When HGTV started scouting locations for its 10th annual Dream Home, one particular site stood out: Grey Rock at Lake Lure, a 4,000-acre community nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

“HGTV once again searched the U.S. for another dream-worthy location and we believe we’ve found it in the mountains of western North Carolina,” said HGTV President Burton Jablin. Previous Dream Homes have been in such locales as Lake Tyler, Texas; Mexico Beach, Fla.; Beaufort, S.C.; and Jackson Hole, Wyo.

Once the home’s location was determined, the Grey Rock developer, Land Resource Cos., approached MWB Construction and Development Corp. of Black Mountain about building it. With a well-established reputation for constructing a diverse range of high-end custom homes, MWB seemed the perfect candidate for the job. And company president Mark Barker was willing to accept a stipulation that might have been a deal-breaker for other builders: He would pay a $1,000 per day penalty if the home wasn’t fi nished on time.

MWB started on the home in late February 2005 and fi nished it, on schedule, Sept. 1. That’s a little over six months to build a house that would typically take 15 months or more, said Barker.

“There was so much synergy working on a project with HGTV,” he said, explaining that film crews came out frequently to film the home’s progress. Because of the strict deadline – and the fact that almost every stage of construction was being recorded on film! – “there was no problem getting people to work when you needed them,” Barker laughed. “When you said you had to have (something) that day, you had it.”

For Barker, the biggest challenge of building the Dream Home, which was the first house under construction in Grey Rock, was getting materials to the site and working off a generator. Once his company fi nished construction, interior designers moved in to apply the finishing touches.

The 5,450-square-foot dream home, which was designed by Platt Architecture, PA in Brevard, sits atop a mountain ridge and is designed to capture the view from all directions. Incorporating natural local materials, such as bark shakes and hand-hewn logs, the home reflects the colors, materials and shapes of the Southern Appalachians, according to the architect.

The house is split by a large covered porch and terrace for outdoor living and dining. The main level contains living, dining, kitchen and master suite areas, while the lower fl oor is centered around entertaining and recreation, with a family room, wine room, exercise studio and outdoor spa. A guest suite is located on the upper fl oor.

Since Jan. 2, the home has been open for touring. The last tour day is April 7, and all tours originate in downtown Lake Lure. (There is no tour access to Grey Rock unless visitors are on a shuttle van.) The tour admission is $20, with proceeds to benefit Hospice of Rutherford County, Boys & Girls Clubs of Transylvania Counties and Lion’s Club of Lake Lure.

Thousands of people entered the HGTV Dream Home Giveaway between Jan. 1 and Feb. 17. The grand prize home winner, as well as winners of the other prize giveaways, will be announced Saturday, April 29, during a live televised HGTV presentation from Lake Lure.