| |  More than 25 years ago, the housing industry was facing a crisis similar to the one facing it today: people weren’t buying houses. One builder, Barnette Crabtree of Sun River Builders Signature Homes, decided to get creative and built a home in the parking lot of Northgate Mall.
“The market was real bad then too,” he said. “People weren’t coming out to look at houses then, so we decided to bring the house to them.”
It turned out to be a success, so Barnette and his son Matt are employing the same strategy now at the Streets at Southpoint Mall in Durham, where around 15 million visitors come each year. Right outside the mall entrance, in the path of thousands of mall visitors each day, is a 1 ½ story, 1,206 square foot bungalow-style home with two bedrooms, one bath and a loft. The Go Green Cottage features the latest in energy efficiency, meeting NAHB/Green Home Builders of the Triangle standards as well as ENERGY STAR standards.
 And perhaps the best part? The house is selling for $89,900 and can be moved to a lot the buyer owns.
The home includes a long list of green features, including low-flow faucets, covered entrance, a sealed crawlspace to control moisture, high-quality insulation, Energy-Star appliances, sealed duct-work, carpet made of recycled plastic, low-e insulated vinyl windows and James Hardie Color Plus siding .
Built in just seven days, Sun River Builders hosted a grand opening ceremony March 28 with a steady stream of visitors. The model will be open until May 22.
For more information, including specifications and green details, visit www.gogreencottage.com.
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