October has been a busy month for model homes at McCormick Trails, part of the McCormick master-planned community in Port Orchard. Two builders opened new models two weeks apart.
First up was Pacific Lifestyle Homes, which scheduled a grand opening Oct. 3 and 4 for its second model home at McCormick Trails, featuring the Molalla floor plan. The builder invited the public for guided tours, a brunch, a mimosa and coffee bar, and family games.
Then Lennar set a grand opening for Oct. 17 to show off two new collections at McCormick: an all-new Cottage Collection with three new floor plans, and a Gallery Collection bringing back some of the builder's most popular designs, including its Next Gen home with a separate suite for multigenerational living.
Pacific Lifestyle Homes
Pacific Lifestyle Homes' community page says its part of McCormick Trails has 58 homesites. Homes are priced from $719,900 and range from 1,912 to 2,897 square feet, with two to five bedrooms, two to four bathrooms and two- or three-car garages.
The builder lists eight floor plans, including the Deschutes, Tamarack, Holly, Laurelwood, Sage and Rogue. The Molalla, the plan in the new model, is listed at 2,005 square feet with two or three bedrooms. A daylight basement version of the Molalla runs 2,897 square feet.
When we checked, the page showed homes from $719,900 for a to-be-built Molalla to $888,900 for a Molalla Daylight Basement that's ready for design studio selections. Pacific Lifestyle Homes says it runs one of the largest design studios in the Northwest, where buyers can personalize their homes.
The builder describes the neighborhood as a forest setting with greenbelt homesites and nature trails, a few minutes from the McCormick Woods Golf Club and Highway 16. The sales office is at 5631 Thornhill Ave. SW. Students in the community attend Sidney Glen Elementary, Cedar Heights Middle School and South Kitsap High School, according to the builder.
Lennar
Lennar's prices start lower. Lennar's McCormick Trails Cottages page lists the Cottages from about $525,000 to $595,000, with three or four bedrooms and 1,840 to 2,196 square feet. The three Cottage plans are the Briarwood, Goldenwood and Hazelwood.
The Gallery Collection starts at about $591,000 and goes up to about $785,000 for the Whidbey Next Gen, a five-bedroom, 3,355-square-foot plan. When we checked, Lennar showed some homes in both collections as move-in ready and others under construction.
Lennar's page also points to McCormick's community amenities, including a new 65-acre Village Park with a playground, a one-mile walking trail, picnic areas, fenced dog parks and a splash pad. A Village Retail hub with dining and shops is planned. Lennar lists approximate HOA fees of $70 and an approximate tax rate of 0.87%. It also pitches the location: about 15 minutes to Gig Harbor and Bremerton, 20 minutes to downtown Tacoma, and a 30-minute ferry ride to downtown Seattle and West Seattle.
Lennar's model homes are at 4124 SW Rustler St., and tours are by appointment.
Prices on builder websites change often, so buyers should check with each sales office for current pricing and availability.
Why it matters for Contractors
Two builders opening new models in the same community in the same month is a good sign that McCormick is still growing. New collections mean new homesites, and new homesites mean work.
The two builders also show two different ways to build in the same market. Lennar is a national production builder with a range of plans and homes already under construction. Pacific Lifestyle Homes, a Northwest builder with offices in Vancouver, Tacoma, Lake Oswego and the Boise area, puts more weight on personalization through its design studio. Both approaches need site work, foundations, framing, roofing, siding, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, drywall, flooring and finish carpentry.
Some details stand out. Pacific Lifestyle Homes offers a daylight basement plan, which typically calls for more excavation and concrete than a standard foundation. Lennar's Next Gen homes include a separate living suite, with its own entrance, kitchenette, bedroom and bathroom, which adds plumbing and finish work.
For trades based in Kitsap County, a community this size close to Highway 16 is work close to home. Contractors who want in should reach out to each builder's purchasing and construction teams.