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FENNEMORE CRAIG, P.C.
3003 North Central Avenue, Suite 2600
Phoenix, Arizona 85012-2913
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November 22, 2005
Ashton Woods USA L.L.C.
1080 Holcomb Bridge Road
Building 200, Suite 350
Roswell, GA 30076
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special counsel to Ashton Woods Construction, LLC, an
Arizona limited liability company (the "Guarantor"), a subsidiary of Ashton
Woods USA L.L.C. ("Ashton Woods"), in connection with the Registration Statement
on Form S-4 (the "Registration Statement") filed by Ashton Woods, Ashton Woods
Finance Co. ("Ashton Finance") and the subsidiary guarantors listed in the
Registration Statement, including the Guarantor, with the Securities and
Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The
Registration Statement relates to the issuance by Ashton Woods and Ashton
Finance of up to $125 million aggregate principal amount of their 9.5% Senior
Subordinated Notes due 2015 (the "New Notes") and the issuance by the subsidiary
guarantors named in the Registration Statement of guarantees (each a "Guaranty"
and collectively, the "Guarantees") with respect to the New Notes.
FENNEMORE CRAIG, P.C.
Ashton Woods USA L.L.C.
November 22, 2005
Page 2
The New Notes and Guarantees will be issued under an indenture, dated
as of September 21, 2005 (the "Indenture"), among Ashton Woods, Ashton Finance,
the Guarantor, the other subsidiary guarantors named therein and U.S. Bank
National Association, as trustee. The New Notes and Guarantees will be offered
by Ashton Woods and Ashton Finance in exchange for $125 million aggregate
principal amount of their outstanding 9.5% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2015
and the related guarantees of those notes. In connection with the Registration
Statement, we have been requested to render the opinions set forth herein.
In connection with this opinion, we have examined originals or copies,
certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of (i) the Articles of
Organization of the Guarantor, (ii) certain written consents of the sole member
of the Guarantor, (iii) the Indenture, (iv) the Registration Statement, (v) a
specimen of the New Notes and the Guarantees; and (vi) such other corporate
records, agreements, certificates, documents and other instruments of the
Guarantor and such certificates or comparable documents of public officials and
of officers and representatives of the Guarantor as we deemed necessary or
appropriate for purposes of rendering the opinions set forth below.
In such examination and in rendering the opinions set forth below, we
have assumed (i) the legal capacity of all natural persons, (ii) the genuineness
of all signatures, (iii) the authority of all signatories, (iv) the authenticity
and completeness of all documents submitted to us as forms of the documents to
be executed, (v) the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted
to us as certified or photostatic copies, (vi) that the statements contained in
the Indenture, the Guarantees and the Registration Statement are true, correct,
and complete as to all matters of fact, and (vii) that the New Notes and the
Guarantees will be issued as described in the Registration Statement. As to any
facts material to this opinion which we did not independently establish or
verify, we have relied upon statements or representations of officers and/or
other representatives of the Guarantor and others, all of which statements and
representations we have assumed to be true and correct in all respects as of the
date hereof.
Based upon and subject to the assumptions, limitations, qualifications
and exceptions set forth herein, it is our opinion that:
1. The Guarantor is validly existing as a limited liability company and
in good standing under the laws of the State of Arizona, and the Guarantor has
the limited liability company power to execute, deliver and perform its
obligations under the Guaranty.
2. The execution, delivery and performance of the Indenture and the
Guaranty by the Guarantor has been duly authorized by all necessary limited
liability company action on the part of the Guarantor.
FENNEMORE CRAIG, P.C.
Ashton Woods USA L.L.C.
November 22, 2005
Page 3
3. The execution and delivery by the Guarantor of the Indenture and the
Guaranty and the performance of its obligations thereunder have been duly
authorized by all necessary limited liability company action and do not and will
not (i) require any further consent or approval of its members, or (ii) violate
any provision of any law, rule or regulation of the State of Arizona, or (iii)
or violate its articles of organization.
The foregoing opinions are subject to the following qualifications and
limitations:
With respect to our opinions set forth in paragraph 3 we express no
opinion with respect to the enforceability of the Indenture or the Guaranty.
We are qualified to practice law in the State of Arizona. We express no
opinion as to, and for the purposes of the opinions set forth herein, we have
conducted no investigation of, and do not purport to be experts on, any laws
other than the laws of the State of Arizona. This opinion speaks as of the date
hereof. We assume no obligation to advise you of any change in the foregoing
subsequent to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement even though the
change may affect the legal analysis or a legal conclusion or other matters in
this opinion letter.
This opinion has been prepared for your use in connection with the
Registration Statement and may not be relied upon for any other purpose;
provided, however, that Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP may rely upon this
opinion with respect to its opinion to you in connection with the Registration
Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we hereby consent to the filing of
this opinion with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 5.6 to the
Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the heading
"LEGAL MATTERS" in the Prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement.
In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are included in the
category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Fennemore Craig, P.C.
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Fennemore Craig, P.C.