We had the pleasure of touring the Toll Brothers model home at the Pinehills recently. The home was beautiful, well appointed, and tastefully decorated; all of which one would expect from the builder that touts itself as America’s Luxury Home Builder. The real strength of this particular model; however, was just how warm and livable the home felt.

Sure it was a model home with countless premium upgrades (e.g., tray ceilings, wainscoting, hardwood floors, and premium cabinetry just to name a few), but the floorplan and quality of the finishes throughout the home stole the show. At just over 2,000 square feet the Bayhill (pictured above) has a floorplan that is cozy without sacrificing its sense of openness that homebuyers have come to demand.

Toll Brother’s Bayhill model also offers single level living with the kitchen (pictured above), master bedroom (pictured below), den, family room, dining room, and guest room all located on the first floor of these single level homes. Fans of two story homes can opt for the loft upgrade. Moreover, each of the homes within the Toll Brothers at the Pinehills development includes a basement, which can be finished (as an upgrade of course!) complete with an additional bedroom, bath, and game/bonus room.

My only criticism of the Toll Brother’s model at the Pinehills is that the builder chose to only feature one (1) of its five (5) available floorplans. Having said that, if you are in the market for a south shore home, take the drive down Route 3 to the Pinehills and tour this gorgeous model. Just don’t forget to bring your Buyer’s Agent with you!

Bostonians longing for new home construction have long had to settle for condominium living, but two new master planned communities on the South Shore are changing that. With easy access to Boston via the MBTA commuter rail, one can now work in the Hub while enjoying the benefits of new single-family home construction in the suburbs.

Located in Weymouth, the 1,400-acre master planned South Shore SouthField real estate development offers single-family homes by Whitman Homes and IBG, a local builder out of Hingham, MA (For Sale by Owner Weymouth MA). With countless options, everything from cabinets and countertops to flooring, buyers have the opportunity to truly personalize their home. SouthField is a master planned community and with that comes the many amenities that one would expect: restaurants, shopping, golf, a sports complex, 1,000 acres of open space, and even an onsite South Shore MBTA commuter rail station.

Further to the south is the resort-like Pinehills community, home to the 2010 HGTV Green Home. Boasting two top-tier gold golf courses (with two more in the works), miles of walking trails, a fitness club complete with lap pool, restaurants, shopping, and the quaint yet somewhat upscale grocery store simply known as the Market. The Pinehills is an excellent example of master-planned homes in Plymouth MA. Housing product within this community includes custom homes, single-family home construction, and townhomes. There are many home building companies building new homes in Plymouth at the Pinehills, including, MacKenzie Brothers (the folks who constructed the 2010 HGTV Green Home), Kistler & Knapp, Whitman Homes, Toll Brothers, The Green Company, Barefoot Cottage Company, Del Webb, and Abbott Homes.

While it’s hard to compete with the convenience of a downtown Boston condominium, for those looking for a little more space, the amenities of a master-planned community, and the ability to select all of the options and finishes within their home, SouthField and the Pinehills South Shore in Plymouth are exciting alternatives.