Housing development opportunities are available, if you look for them.

With more and more usable land being snapped up for development -- especially in desirable Bergen County, N.J. -- conceiving really interesting and unusual housing communities is becoming more and more difficult.

One solution to the problem is acquiring a site that had previously been used for something else. Whether you're contemplating a renovation or a tear-down-and-build-from-scratch, the distinctive characteristics of the previous use can be employed to create visual excitement and marketing appeal for the new use.

Case in point: Tamcrest Estates -- a spectacular residential community of million-dollar homes carved out of a former country club which straddles the exclusive Bergen County Towns of Cresskill and Alpine. Starwood Heller purchased what used to be the Tamcrest Country Club last summer and a few months later, began selling homesites on property that is unequaled anywhere in the area -- and maybe the state.

Simply put, Tamcrest Estates could never have happened if there was no country club. The open terrain, panoramic views, carefully planned mature treelines and sculpted topography could not have been duplicated on. former farmland or even hillside sites without enormous cost. That we were able to purchase the entire assemblage as a unit was crucial to our plans.

While the property's clubhouse and golfing facilities have been torn down, we have retained virtually all of the magnificent rolling terrain, majestic trees, lush foliage and crystal-clear ponds. And by subdividing with extreme care, we have allowed our buyers to construct magnificent homes with incredible views.

Thirty-eight lots were created out of 54 acres of country club property -- 31 in Cresskill, priced from $875,000 and requiring homes of at least 5,500 SF; and seven in more upscale Alpine, priced from $2.3 million and necessitating homes of at least 7,500 SF.

Sales to date have been extremely positive. All but eight homesites have been sold and impressive residences beginning at $2.5 million and ranging upward significantly have begun to rise.

Two independent builders have purchased a total of 14 lots and are starting "spec" homes. One user ought combined three lots totaling seven acres -- a $7 million purchase -- and plans a single, immense estate house with 15,000 to 20,000 SF of unbelievable space. Another combined two homesites for $4.5 Million and also will build a home worth several million dollars.

Obviously, there aren't a lot of country clubs around that can be purchased and converted into million-dollar homesites. But there may be unnoticed properties in your own backyard with exceptional attributes that can be turned into really unique residential opportunities.

You just have to find them.