Moving to Asheville area - new home community info wanted (Cary: wood floors, 2014)

[NJJEEP]

We plan to move to the Asheville area, probably early 2014 and have checked the 'net for new home communities. Not being there to actually see them makes it hard to narrow down where we would like to look.

Hoping some of you who live there or who have just gone through this process will offer some info to help us narrow down our search. We will be out in mid-September to go to some homes.

Background - Wifey and I will be moving from Cary where we had a 2800 sq ft home built about 2 years ago (new grandkids in A'ville are prompting the current move). We love the house and I would probably look to buy land and have the same house built again (tho' houses seem more expensive there than here so I might not be able to afford it). Wifey wants to be in a community where we will have a greater (easier?) chance of meeting people and making friends.

Must haves:
1) Within 20 -25 minute commute of Mission Hospital. (One of us might work there).
2) 3 Bedrooms (or 2 and a den) Master can be up or down.
3) DINING ROOM (biggie on Wifey's list),
4) 2 car garage,
5) screened in porch.
6) Granite in kitchen and bathrooms.
7) Site finished hard wood floors. (biggie on Wifey's list)

Nice to haves but we could live without:
1) around .5 acre lot.
2) Mountain view or woods view
3) Mud room

We've found (at least here) many communities advertise homes at low prices but everything is an upgrade and the final homes end up being far more than the advertised price. We need to have a final, move in price of around $400K- $425K.

So, if anyone who has recently gone through this process or who knows new home communities can suggest places that meet these criteria, I'd be grateful to have them.

Also, if anyone who has recently worked with a buyers agent can PM me a recommendation of a good one, I'd be very grateful to have that info as well.