Smitten with Sid
Higginbotham develops 50-year following
By LORI BEDINGFIELD,
Special Sections writer
©Florida Times
Union
.
Throughout his 50-year career, Sid Higginbotham
has built custom homes, a reputation for fine craftsmanship and a loyal following
of home buyers.
In 1957, Higginbotham completed a new
home for his very first customer - his mother. Five decades and hundreds of homes
later, he is respected and revered as a custom-home builder. Home buyers seek and
will wait for Higginbotham homes to come on the market. In addition to Higginbotham's
new construction projects, at least three resale properties, built between 1970
and 2006, are available.
"As a Realtor, I have worked with Sid
for 20 years," said Melissa Nelson, broker at Watson Realty Corp. "One of the first
homes I sold was one of Sid's. I have probably sold 25 of his homes and now have
another listing for one on
Doctors Lake
."
Built in 1979 at
Creighton Forest
, this custom, all-brick home has two master suites and is wheelchair accessible.
The 2,972-square-foot home is on a 3.9-acre lot and available for $499,900.
"A dock permit for access to
Doctors Lake
, the size of lot and the fact that it is a Sid Higginbotham home make this an exceptional
value," Nelson said. "When selling a Higginbotham home, I always advertise the fact
that he was the builder even if it is not a new construction project. Furniture-quality
woodwork is a hallmark of his homes. However, it is not just the woodwork; every
aspect of each home is as outstanding. He is known for integrity and quality, so
his homes are beautiful. It's all in the details."
Higginbotham began as a cabinetmaker,
an occupation where there is no substitution for craftsmanship. He remembers when
you could build a home for less than $20,000 and when the average size was 1,500
square feet.
Higginbotham said current prices are higher
and homes are bigger, but there are improved materials and technologies now. Times
may have changed, but his commitment to quality has remained the same.
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The kitchen in the
home for sale at
Eagle Harbor
features Italian-cobblestone floors, granite countertops, natural-cherry cabinetry,
a butler's pantry and bookcases for a cookbook collection.
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Today, the company is owned and operated
by Sid and his son Roger Higginbotham, who began working in the family business
when he was only 14 years old. Yet, the Higginbothams
credit the rest of the team for much of their success. Loyalty runs both ways and
employee turnover is rare. An office manager, interior designer and skilled craftsmen
have worked with Sid Higginbotham for many years. In fact, some craftsmen learned
the craft from their fathers who worked with Sid Higginbotham from the beginning.
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Floors with tile inlays
are featured in many Higginbotham homes. Listed by Dawn DuBose,
this 2,886-square-foot home with four bedrooms and four bathrooms and is available
for $517,900.
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"I've always surrounded myself with good
people who are highly skilled and dedicated craftsmen,"
Sid Higginbotham said. "I can't say we are perfect, but I do walk through every
house and try to make sure there is not a rough edge in the place."
With his accomplished team, 35 to 45 custom
homes, ranging in size from 2,700 square feet to 4,800 square feet, are built each
year. These homes, averaging $400,000 up to $600,000, are built in communities such
as
Eagle Harbor
, Eagle Landing, Paradise Moorings and Magnolia Point Golf & Country Club.
"I have a listing for a Sid Higginbotham
home in Magnolia Point," said Dawn DuBose, Realtor at
Watson Realty Corp. "It is a gorgeous home with a stately appointment on a large
lot. It is stunning."
This 2,886-square-foot home with four
bedrooms and four bathrooms is available for $517,900. Although construction was
completed in 2006, the owners will relocate because of a career move.
"You can tell it is a Higginbotham home
the minute you walk in because the entry features a beautiful leaded-glass door
and a beautiful tiled floor with inlays," DuBose said.
"There are granite countertops in the kitchen and all the lighting and hardware
is top of the line."
Roger Higginbotham said the attention
to detail is a major attraction. On more than one occasion, living in a Sid Higginbotham
home has become a family tradition.
"We built a home for a customer and then
later built homes for each of his three sons for a total of four homes for one family,"
Roger Higginbotham said.
For the Higginbothams,
there is no better praise for their homes which feature specialty tile-work, custom
mantels and built-in cabinetry around the fireplace. Such details have become a
few of the signatures of the homes they build. No two homes are alike because options
and upgrades are endless for every Higginbotham home buyer.
"The kitchen in the home for sale at
Eagle Harbor
is incredible," said Mimi Feitig, Realtor at Eagle Harbor
Realty. "If you love food and cooking, you'll enjoy this kitchen which is truly
the heart of the home."
The kitchen features Italian cobblestone
floors, granite countertops, natural cherry cabinetry, a butler's pantry and bookcases
for a cookbook collection.
In addition to the kitchen, this 3,780-square-foot
home built in 2002 has four bedrooms and three baths. It is available for $749,900.
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To commemorate the
50th anniversary of Sid Higginbotham's business, he received a plaque adorned with
one of his old hammers inscribed with the name "Higgie."
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"Owning a Higginbotham home is a wonderful
experience," said Feitig, who has lived in two Higginbotham
homes. "His homes are treasured by many in the
Jacksonville
area."
Using hammer and nails, Sid Higginbotham
has built hundreds of homes and made his mark on neighborhoods in
Clay
County
and in
Jacksonville
's Southside and Westside. Even at age 76, he enjoys visiting the work sites every
day.
He has built homes for Walter Williams,
founder of Coldwell Banker Walter Williams Realty, former state Speaker John Thrasher,
and numerous doctors, attorneys, Realtors, architects, engineers, business owners
and professionals from all walks of life.
Beginning with the design phase, each
house is created according to the wishes of the buyer.
"We start by listening to find out about
their dream home. We had one home and the owners requested that a custom shelf be
built near the ceiling so a toy train track could run around the perimeter of a
little boy's room. They loved it and that is our biggest reward," Sid Higginbotham
said.
With those rewards comes unmatched recognition.
Since 1990, Sid Higginbotham, master builder, has won 15 first-place awards in the
Parade of Homes.
"And the only one [contest prize] we missed
in the last 11 years is the one we didn't enter," Sid Higginbotham said. "What makes
all this special is that we only enter one home each year. Every year, we try to
develop one brand new model.
"Our philosophy is hands-on. We are small
enough to know you and large enough to serve you. Our goal is to make your American
Dream a reality."