What $750K Buys in Athens, AL: New Construction Tour

What $750,000 Gets You in New Construction in Athens, Alabama

Short answer:

Right now in Athens, AL, $750,000 buys a lot of new construction house. The Magnolia C by Woodland Homes in the Lakewood subdivision gives you 5 bedrooms, 5 baths, and just under 3,900 square feet — with a main-level guest suite, an upstairs bonus room, a 3-car garage, a 6-burner gas kitchen, and a gas fireplace in the primary suite. When I filmed, the builder's lender was also offering a rate incentive, which can matter as much as the price.

[EMBED VIDEO HERE: https://youtu.be/8cyirNLDBhE]

I've lived in North Alabama for over 50 years and spent the last eight helping buyers walk through new builds. I toured this one so you can see what the money actually buys — and the handful of things I'd want to know before writing an offer.

Where Lakewood Is: Athens, I-65, and a Quick Buc-ee's Run

Watch this part → https://youtu.be/8cyirNLDBhE?t=19s

This home is at 20926 Calcutta Street in Lakewood, a subdivision Woodland Homes is building out a little south of Athens. You're about 10 minutes from downtown Athens and about 10 minutes west of I-65 — which also puts the Athens Buc-ee's within easy reach for a brisket-and-Beaver-Nuggets run.

Curb Appeal That Cuts Down on Maintenance

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The first thing I noticed was the landscaping. New construction usually comes with a few shrubs and a lot of pine straw. This one has real beds, lined in brick along the walkways. You also get cedar shutters and a cedar column out front. The detail I like most is the vinyl eaves. With our rain and humidity, wood eaves need more upkeep over time. Vinyl is one less thing to paint.

The Magnolia C Floor Plan at a Glance

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5 bedrooms, 5 baths, just under 3,900 square feet. The layout splits the primary suite away from the secondary bedrooms, puts a guest suite on the main level, and adds a bonus room and fifth bedroom upstairs.

Dining Room, a Real Office, and the Living Room

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Walk in and the dining room sits to your left under a detailed ceiling. Right inside the door is a dedicated office with double doors that close — a big deal if you're on video calls all day. The living room centers on a gas fireplace with a stone mantel, and it's prewired for a wall-mounted TV with both power and an internet port.

The Primary Suite Surprise: Its Own Fireplace

Watch this part → https://youtu.be/8cyirNLDBhE?t=171s

This is the part of the tour that stuck with me. The primary suite has its own gas fireplace with stone. You hardly see that anywhere, and almost never in new construction. It's also set up for a mounted TV with power and internet, has tall ceilings, and it's the only bedroom with wood floors. The rest of the bedrooms are carpeted.

Primary Bath and Closet

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The bath has a double vanity with green-tinted cabinets and gold hardware, gold Delta fixtures (black in the other baths), a soaking tub, and a tile shower with a bench and built-in shelving. The toilet sits behind a privacy door, and the room is a good size — not the cramped closet you get in a lot of new builds. The walk-in closet has built-in wood shelving and cabinets, so it's ready to organize on day one.

The Kitchen: Gas, Six Burners, and Two Cabinet Colors

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The kitchen uses two cabinet colors — the island matches the green in the primary bath — with quartz countertops and soft-close drawers. You get a double oven and microwave from GE and a 6-burner gas range. I'm seeing more gas in new construction across North Alabama, especially at this price point, and I like it. There's a breakfast nook, and the whole space opens to the living room.

Walk-In Pantry and the Back Bedrooms

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Behind the kitchen is a pantry much larger than I expected, with wood shelving ready for your Sam's and Costco runs. Two bedrooms sit back here. The first has a walk-in closet that connects to a Jack-and-Jill bath with a double vanity and a tub/shower combo. The second is a touch smaller, with a shallower closet. Both are carpeted and wired for ceiling fans (fans not installed yet). Either one could work as a flex room or a second office.

Drop Zone, 3-Car Garage, and the Mechanicals

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Coming in from the garage, there's a built-in drop zone with hooks and cubbies so shoes and gear don't get tracked through the house. The 3-car garage is straightforward, but look for two things: the irrigation controls and a tankless gas water heater.

A Main-Level Guest Suite

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The fourth bedroom is on the main level, away from everything else, with its own private bath. If you have a guest, a relative, or anyone who needs their own space without stairs, this is the room.

The Laundry Room (My Honest Take)

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I was hoping for a bigger laundry room. It's not huge. That said, you get a real sink set into a countertop with a cabinet — not the plastic utility tub a lot of builders use — plus some storage. It'll function well. It just isn't the showpiece the rest of the house is.

Upstairs: Bonus Room and a Fifth Bedroom

Watch this part → https://youtu.be/8cyirNLDBhE?t=592s

Upstairs has a bonus room that could be a gym, media room, or hangout space, plus a fifth bedroom with a good-size walk-in closet and its own bathroom. It's a private setup for an older family member or long-term guest, and nobody has to run downstairs from the bonus room. The two air handlers live in the attic. There isn't much floored attic storage; adding more is possible but tricky in spots.

The Covered Patio and Yard

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The covered patio has good concrete space, a door into the primary suite, power for a mounted TV, and room for a fan. My favorite detail: a gas line stubbed through the brick for your grill, so there are no propane tanks to swap. The yard is a decent size but slopes away from the house, and homes are being built behind this lot, so you'll have neighbors back there before long.

Price, Rate Incentive, HOA, and Commute

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List price was $750,000 when I filmed. The builder's preferred lender was offering a rate quoted at 5.875%, roughly a point under what buyers were typically seeing — on a loan this size, that difference adds up every month. The HOA is about $1,000 a year and includes the community clubhouse and pool. For commuting, plan on about 30 minutes to Huntsville taking I-65 to I-565. US-72 usually takes a little longer. Madison, Huntsville International Airport, and Redstone Arsenal are all reachable, depending on traffic on 565.

Rate incentive quoted at time of filming through the builder's preferred lender. Subject to change, credit approval, and program terms. Ask for the current rate and APR.

Who This Home Fits

If you want space — a real office, a guest suite on the main level, a bonus room, and a 3-car garage — and you're fine trading a bit of Huntsville proximity for more house per dollar, Lakewood deserves a spot on your list. If a big laundry room, lots of attic storage, or a flat backyard with no future neighbors are musts, this plan may not be the one.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is new construction in Lakewood in Athens, AL?

The Magnolia C by Woodland Homes was listed at $750,000 when I filmed, for 5 bedrooms, 5 baths, and just under 3,900 square feet. Pricing changes by plan, lot, and upgrades, so check current availability.

Does the Lakewood subdivision in Athens have an HOA?

Yes. It's about $1,000 a year, and it includes access to the community clubhouse and pool.

How far is Lakewood in Athens from Huntsville?

Plan on about 30 minutes to Huntsville taking I-65 to I-565. Going down US-72 usually takes a little longer. Downtown Athens is about 10 minutes away.

Thinking About New Construction in Athens?

If you want to walk this home — or compare it with other new builds in Athens, Decatur, Madison, or Huntsville — book a free 15-minute consult: https://calendly.com/cpeters-real/15-min-real-estate-consult. Or call or text me at 256.476.4201.

Sincerely,

Clint Peters

REALTOR® | Real Broker

256.476.4201