Before settling in Myrtle Beach in 2011, Syd and Julie Chase owned a farm implement, pet and feed store (among other businesses) in Sodus, NY.  Syd was approached in 1993 to buy a four-unit apartment building from a friend whose dad fell from a tree while bow hunting – putting an end to the gentleman’s hunting and property management days. Syd and Julie were admittedly green as landlord-investors, but Syd took sage counsel, made a plan, and within two years had a return on the investment, better tenants, and other real estate interests.

The Chases also began selling satellite dishes when they were new to the market. Their FedEx person couldn’t help but notice new cars, motorcycles, and other improvements to the Chase’s lifestyle during his many deliveries. After learning they did real estate on the side, he asked Syd, “What would you do if I gave you $50,000?” Syd said he wouldn’t take it. Time elapsed but not the deliveryman’s persistence. Finally, Syd accepted the offer and flipped the first house with him in 2003. Other family members got excited, and by the end of 2005, Syd and his private investors had flipped over a dozen houses their first year. As a conservative investor, Syd stayed alert and foresaw signs that the market was going to crash. He ushered his clients out of real estate, preserving their wealth and well-being.  

With flipping at a standstill, Syd took the time to write his first book, No Bull Real Estate, raise money for film industry projects, and handle real estate consulting. Syd’s reputation grew, and so did the requests for him to negotiate land deals, manage projects, and conduct due diligence. These were the activities that brought him to Myrtle Beach. Already a stock trader, Syd started researching and reading the K1s of companies that had to do with real estate and residential building. By 2011, he could see the bottom of the real estate market and told Julie, “Myrtle Beach is where we need to be.” Syd said, “I started to learn the area, put a criteria together, and made inroads with banks to get their REOs.” He approached his best investors and raised money to buy approximately 100 lots that met his qualifications. Syd continued to write and speak about real estate investments.

In 2012, Aaron Bartlett went to an investment meeting where Syd was speaking. Aaron is the owner of Allstar Construction Services. He began his career as an electrician and opened his own electrical contractor company. By 1998 he decided to build his home. That project netted him not only a fine house, but also plenty of people who wanted Aaron to build their home. He is now a partner and General Contractor for Chase Signature Homes. He and Julie handle the building side of the business and Syd handles company logistics, planning, and finance. Other family members are realtors in the company.

Aaron, Julie and Syd share common values, including their family-oriented approach to business, and they believe in transparency. To that end, Syd pointed out, “Most bigger builders don’t share their CRM software systems with homeowners, and we do. Our homeowners are able to have their own dashboard on our CRM portal and they can see [in real time] what’s going on, and they can communicate through it. The amount saved on traveling back and forth during the build is not insignificant.” Chase Signature Homes also features a number of helpful/educational tools on their website and through social media posts.

Chase Signature Homes currently has several projects underway. There is a small selection of lots in Rivers Edge Plantation for homes priced from the $255s. Julie said they are mindful of retirees who may be buying their last home. For that reason homes include raised counters, soft close doors and drawers, levered door handles, and ADA-height toilets. Syd said, “I think we’re very generous in what we include. Our houses actually come with lights and fans. One thing we’re known for is our enlarged tile showers and designs, and tiled wet areas throughout the house. Our garages are finished – painted, lights, electricals – the average size is 450-500 square feet with a niche for a built-in work area when possible.” They also use Rockwool, which is soundproof and fire retardant insulation.

At a different price point, Chase Signature Homes offers Chase Cottages located off 905 and Red Bluff Road. These homes will be priced in the mid $170s and have a high-grade vinyl siding exterior, very close to cement board siding. Syd said, “No one else is using this. We’re the type of people that are looking for the latest products.”  

In Shallotte, NC Bartlett Place is project of 11 townhouses that have garages and private backyards. They will be priced in the high $100s.  

On the horizon, there are two other tracts of land between Loris and Conway that Aaron and Syd will begin developing in late fall 2018.

Building Industry Synergy spoke with two homeowners about their Chase Signature Homes experience. Kathy and Karl Ehrentraut built in Rivers Edge Plantation. Theirs is a familiar story of migrating to Myrtle Beach to escape cold winters and high taxes. Kathy said, “We just happened to drive into Rivers Edge.” They met Syd, got some information and later returned to see the available lots. Kathy continued, “He showed us the one we’re on now and we thought, ‘Hey, this is pretty nice; let’s do it.’”  The lot was large and flat to accommodate a pool. The Ehrentraut’s built the Raeleigh model with some modifications. The biggest change was to open the Carolina room to the rest of the house. They also finished the bonus room over the garage and added a whole-house generator. Kathy said, “We looked at the lot right after Hurricane Matthew and it was completely dry.” Karl was glad to learn when they went to different vendors that Chase Signature Homes allowed for a better grade of carpet and other upgrades without an upcharge. It also gave Karl great satisfaction when his brother-in-law who builds homes in Ohio told him, “It’s a well-built home.” The Ehrentrauts have been enjoying their home for over a year now. Karl said, “I like the openness – you could have 25 people and everyone could sit down and see each other, and everyone in the kitchen can be part of it. That’s what I really like.”  

On the other side of town, Justin Dedio built with Chase Signature Homes in Cypress River Plantation. Justin said, “I have known Aaron for a very long time and have actually worked on a couple of houses in here with him. I am a kitchen and bath designer by trade and have a showroom [Prodigy Kitchens and Baths] in Pawley’s Island.”  Justin designed the house and then got with Aaron and went through the whole construction process. “My degree is in architecture. [Building] is a process that I’m familiar with.” He shared that Cypress River Plantation is very strict with contractors, so if they can’t pass muster for bonds and deposits, they won’t be building.

One might expect killer kitchens and baths in Justin’s home. He laughed and said, “For me to be honest it’s an average kitchen – I had to watch budget like everyone else.” Justin’s house was designed for entertaining and came out exactly as he envisioned, including some truly wow-factor features. Knowing the Signature team professionally and personally Justin would readily recommend them. “First off when you look at the type and quality of home they build, they are totally capable of doing everything from an entry-level price point to a truly custom home. One of the nice things is they don’t say ‘no.’ They’re open to building anything, so the flexibility it gives the homeowner is tremendous and rare. Number two, they’re small enough to listen and care and you’re dealing directly with them, but they’re big enough to handle developments and large-scale projects. They have the building knowledge, the development knowledge, and real estate knowledge behind them.”