Homeownership is part of living the American Dream. Travis and Callie Williams have seen their dream take shape; they got married three and a half years ago, built a home in High Springs and even started their own business, Innovative Home Builders of North Florida, Inc.
I sat down with this young entrepreneurial couple to see what motivated and inspired them.
Callie told me that her family has been in the historic old town of High Springs and the surrounding area for three generations and they know many High Springs locals. All of her family graduated from UF and are true Gator fans. Travis says they quickly became comfortable in High Springs and they knew that this was where they wanted to work and live.
Their company, Innovative Home Builders of North Florida, Inc. all started with a casual conversation with a family member who went through a nightmare building experience. This relative’s ordeal pushed Travis and Callie into the building industry. “It shouldn’t be a nightmare; it should be a dream come true. What do you hear when you hear someone is building a house? You hear, ‘Gosh I feel sorry for you!’ We wanted to turn that around and show that it can be fun and affordable and that was when I began the process of obtaining my Contractor’s license.” said Travis.
Services Innovative Home Builders offers include: design-builds, in-house blueprints, custom homes, spec homes, additions, remodels, and commercial construction.
We talk about their backgrounds in the industry - they both laughed as they think back to one of their most memorable jobs. They built a 5,500 square foot home for one couple whose family ended up living with Callie and Travis while their home was being constructed. This gave Callie and Travis insight into how a homeowner thinks through the building process. Travis says it was good to have this experience as he really got to see what they were thinking and had open communication throughout the process.
With over twenty five homes under their belt they set forth on creating Ashton Ridge Subdivision, breaking ground in February of 2010. In less than four months, they have already sold about 20% of the projected houses in the subdivision.
Ashton Ridge offers an astonishing starting price of just $119,900! Payments lower than rent!
The most popular model, the Macon, costs between $119,900-$124,000. This allows you to have a mortgage payment (including taxes and insurance) for around $1,000 a month! Every floor plan has a vaulted ceiling in the living area, and several floor plans include tray ceilings in the Master bedroom. You get tons of space, upgraded custom–built cherry kitchen and bathroom cabinets, a two car garage, and a beautiful place to call home.
Location! Location! Location! Every Realtor will tell you how important location is. This project is within walking distance to restaurants, a supermarket and churches. Local schools are ‘A’ rated. The subdivision is just minutes from the Alachua/High Springs I-75 exit, about 25 minutes to UF or SW Gainesville and right around the corner from the world famous springs. Just think, you can come home from work and be floating in the springs within minutes!
The appearance of Ashton Ridge is important to Callie and Travis, so landscaping is neat and tidy and large beautiful trees were preserved. Houses are designed to replicate the Craftsman era, and are painted in bold colors that all come together to give the neighborhood a classy feel. Travis says, “You don’t want to pull into a subdivision that doesn’t look good. If you pull into a subdivision that looks well-kept then you say, “Wow, I want to live here!” The couple visited many communities looking at different styles and color choices and liked the layout and design of many houses in Town of Tioga. Callie says they also wanted to incorporate the style of the older homes in High Springs and keep the small town charm and history alive. They didn’t just want to build homes but create a community that people could enjoy living in. They even went as far as planning a one acre fenced in dog-park so that neighbors can get together with their families and pets.
It is surprising for a builder of affordable homes to go to such lengths to make sure the subdivision is not only built well but also aesthetically pleasing, but when you meet this couple you come to expect the unexpected. They really care about people; they don’t want to just sell a house but rather build a community of friends and neighbors.
I have been working with Travis in the Ashton Ridge Subdivision for just over 3 months; I must say it has been a very good experience. He is very professional, prompt, dependable, and easy to work with. I have worked with other builders in the past and I find that Travis and his organization rank at the top. Should you have any question I can be contacted at 941-661-8082.
- Donald Ham of Ann Properties LLC.
My wife and I had heard horror stories about the home building process. Travis and his team at Innovative made the process easy and enjoyable. They were able to walk us through the process, help us make wise decisions, and always kept us up on the latest building information. The building process wasn't as long and drawn out as I thought it would be either. I was amazed at how quickly they were able to construct our home. They have a system at Innovative Home Builders that allows them to quickly build you a home without sacrificing on quality. We absolutely love our new home built by Travis and his team and would gladly recommend them to anyone.............. -Billy & Dede Stephens
Working with Innovative Home Builders has been such a great experience for us. We are currently in the middle of building our home and could not ask for a better contractor. They are always there to answer any questions for us and their online program that allows you to track the building process is great! It's amazing to see your dream home being constructed in such a quick amount of time. They are great visionaries with a passion for what they do. The home suites our needs perfectly for now, and for the future. With Innovative Home Builders you are guaranteed top notch quality and friendly service along the way.
- Kyra Talbott
Innovative Home Builders of North Florida, Inc.... (386) 454-3174 www.ihbhomes.com
For more information on Ashton Ridge call Damon Watson (352) 215 6986 or Leslie Morgan (352) 339-5095 at Pro Realty of Gainesville, Inc.
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