Ray Bullins Construction Co.

Take a look at current real estate magazines or HGTV catalogs, and you’ll get a glimpse of the latest trends and fashions in the homebuilding industry.

“One trend we’ve noticed in our area is that there’s a lot more interest in quieter, more rural settings than in the past,” said Ray Bullins, who co-owns the award-winning Ray Bullins Construction Company, Inc., along with his wife, Lisa.

“In the last two years, we have worked with over half a dozen clients to build their custom house on privately owned rural acreage,” Ray said. “One way we have dealt with that challenge is by finding ways to expand the radius of the areas in which we are able to confidently manage projects while maintaining efficiency,” he added.

Reflecting the ongoing high demand for custom-built homes in northwest Guilford County, Ray and his team have projects underway in the Angel’s Landing, North Ridge, and Haynes Meadows developments. They’re also building homes on several privately owned lots outside of subdivisions and anticipate they’ll have a growing number of projects within Rockingham County in the future.

“There is a lot of growth expected along the U.S. 220 North corridor as people begin looking farther out from the larger cities in search of more affordable options,” Ray explained.

As evidence of that, the company recently began its second project just across the Guilford County line in Provi- dence Glen, a new neighborhood underway in Madison.

“Another trend we’re seeing is that people are spending a lot more time independently researching and exploring their options, not just for the oven or for the light fixtures, but also for the builder they want to work with,” Bullins said.

That trend is what Bullins said led his son and project manager, Mitch, to push for the company’s new website that launched recently.

“These days even our ‘old-school’ clients are emailing me designs they found on Pinterest or a link to a certain fixture they want for their house,” Mitch said. “I wanted to make sure people would get a good feel for our aesthetic and quality of work when they’re researching potential builders for their future project.”

The aesthetic showcased in homes featured on the company’s website is largely credited to Lisa Bullins, who serves as the team’s head office manager and lead designer. Ray said Lisa plays an integral role in developing the company’s sense of style and design and in keeping up with the latest developments in the design world.

With over 30 years in the industry and 200 homes completed, Ray has seen countless trends rise to prominence and fall from favor, sometimes more than once.

“One thing that doesn’t really change for us is the people.

‘Home’ is a special place that is more than just the walls that make it up,” he said. “We know it’s special to have the opportunity to help realize that experi- ence of home for someone, and it’s why I’m still passionate about building homes after doing it for so many years.”

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The Greensboro-based T. Cooper James & Associates was founded in 1980 by James’s father, Cooper James, who is still active in the business.

“We’re not an out-of-towner,” James said. “We’re local, and we envision ourselves as long-term owners of this shopping center.”

Shaw Farms Shopping Center is named after the Shaw family, former property owners of the shopping center site. They also sold adjacent property to Guilford County Schools where Northern Guilford High School was built and opened in January 2008.