Darlene Elmer is a licensed realtor and resident of O’Neal Village. She and her husband, Brian have been residents of ONV for over 3 years. They both serve the community in various capacities.
How did you find out about ONV and what attracted you to purchase a home here?
Being in real estate I knew where the highly desired neighborhoods were located and we looked at several but after visiting O’Neal Village we knew we had found where we belonged. O’Neal Village drew us in immediately with its aesthetics and active community lifestyle. We also specifically wanted a mixed-use community and not a cookie-cutter neighborhood. The distinctly different home styles and their strategic placements next to pocket parks and town squares along with extensive amenities was exactly what we were looking for. The layout of the community makes it easy to get to know your neighbors and we loved the mixture of singletons, couples, young families, empty nesters and retirees.
What do you love about the community?
The vibe of this community is amazing. The members are extremely friendly and willing to help each other and everyone is always out and about and inviting everyone to join in. To live here you became part of the family and we immediately felt a strong sense of belonging. The only way I can describe it is that It feels like you are watching an old movie where all the members of the neighborhood knew each other and the children by name and everyone helped each other and were proud to be a part of the neighborhood. The cookouts, the gatherings, and the events all bring us together and keep that camaraderie strong.
As the events coordinator and a spouse on the HOA board can you speak to the support of TRG for the HOA?
As the Events Coordinator for the Village I love working with TRG and the HOA – it is a dream come true situation. What I mean by that is the events have a budget but for whatever reason that budget may not meet whatever events we want to hold TRG has always stepped in and covered the overage. I have presented the events I’d like to hold to TRG and explained why I felt they were important to OV and they have always been willing to listen and support. TRG does this because it is extremely important to them that OV remains and active lifestyle community and that there is always a reason to encourage social activity because it leads to quality of life.
My husband being on the HOA advisory Board gives us both a sense of pride. Any issues or positives that have been brought to him can be addressed without fear. TRG and the HOA work together to ensure that the community remains all it was intended to be and that any issues are addressed and dealt with quickly. We have had situations where several of the townhomes had issues and were out of the builder warranty period but because TRG and the HOA take such pride in OV they went above and beyond to absorb those repairs on their end. They address any issues that have come up with professionalism and they deal with them swiftly and efficiently.
As a realtor what do you think about the value, amenities, and community life for your clients and those seeking a home or townhome in ONV?
As a REALTOR the value, amenities and community life are above and beyond what other communities offer and are vital reasons why I encourage folks to look at OV. There is no other community in this area that provides the extensive amount of amenities, events, and interaction OV provides. OV is truly a lifestyle community and I always encourage people to walk up and down the streets and just observe how the members of the community interact with one another. I also show folks all the amenities and provide them with our community newsletter showing all the fun and interactive events we hold and I also provide them with a link to the OV blog on the website so they can see all the images and learn more about this phenomenal community.
What sets the community apart from other communities your client’s tour or consider when looking for a new home?
What sets OV apart from other communities is the location, layout, the fact that it is a lifestyle community and the amenities it offers. I’ve lived in many communities and have never felt the sense of community that I feel in OV and when people visit it is always evident to them. I find it amusing when clients ask if the community members are always that nice and helpful and I take great pride in unequivocally answering them yes. That sense of community is what draws folks in along with the extensive amenities, being centrally located, family friendly, low crime rates, and great schools.
Can you speak to the mix of neighbors in terms of empty-nesters, couples with young children, retirees, young married couples, etc.?
Families with children are certainly the majority in OV while the minority are singletons. The rest of the community is equally balanced between empty-nesters, young married couples and retirees.
Speak to the safety, location, schools, access to shopping, retail, doctors, etc?
O’Neal Village is in a quaint and quiet setting away from the hustle and bustle yet is only 7 minutes from West Wade Hampton Road, 20 minutes from the Greenville airport (GSP) and I-85 and 25 minutes to downtown Greenville. This excellent location is also convenient to BMW and Michelin headquarters. It is less than 10 minutes to markets, shopping, restaurants, parks, downtown Greer and Greer Memorial Hospital.
The low crime rate gives the Village a sense of ease and calm. As safety and security are everyone’s concern, we do have a Neighborhood Watch program in place. Most families with children seek out OV because of the highly rated schools in this district.
Is ONV a community or neighborhood? Explain why you chose either.
A neighborhood is more like a location. It doesn’t have feelings and it is just a bunch of houses that are centrally located with amenities. A community is about the people that live in that neighborhood and their sense of belonging within the neighborhood. To me community is a feeling of belonging, acts of friendliness, and caring about one another. This feeling of belonging is extremely important to building and maintaining relationships.
In my opinion O’Neal Village is most certainly a community. OV is all about the people that live within it and how they interact with one another in methods that encourage positive interaction, camaraderie and belonging. This is the BIG WHY the board and committee members work together with the HOA and TRG to make certain OV remains a community and not a neighborhood.
O’Neal Village
info@onealvillage.com
864.239.6683
25 Noble Street Greer, SC 29652
A TRG Community
TRG Communities creates imaginative places for homeowners to enjoy a wide array of amenities and living spaces. We design communities instead of houses and neighborhoods! Our desire is for the total enjoyment and satisfaction of our residents.
Contact us: 864.239.6683 info@trgcommunities.com