The Pointe at Heritage Lake

After 20 years as a high-end custom homebuilder, Tom Blakely is returning to his roots.

The master craftsman, who constructed multimillion-dollar commercial buildings and residential homes for some of Knoxville’s biggest names, is now putting his expertise to work in The Pointe at Heritage Lake.

"This is the first time since 1985 that I have built a spec home," says Blakely, the exclusive builder for the development’s 20 lots. "I have been [building] large custom homes and have brought a lot of that experience to The Pointe."

Blakely is using five floor plans, which he will modify throughout the two-cul-de-sac neighborhood.

"There will not be any two homes alike," he says.

Homes in The Pointe begin at $429,900 but offer an attention to detail and appointments that are typical in homes listed for twice the price.

"These homes have the same kind of features – granite countertops, hardwood floors, coffered ceilings and crown molding – that are typically found in houses in the $700,000-to-$900,000 price range," says Quint Bourgeois, listing agent for The Pointe, and Blakely’s longtime friend and associate.

"There is real quality in these houses," Bourgeois continued. "He has brought so much of that with him from his years of building huge high-end custom homes."

Other Blakely standards include ceramic tile showers, poured concrete flooring in crawl spaces, trey ceilings, dual sinks, additional full baths and eight-foot doors throughout the main levels.

All homes offer master bedrooms on the main floor, upscale Bosch appliances, multiple large windows (in the house close to completion, two rows of windows further open the large family room) and irrigation systems.

"We are working to hold the costs down but are still putting in elements I put into my custom houses, so they have the same look and quality," says Blakely, who has been building for more than 40 years.

His wife, Pat, is working with him on color and paint selections, but Blakely says buyers may make those decisions themselves.

"We will make this as close to custom homes as [the buyers] want," he says.

Blakely began construction in The Pointe in late March and expects the development to be a two-year project. "Tom is as honest and as good as they come," says Bourgeois. "He is good at working with people and has really earned business through word of mouth."

Grand opening for Blakely’s first home in the community is scheduled for 1 to 5 p.m. today.

"It will be the first chance for people to see luxury homes at this price," Bourgeois says.

For more information, call Quint Bourgeois at 865-693-3232.

Renderings & Floorplans
Click on the rendering or floorplan below for a larger view.