubhouses, golf courses and plenty of family fun.

Do you want to enjoy low maintenance living and let someone else take care of mowing the lawn and landscaping?

Many Schell Brothers communities in Coastal Delaware take care of much of the yard work for you. In communities like Governors, Tidewater Landing and Truitt Homestead, all of the yard work is done for you.

Does an oversized yard with room to roam appeal to you?

The Estates at Reddenwood in Delaware and The Sanctuary in Richmond offer low HOA fees and the ability to build a pool, or that she-shed you have been wanting.

Floorplan

Schell Brothers offers extensive personalization available in every floorplan so you can create the home that is perfect for you and your family.

Do you want single story living with the master-suite on the first floor?

Most of our floorplans offer first floor master suites and open living with lots of natural light. Floorplans like The Whimbrel, and the Cassidy are some of our most popular floorplans for a reason. But don’t take our word for it, check out our floorplans here.

What are the important features that you must have in your new home?

Many of our floorplans offer unexpected surprises and can be personalized to fit your lifestyle. With the ability to build sunrooms, courtyards and decks, outdoor living is easy. Our kitchens can become an at-home chef’s dream come true. And we have even thought of your four-legged family members with features like a dog washing station.

Whether its location or HOA fees, making sure our homes check off all of your boxes is our highest priority! Check out the quiz on our website to learn more about our communities and which one is right for you! Be sure to contact our online community consultant, Sara, if you have any questions about our communities and schedule a visit if you are interested in starting your buying process!

Posted in All Communities | Tagged athomewithschellbrothers, happiness, newhomebuilder, perfectcommunity, schell brothers new homes delaware lewes millsboro reho, schellbrothers | Comments Off