A MAGAZINE FOR AND ABOUT THE REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY

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A MAGAZINE FOR AND ABOUT THE REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY • www.REandY.com
VOLUME
NINETEEN,
NUMBER NINE
September 2012
Always On The Corner
Cinco Ranch celebrates grand opening
Cinco Ranch celebrates the grand
opening of 8 new model homes this fall,
with a Realtor event set for October 11.
(See page 10.)
Woodridge Forest in the Kingwood
area to hold Grand Opening Event
for Realtors October 9. (See page 9.)
ERA BOGANY PROPERTIES MERGES
OPERATIONS WITH BETTER HOMES AND
GARDENS REAL ESTATE GARY GREENE
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate
Gary Greene owners Marilyn Eiland and
Mark Woodroof with Shad Bogany on
his radio show, The Real Estate Corner,
that airs every Tuesday, 6pm-7pm on
KCOH AM 1430. (See page 29.)
MERITAGE HOMES: GREEN TAG SALE
Katy Triathlon Race and Post-Race at
Firethorne, Celebrates 20th Anniversary
Sunday, October 28 (See page 34.)
Your clients can save more than $68,000 on
this new, move-in-ready home in Katy
during Meritage Homes' Green Tag Sales
Event, through August 31. This 3,071
square-foot, one-and-a-half story home
includes 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, along with
granite countertops, wood flooring, cherry cabinets and built-in stainless steel appliances.
(See pages 3 & 6.)
Brighton Homes Opens New Model
in Kingwood!
Look for your Cross Creek Ranch Chocolate
Realtor Event Invitiation this month!
Tammy McCall/Cross Creek Ranch
dropped off a basket full of goodies to Polly
Royer and the rest of the Better Homes
and Gardens, Gary Greene located in
LaCenterra. (See ad page 21.)
HAR Greater
Northwest has Annual
Bowl-A-Thon for
TREPAC
The winning team with the
high score was the Better
homes and Gardens Real
Estate Gary Greene, The
Jolly Greens Giant.
(See page 35.)
(See page 32.)
Kim Clinton/Turbo Realty, was the winner
of Brighton nautical themed grand
prize gift basket at the Grand Opening
of The Villas at Kingwood Estates in
Kingwood. Kim Clinton on left, Autumn
Hansen Sales Consultant for Brighton
Homes on right. (See page 37.)
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Fall Creek Welcomes New Lifestyle Director
Jerrod Lee hopes Fall Creek residents are ready to play
ball. Lee, the community’s new lifestyle director, has been busy
organizing the opening of the Fall Creek 65-acre sports park,
which debuts this month.
The park has Little League fields and soccer fields, a concession stand, a sand volleyball court, open space for free play and a
playground. A trail dotted with picnic areas and barbecue grills
encircles the park, meandering through a nature preserve that
borders Garners Bayou. Lee is working with local youth sports
leagues to launch teams in Fall Creek and initiating adult
leagues.
“Shades of the Olympics! We are definitely going to have sand
volleyball teams playing here and will most likely have an adult
flag football team,” he said. “The soccer fields are really multi-purpose, so it would be great if we could host lacrosse games here,
too.” Lee said the fields should be ready for league play by
February.
Lee also manages Fall Creek’s resident-only fitness center, an
on-site studio boasting a variety of cardio machines, as well as
strength training equipment and free weights. The center is open
daily, with early morning and late evening hours to accommodate
any schedule.
“Residents have been pumped about the fitness center and
use it day and night,” he said. “The facility has top commercialgrade equipment that is meant for heavy use. The development
went above and beyond the norm to make sure the center is properly equipped.”
A soccer and baseball enthusiast, Lee has a health and fitness management degree from Texas State University and has
worked in youth sports as both a coach and league organizer.
“Jerrod is a tremendous asset to Fall Creek, especially with
the new sports complex,” said Rusty Campbell, general manager of Fall Creek. “The sports complex will not only be a popular resident amenity, but will be a draw for local sports leagues.”
A project of the Johnson Development Corp., Fall Creek
is within Beltway 8 near U.S. 59, just 15 miles from downtown
Houston and eight miles from George Bush Intercontinental
Airport. Prices start in $130’s and range to the millions for homes
along Redstone Golf Club, located in the community.
For more information about Fall Creek, ranked among
Houston’s 15 top-selling communities, visit www.fallcreekhouston.com.
Fall Creek Sports Park
Fall Creek welcomes both a new lifestyle director and a
sports complex, Jerrod Lee is organizing activities at the 65acre park,
which has
fields for
Little League,
soccer and
other sports.
In addition
to youth
sports, Lee
expects the
park to host
several adult
leagues, such as
sand volleyball,
flag football
and even
lacrosse.
Fall Creek
Fitness Center
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Realtor Mix N’ Mingle At Grand Opening Of Westin Model Home In Tuscan Lakes Includes
Chance To Win Weekend Getaway
Tuscan Lakes, the Bay Area’s premier master-planned community, will celebrate the opening of its new Westin model home at 1258
Benedetto Drive with a Realtor Mix n’
Mingle on Thursday, September 27 from 5:30
– 7 p.m.
While touring the new Westin model home,
Realtors can register to win a spectacular
weekend getaway including the use a sporty
new Fiat along with a two-night stay and
spa package at the trendy Hotel ZaZa –
Houston. Live music, appetizers and cocktails
will add to the Mix n’ Mingle festivities.
Westin’s new model in Tuscan Lakes is a
stunning, four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath residence with an inviting, rotunda-style entry and
impressive upgrades throughout its 3,071 square
feet of living space. The two-story home includes
a private master suite and Superbath downstairs
with a game room and media room upstairs. A
formal dining room, a large kitchen with breakfast area, stainless steel appliances and a three-car garage are among the
home’s other inspiring amenities.
Realtors can RSVP to the Tuscan Lakes Mix n’ Mingle
by calling 281-332-5450 x110.
Tuscan Lakes, a Johnson Development Corp. community, is conveniently located in League City, halfway between
downtown Houston and Galveston Island, on League City
Parkway (SH 96), just two miles east of I-45. In addition to the
new model from Westin Homes, the master-planned community
offers spectacular model homes from KB Home, D.R. Horton,
CastleRock, Newmark, Harwood and Pulte as well as
homes ready for move in from the $140’s to the 600’s.
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NEW NEIGHBORHOODS AMENITIES DEBUT IN MERITAGE HOMES: GREEN TAG SALE
Houston-area homebuyers are saving thousands of dollars
FRIENDSWOOD DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITIES
Houston’s vibrant economy is evident in its strong housing market and in Friendswood Development Company master-planned communities across the greater Houston area,
demand for new home is strong.
From Galveston County to Conroe, new-home sales in
Friendswood Development Company master-planned
communities and new-home buyers are enjoying low interest
rates, added amenities, newly opened neighborhoods and model
homes and in one location, a brand new junior high campus.
A new park and splash pad opened this summer in
Lakes of Savannah, located just two miles from SH 288 in the
Pearland area. And, when school starts in just a few weeks,
Lakes of Savannah students in junior high will attend the
brand new Manvel Junior High at Rodeo Palms campus which
was completed in July. In addition to the new junior high – the
newest school in the Texas Education Agency Recognized Alvin
Independent School District, Manvel Junior High at Rodeo
Palms is just minutes away from Lakes of Savannah.
Five decorated models are open daily in Lakes of
Savannah where new homes are priced from the $140’s to the
$300’s by Lennar, Plantation Homes, Highland Homes and
Westin Homes.
J. Patrick Homes is offering its final new home in
Lakes of Savannah which is completed and available
immediate move-in.
A new park, splash pad and dog park are now open in
Fairfield where new neighborhoods are also making their debut.
Located just off US 290 in the acclaimed Cypress-Fairbanks
Independent School District, Fairfield feature ten decorated models and new homes priced from the $160’s to more
than $1 million by Princeton Classic, Lennar, Westin
Homes, Triumph Homes, Trendmaker Homes, Highland
Homes, Village Builders and Frontier Custom Builders.
The final master-planned community in the City of
Friendswood, West Ranch has new neighborhoods and model
homes now open. Located in Lakeside, Partners in Building and
Highland Homes have new models open. Additionally, home
shoppers can tour models by Village Builders and Coventry
Homes. New homes in West Ranch are priced from the $250’s
to the $800’s and include everything from luxury patio homes to
large one- and two-story homes on oversized home sites.
Children in the community attend school in the TEA Exemplary
rated Friendswood ISD.
Brighton Homes has a beautiful new one-story model
now open in Lakemont, where Westin Homes and Lennar
have also recently unveiled new decorated models.
Visitors to Lakemont, located at Mason Road and the Westpark
Toll Road can also tour models by J. Patrick Homes and
additional models by Lennar and Brighton as well as
available homes from Gehan. New homes are priced from
the $150’s to the $400’s.
Village Builders has opened a new model in The
Greens in Oakhurst at Kingwood. Located along the scenic
Oakhurst Golf Course, the two-story model is one of a variety
of large one- and two-story designs now offered by Village
Builders in Oakhurst at Kingwood. New homes in this community which offers direct access to US 59 are priced from the
$160’s to the $800’s and are offered by Lennar, Legend
Homes, Triumph Homes, Coventry Homes, Highland
Homes and Frontier Custom Builders. Princeton Classic
Homes will join the builder team in Oakhurst at Kingwood and
begin construction on a new model this summer. Information on
Princeton Classic Homes is available in the Legend Home sales
office in Auburn Trails.
Wildwood at NorthPointe is Friendswood Development
Company’s newest community located off SH 249 in Tomball.
Five decorated models including a brand new model home by
Legend Homes are now open. New homes are priced from the
$130’s. (Continues on page 24.)
6
on brand new energy-efficient homes during the annual
Meritage Homes Green Tag Sales Event, now through
September 23.
The Green Tag Sales Event offers big savings on fully
complete, quick-move-in homes in 28 communities
throughout Houston, with prices from the $120’s to the mid$300’s.
Meritage is also offering a $3,000 BTSA on all of
these specially
priced homes.
The savings for
homebuyers continue
after move-in. That's
because all new
homes by Meritage
are built with energy
efficient features
that reduce the cost
of home utility bills.
All Meritage
homes far exceed
the energy-effiSilver Ranch, Katy, Texas
ciency (HERS) ratThe Meritage Homes Green Tag
ings of used homes
Sales Event offers savings of more
and go well
than $18,700 on this 2,907 square-foot
home, featuring 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, a beyond those of
other national
large open family room with two story
ceiling, 42” dark maple cabinets, granite homebuilders.
In fact, Meritage
countertops, a bay window in the master
Homes is the winbedroom and a large covered patio.
Originally $273,768, this home is priced ner of the 2012
National Green
at $254,990 during Meritage Homes'
Green Tag Sales Event, now through Building Award
from the National
August 31.
Association of
Homebuilders and is also the EPA's 2011 Energy Star
Builder of the Year.
Meritage Homes is committed to green building practices
that create quieter, cleaner, healthier, smarter and safer new
homes. Features include Energy Star appliances, which reduce
energy bills. Every faucet and showerhead in new Meritage
homes exceeds industry standards for water savings. Low-E
coatings on windows reduce energy loss by as much as 30-50%
compared to regular windows. See Green Tag Sales Event
homes online at www.meritagehomes.com/qmihouston or
call 877-715-8720. Sales Centers and Model Homes are open
seven days a week.
Meritage Homes, an industry leader in innovation and
energy efficiency, is the ninth-largest public homebuilder in
the United States, based on homes closed in 2011. Meritage
was the first national homebuilder to be 100% ENERGY
STAR® qualified in every home it builds. Meritage has
designed and built more than 75,000 homes in its 27-year history, and has a reputation for its distinctive style, quality construction and positive customer experience. (See page 3.)
F
riendswood
Development
Company sponsored a
free MCE Class in
Brunswick Meadows
in The Gehan Home
Model.
Katrina Barnes/
Instructor, KBM School
of Real Estate; Jefferson
Blue/Gehan Homes,
Sales Consultant.
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COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT
BEGINS IN TOWNE LAKE
The Kroger Co. to build new store in Cypress, Texas
Caldwell Companies announced today that The Kroger Co.
has purchased 18 acres of designated commercial land in its
Towne Lake community in northwest Houston. The national
grocer is scheduled break ground on a 120,000-squarefoot store in the fall of 2012 at the southwest corner of
Tuckerton Road and Barker Cypress.
The new Kroger store is the second large commercial site to
begin construction in the Towne Lake community. The next
major development for the master planned community will be
The Boardwalk at Towne Lake – a mixed-use development featuring a unique collection of waterfront restaurants, retail, and
office space, centered around a large lakeside green area.
“Towne Lake residents will benefit tremendously from the
convenient location of this new Kroger store,” said Fred
Caldwell, president and chief executive officer of
Caldwell Companies. “Additionally, the collection of high-quality restaurants in The Boardwalk area will be a regional draw,
providing a place for food, entertainment and commerce for
northwest Houston. Towne Lake’s Boardwalk will be one of the
city’s most unique destinations for dining and entertainment.”
The Boardwalk at Towne Lake will feature a unique collection of
waterfront office space, dining, and shopping options. The Boardwalk
will be accessible via Towne Lake Parkway, and residents will have
the option to travel by boat on Towne Lake. For more information,
visit www.TowneLakeTexas.com.
The Boardwalk will have waterside parking for resident
boats and be located on Towne Lake Parkway, allowing for additional access via road. Development is scheduled to begin later
this year. Once complete, Towne Lake residents will be able to
boat from home to work, restaurants, and shopping and recreational outlets.
For more information on Towne Lake, call (281) 256-2772 or
visit online at TowneLakeTexas.com. Additional information
about Kroger can be found at TheKrogerCo.com.
The winning
team costumes
were the
RE/MAX NW
Office with
“She Shells”.
(See page 35.)
September 2012
7
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Ashton Woods Opens Cypress
Creek Lakes Model
Ashton Woods’ newest model home and one of its
newest designs, the Cheyenne, featured in Cypress
Creek Lakes, is picture-perfect inside and out, with designers creating a stunning backyard oasis.
Ashton Woods has opened a model at 19834 Hamlet Shadow
Lane in Cypress Creek Lakes that showcases an inviting outdoor oasis as well as many indoor options. Ashton Woods offers
eight designs in the community, base-priced from the $180’s.
Shown here is the Thornton, a 2,723-square-foot home priced
in the $230’s.
“The backyard is a fantastic vignette illustrating that a
home’s living space can be extended outdoors,” said Ashton
Woods sales representative Megan Ellison. Several
conversation areas, including a fire pit with seating and a
built-in grill, along with a playground, bring the entire
family outside.
Like the backyard, the inside of the home details the
many possibilities available for Ashton Woods homeowners
in Cypress Creek Lakes, including the option of adding an
upstairs game room and full bath to the standard one-story
plan.
The home also features a formal dining room, a large
breakfast area that opens to the family room and a sizable
kitchen with a corner pantry and eating bar. The master
suite includes an expansive walk-in closet, dual sinks and
separate shower and tub. Starting price for the home is
just below $200,000. The model is located at 19834 Hamlet
Shadow Lane.
“We offer an impressive list of standard features in
Cypress Creek Lakes,” Ellison said, “including high-quality
granite in the kitchen, as well as a refrigerator and washer
and dryer. It’s ideal for a family buying their first home.”
Ashton Woods offers five single-story and three
two-story designs in the community, with homes from
1,804 to 2,950 square feet. Base pricing starts in the
$190,000s. More than three dozen homesites are
available, including several cul-de-sac, corner and
oversized properties.
Realtors will be invited to a grand opening event
October 11, with a public event set for October 18. Grand
opening incentives promise extra savings for buyers.
In Northwest Houston, Cypress Creek Lakes offers residents abundant amenities, including two recreation centers, trails and a splash pad. Opening in October is the
community’s largest recreation complex, which will
offer a competition pool, children’s pool, spray park, playground and picnic area. A clubhouse will feature an exercise room for residents.
For more information on Ashton Woods in Cypress
Creek Lakes, visit www.ashtonwoods.com.
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WOODRIDGE FOREST IN THE KINGWOOD AREA TO HOLD GRAND
OPENING EVENT FOR REALTORS OCTOBER 9
Woodridge Forest invites Realtors to attend the grand
opening of three new, fully-furnished model homes by
Ryland and Ashton Woods on Tuesday, October 9th from
11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Appetizers, pastas and desserts by
Amedeo’s Italian Restaurant of Kingwood will be
served in all three models, and two $500 American
Express Gift Card door prizes will be given away
by random drawing to Realtors in attendance.
Woodridge Forest is a new 290-acre
development adjacent to Kingwood in
the recognized New Caney ISD with homes
from the $220s. The community is nestled in the natural, Piney
Woods environment for which the Kingwood area is known. An
onsite middle school is scheduled to open Fall 2014.
Residents will have access to all facilities managed by the
Kingwood Service Association including numerous parks and
access to trails and a boat ramp.
The community is just 1-1/2 miles from U.S. 59 and is surrounded by numerous restaurants, retail, recreation and services
that have served Kingwood residents
for years. Woodridge Forest is nestled
against North Park Recreation Area, a
19-acre park that is used for organized
sports.
“We are excited to be opening
Woodridge Forest,” says Harry
Masterson with Cernus
Development. “We know Kingwood
residents have been watching this
area for a long time, wondering when
it was going to be developed. It is one
of the few places left in the Kingwood
area where families can buy a new
home. We are anticipating that many
Kingwood residents who want to stay
in the area will be selling their homes
and moving to our neighborhood,
where they can find new designs and
the latest in finishes and technology.
We are pleased that Ryland and
Ashton Woods chose to be the pioneer
builders.”
Ryland is offering homes from
approximately 2,300 square feet to
almost 4,000 square feet, and has
built a 60’ Texas Series model home,
and a 70’ Concerto Series model
home. Ryland is offering Realtors a
1% BTSA on any inventory sale or
a 1% relocation BTSA on any sale
– both of these BTSAs apply to
contracts written by October 31,
2012. BTSAs cannot be combined.
ADVERTISING &
GENERAL INFORMATION
(281) 372-6865
Skip Bradley
September 2012
9
Ashton Woods also will be opening a new 60’ model
home in the community. Ashton Woods Homes will range in
square footage from 2,400-3,300. Ashton Woods is offering a 3%
BTSA on select inventory homes through October 31, 2012.
Though Woodridge Forest is in its infancy, plans for the
community include: ★ Walking trails ★ Green belts
★ Two creeks crossing the community
★ Waterside homesites will be available
★ Next door to Northpark Recreation Area
★ St. Martha’s Catholic Church and
Woodridge Baptist Church – both with
future plans for private schools ★ Future
on-site recreation center ★ Main entrance from Northpark
Drive, and future plans for access from Woodland Hills Drive
To reach Woodridge Forest, take the Northpark exit off of US
59 and travel east about 1 ? miles. Look for Woodridge Parkway
after the Kingwood monument sign and turn left. Go past St.
Martha’s Church to the model homes on Soaring Woods Lane, or
visit WoodridgeForest.com.
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Cinco Ranch celebrates grand opening
N
ow that fall is upon us, the “Summer of Cinco” preview is giving way to the official grand opening of two new neighborhoods and 8 new model homes in Cinco Ranch.
Realtors will be invited to an “Oktoberfest” event on the
evening of Thursday, October 11 to celebrate the grand opening. In the meantime, sales are continuing at a brisk pace in the
community’s newest neighborhoods, Bandera Glen and Sagewood,
featuring homes priced from the $260’s to $700’’s by David
Weekley, Highland, Partners In Building, Perry, Ryland,
Trendmaker and Village Builders.
The 8 new models in Bandera Glen and Sagewood are
generating rave reviews for their many unique design features,
such as:
• Outdoor living areas, including covered patios with summer
kitchens and fireplaces, courtyards with fountains and dining
areas, front porches and balconies.
• Guest suites and other flexible floor plan options offered for
multi-generational households.
• Kitchen trends such as planning centers, open pantries,
mixtures of different kinds of marble and granite, and large creatively shaped work islands.
• Three-car garages, with options for building some of the
garage space as additional interior space, such as extra bedrooms.
Realtors attending the grand opening will be welcomed by a
major new entry monument at FM 1463 and Cinco Ranch Blvd. –
the gateway to the newest phase of Cinco Ranch, made possible
by a 492-acre expansion.
With the addition of this new acreage, Cinco Ranch now
encompasses 8,092 acres and will develop more than 1,100 new
homesites in coming years. And like all of Cinco Ranch, this new
phase is entirely located in the Katy ISD.
While there is much focus on the newest phase of Cinco
Ranch, areas of the community between FM 1463 and the Grand
Parkway also continue to bustle with development activity.
Katy ISD recently opened three new schools in this
part of Cinco Ranch, including Tom Wilson Elementary, Fred
and Patti Shafer Elementary, and Seven Lakes Junior High.
These openings came right after Cinco Ranch High School and
Seven Lakes High School were ranked high on Newsweek’s
“America’s Best High Schools 2012” list.
A new 6-acre recreational amenity, the Rollingwood Receation
Center, also opened recently, providing a water park, a threetiered lake surrounded by trails, tennis courts and a playground.
Other Cinco Ranch amenities include The Beach Club, The Water
Park, The Lake House, The Golf Club, neighborhood recreation
centers and miles of greenbelt trails.
Other new neighborhoods in Cinco Ranch include Ashfield
Gardens, offering low-maintenance patio homes from the
$210’s to $310’s by Village Builders, and from the $300’s to
$400’s by David Weekley. Pre-grand opening sales are now
under way, and a model home grand opening is planned for later
this year.
Overall, Cinco Ranch offers new homes priced from the $150’s
to over $1 million. For more information, including the latest
updated inventory, visit www.cincoranch.com
10
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Woodforest Earns ‘Most Active’ Status
In just three years — including two of the worst for the
Houston housing market in 15 years — Woodforest has grown
from an unknown development to the most active community in booming Montgomery County.
In a recently released report prepared by Bohlke
Consulting Group, Woodforest posted the most Montgomery
County housing starts of any development, with 234 building permits awarded from July 2011 to June 2012. Two-thirds — 156
permits — were granted this year.
The number of building permits issued in Woodforest rose
189 percent during the 12 months ending June 30 compared to
the previous 12 months, said Bohlke’s Gary Latz.
“Woodforest’s growth is remarkable for the Houston area,
which recorded a 25.4 percent increase during the same time period,” Latz said. “With The Woodlands expansion occurring primarily in Harris County, Woodforest is by far the most active community in Montgomery County.”
Woodforest’s sales pace mirrors the increase in the number of
building permits, with 167 new-home sales through mid-July, a
jump of 166 percent over 2011.
“The Woodforest team is doing an exceptional job, forging
onward through a difficult housing market. It is well ahead of the
30 percent growth rate in new-home starts currently seen in the
Houston housing market,” said Metrostudy’s David Jarvis.
Despite the success Woodforest now enjoys, it was a slow
start for the community. The launch of Woodforest, which surrounds Woodforest Golf Club, was delayed to allow the completion of the Fish Creek Thoroughfare, the major access point
into the community.
Fish Creek Thoroughfare opened in mid-2009, with
Woodforest hosting a community grand opening shortly thereafter.
But by then, the nation’s housing crisis was in full swing and
Houston buyers were staying home — literally — with housing
starts in a steep decline. Economists forecast a long and difficult
recovery.
“We went from nearly 50,000 annual housing starts in 2006
to fewer than 20,000 in 2009,” Jarvis said. “The bottom of the
market didn’t come until mid-2011, with just 18,500 home starts
that year for the entire metropolitan area. Since then, however,
the market has shown signs of recovering.”
“Although we were on solid footing, we were very selective
when entering new developments in 2010,” said Keith
Luechtefeld, president of Darling Homes’ Houston operations. “But we saw the promise of Woodforest and introduced our
patio home series in the community that year to great success.”
Darling Homes, like several other Woodforest builders, had
continued investing in the community, buying more homesites
and building more homes.
Today, 12 builders are active in Woodforest and 12
model homes are open. Amenities also are in place, including
several playgrounds, a spray park, three miles of hike-and-bike
trails and —soon-to-open — a bark park and sports fields.
Construction has started on a fire station within Woodforest and
crews will begin work this fall on Forest Island, a recreation complex with an aquatic park, tennis and basketball courts and more.
Darling Homes Now Selling in
Cypress Creek Lakes
Darling Homes Offers Luxury Living from the $320s
Darling Homes is now selling in the Cypress Creek Lakes
community located off Highway 290 and Fry Rd. Within the
communities newest phase (Phase 3), Darling Homes is building traditional-family home designs ranging from 2,700 – 4,000
square feet with their new model home slated to open in midSeptember. Home sites, including lakefront opportunities,
are limited and will be reserved on a first-come, firstserved basis. Prospective homebuyers securing their lot now
have a great opportunity to enjoy the benefits of an established
community with incredible amenities to complement their
lifestyle in a new Darling Home.
“We are excited to introduce Darling Homes to the Cypress
Creek Lakes community,” stated Shannon Vining, Darling
Homes’ Marketing Manager. “Our team at Darling Homes is
constantly evaluating the marketplace and consumer needs to
ensure we are in the right communities with relevant home
designs. We offer a wide variety of floor plan options that
enable us to provide unique solutions to meet different homebuyers’ lifestyle needs.”
Darling Homes’ also offers the ability to customize their
proven floor plan designs to fit today’s lifestyles. The builder’s
signature attention to detail includes architecturally intense
elevations featuring choices of brick, stone and stucco exteriors.
Single and two-story designs are available that offer master
bedrooms that connect to the utility room and living areas with
open concept designs–ideal for entertaining. Darling Homes’ are
energy-efficient and constructed under the standards of the
Green Built Gulf Coast program specifically modified to fit the
Houston climate zone.
Cypress Creek Lakes is a 1,600-acre master-planned
community, nestled in the charming Northwest Houston suburb of Cypress, Texas. It is home to numerous sparkling lakes,
playgrounds, picnic pavilions and miles of hike and bike trails.
Residents currently use these existing amenities but will also
have access to a new, eight-acre recreation center site with a
clubhouse, exercise/fitness room, competition size pool and children’s pool, a water spray park, a playground and picnic/barbecue area and an information/welcome center. The new $3 million recreation center complex is situated among beautiful live oak trees overlooking a lake. The community location also offers residents convenient access to BlackHorse
Golf Club. The children that live in Cypress Creek Lakes will
attend Cypress Fairbanks ISD.
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Eagle Springs celebrates new model
homes, new amenities for Fall
“It’s kind of a big deal.” That’s the tagline for Eagle
Springs’ fall promotion, designed to help Realtors share the
excitement about this wooded Humble ISD community with
homebuyers.
And it really is a big deal, with exciting new products such
as townhomes coming this fall, along with new model homes
and recreational amenities.
A Realtor Splash Bash is set for Thursday, October 4,
from 11:30 to 1:30, to give Realtors a preview of the community’s newest amenity, the Valley Springs Clubhouse
and Splash Park.
Invitations will be sent out, and Realtors can contact Jan
McCleary at Eagle Springs to make sure they are on the list:
[email protected].
The event will also provide Realtors with the scoop
on exciting new-home developments at Eagle Springs,
including new townhomes by Brighton Homes.
Brighton is now selling these new townhome plans, priced
from the $160,000s, and it plans to open its new townhome
models in October.
Featuring all-new designs created especially for Eagle
Springs, these townhomes are offered in one- and two-story
floor plans, all with downstairs master suites and luxurious finishes such as granite countertops, ceramic tile flooring and
detailed crown molding.
Only 45 townhomes are planned for this intimate
neighborhood, which surrounds a central park with a
walking trail.
Eagle Springs, a wooded Humble ISD community, is opening
new neighborhoods and recreational amenities this fall, and
Realtors are invited to a preview party on October 4.
With their thoughtful floor plans and luxurious features,
these townhomes were designed to appeal to a wide variety of
potential buyers, from first-time buyers wanting a low-maintenance home to suit their busy lifestyles, to empty-nesters seeking to scale down and simplify their lives.
Expanding Eagle Springs’ variety of traditional single-family homes, Westin Homes and D.R. Horton have recently opened
new decorated models in Barton Ridge, a scenic neighborhood
with an interior park and trail. Priced from the $190’s to $260’s,
plans range from 2,153 to over 3,000 square feet. Homesites are
60 feet wide.
Coming this fall, Lennar and Ryland will open new
decorated models in Valley Creek, a new neighborhood
of 55-foot homesites. Prices range from the $180’s to $240’s,
with plans from 2,109 to over 3,000 square feet.
Also this fall, Taylor Morrison will break ground for
its new model in the final phase of the popular Chandler
Crossing neighborhood, which also features Village
Builders. Prices range from the $310’s to $420’s, with plans
from 2,800 to over 4,800 square feet. Of note – this new phase
of 47 homesites will be the last new neighborhood in
Eagle Springs that is zoned to Eagle Springs Elementary
School (under currently existing Humble ISD zoning boundaries.)
For more information, visit www.eaglespringstx.com.
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Telfair Hosts 5th Annual Charity of
Your Choice Walk
Set for Saturday, October 13, the 5th annual TelfairLife
Charity of Your Choice Walk is a great example of the community spirit that has made Sugar Land’s Telfair one of the topselling communities in Houston and the nation since it opened.
Since the first walk in 2008, this 5k walk has raised over
$200,000 for many Fort Bend County nonprofit organizations, and this year’s event could be the most successful in its
history, with its new fall date.
This year, walkers can choose one of 13 worthy Fort Bend
area nonprofit groups to receive 100% of their registration fee.
The scenic 5k course for the
Charity of Your Choice Walk
takes participants along Telfair’s
inspiring lakes and parks.
Registration is $25 for adults and $10 for children under 12
when they register at www.CharityOfYourChoiceWalk.com
by October 9. After that date, registration is $30 for adults and
$15 for children under 12.
While registering, walkers can choose one of 13 charities to receive the entire registration fee. For 2012, charities
include The Arc of Fort Bend, Blessed Be Hope for Three,
Brazos Bend Guardianship Services, Child Advocates of
Fort Bend, East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry, FBISD
Educational Foundation, Fort Bend Community Partners
Rainbow Room, Fort Bend Family Health Center, Fort
Bend Family Promise, Fort Bend Habitat for Humanity,
NAMI Fort Bend, Second Mile Mission Center, and Shape
Up Sugar Land.
TelfairLife, Telfair’s community service organization, will
also award a total of $6,000 in challenge grants to charities that
raise the most money and register the most walkers for the
event.
“Our motto for the Walk is ‘taking positive steps to impact
Fort Bend County,’ and that is very meaningful,” said
TelfairLife Walk Director Nicki Raimondo. “Together, walkers can make a huge positive impact on area charities while also
enjoying a healthy activity with their friends and neighbors.”
Last year, a record 600 people turned out for the
TelfairLife Charity of Your Choice Walk, and Raimondo hopes
attendance this year will set a new record.
“People may remember the event taking place in the spring,
but this year, we decided on a new date in the fall, to give more
charities the chance to participate, and to take advantage of
Houston’s typically wonderful fall weather,” she said.
A 2,018-acre community opened in 2006, Telfair has consistently ranked as one of the top-selling communities in
the United States. In 2011, Telfair was the 10th bestselling
community in the nation, and it ranked third in the Houston
region, according to a report from John Burns Real Estate
Consulting. New homes in Telfair are priced from the $250’s to
over $1 million.
After the Walk, visitors can tour four decorated models now
open in Telfair Central, the final major neighborhood in this
2,018-acre community. Prices range from the $300’s to $500’s for
homes by Ryland, David Weekley and Village Builders. For
more information on new homes in Telfair, visit
www.telfair.com.
16
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J. Patrick’s new Aspen model in Copper Lakes has a downstairs guest suite, and the master suite is also on the first floor.
J
ust in time for the busy Fall selling season, J.
Patrick Homes has opened its beautiful new
Aspen model and has 2 completed showcase
homes in northwest Houston’s Copper Lakes.
Prices range from the $230’s to $300’s in this scenic
Cy-Fair ISD community, located near U.S. 290
and Barker-Cypress.
A Realtor grand opening event is planned
for October, but here’s the scoop for agents who
can’t wait to start selling.
Now open for touring, the new Aspen model is
a dramatic two-story plan with 19-foot ceilings in
the expansive foyer and in the family room. The
study has a 14-foot ceiling, and other rooms have
10-foot ceilings.
The Aspen model is displayed with the optional
downstairs guest bedroom suite, which can be built
in place of the third garage bay. The luxurious master suite is also downstairs.
The family room has a corner fireplace and it
overlooks a covered patio. The gourmet kitchen has
a butler’s pantry and a walk-in food pantry.
Upstairs, the plan has a large gameroom and four
more bedrooms.
Available plans include the Albany, a fivebedroom home with an upstairs gameroom and a
flex room that can be built as a media room. Other
highlights include a family room with an 18-foot
ceiling, a butler’s pantry between the dining room
and kitchen, and an optional covered patio that is
over 30 feet long.
An Albany has been completed in Copper
Lakes and is available for a September
closing. Featuring elegant wrought iron stair rails
and extensive tile flooring, it is priced $347,319.
J.Patrick has a limited edition of 32 homesites in Copper Lakes. Homesites are 60 feet
wide, with some oversized cul-de-sac sites available.
One of Houston’s most established and close-in
Cy-Fair ISD communities, Copper Lakes is located
(Continued on page 29.)
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Riverstone Debuts New Models for
September Tour
Fort Bend residents can discover why Riverstone is
one of the nation’s top-selling master-planned communities during its Model Home Celebration, September 15-30.
More than 20 model homes will be showcased during the
event, including five of the community’s newest.
“It’s been a busy year for Riverstone, with new neighborhoods, new builders and new models,” said Tom Wilcox, general manager of Riverstone. “Buyers have responded to the
great variety of homes available here, as well as impressively
low interest rates. It’s such a great time to buy that we’re enjoying record-breaking sales for a consecutive year.”
Riverstone’s showcase will feature five new model homes
by builders Taylor Morrison, with three new models;
Meritage Homes; and a patio home model by The Manors
by Westport. Fedrick, Harris Estate Homes, Trendmaker
and Darling Homes will open four models later in the
year. A full list of Riverstone’s model homes and a tour map
are available at http://www.riverstone.com/modelhomes.html. Custom estate homes also will be open during the event.
Riverstone’s Model Home Celebration, September 15-30,
will feature more than 20 model homes, including five of the
community’s newest. Among the new models are designs by
Meritage Homes and The Manors by Westport, as well as
three models by Taylor Morrison. (See page ___.)
Also opening later in the year is an extension of University
Boulevard through the community, which will connect to another new segment, opening University Boulevard from Highway 6
to U.S. 59.
Starting construction next year in Riverstone is a new 17acre water park that will feature a resort pool, multiple tennis courts, a pavilion, a playground and an 8,000-square-foot
clubhouse. The facility is expected to open in 2014.
With sales nearly double last year’s record-breaking pace,
Riverstone is currently among the three top-selling communities in the Houston area and is No. 15 among topselling communities in the nation, according to John Burns
Real Estate Consulting.
More than 15 builders offer designs in Riverstone,
with prices from the $200’s to the millions. A variety of amenities are open in the community, including resort pools, miles of
hike-and-bike trails, tennis, catch-and-release fishing and a
bark park. The Johnson Development Corp., developer of
Riverstone, has taken an environmentally friendly approach
with Riverstone since the community’s inception, installing a
dedicated pipe system that will reuse water for irrigation and refilling lakes. Tree preservation also has been a
focus, with a community-wide survey of trees conducted to help
guide Riverstone’s design.
For details, visit www.riverstone.com.
20
$11,000 IN PRIZES AWAIT REALTORS AT
CROSS CREEK RANCH
REALTOR HOLIDAY TOUR
$11,000 in prizes, great giveaways, a seated lunch and endless chocolate are in store for Realtors as Cross Creek Ranch
unveils its eleven new model homes, one of the largest model
home collections in the Houston area, during the masterplanned community’s Chocolate Realtor Holiday Tour on Friday,
October 5 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
In addition to an elegant lunch complete with eleven different chocolate desserts, Realtors who tour all eleven models in
Fulshear’s premier master-planned community will be entered
for drawings of $11,000 in prizes such as TV’s, jewelry and
other luxury items. Realtors will receive an additional entry for
every new home they sold in Cross Creek Ranch in 2012.
Realtors can RSVP when they receive their Cross
Creek Ranch Chocolate Realtor Holiday Tour Eflyer invite.
Located by the Cross Creek Ranch entry at Fry Road and
FM 1463, just minutes west of the Grand Parkway, Cross
Creek Ranch’s model home collection includes fully furnished models decorated for the holidays from Darling
Homes, Highland Homes, Ashton Woods Homes,
Newmark Homes, Perry Homes, Plantation Homes,
Trendmaker Homes and Village Builders.
Lennar Homes will join Cross Creek Ranch and open
its model home in November.
A project of Johnson Development Corp., Cross Creek
Ranch offers a number of amenities including the Cross Creek
Water Park, a large resort-style swimming pool with a 200-foot
water slide, a wading pool and spray park. It also offers a
Lifestyle Director who schedules a multitude of recreational activities.
Cross Creek Ranch is home to miles of hike-and-bike trails,
a fitness center and sports complex with tennis courts, basketball court, sand volleyball court and playgrounds for all ages.
Plus, several parks are located within walking distance of every
neighborhood in the community, including Canine Commons,
a one-acre fenced dog park with areas designated for large and
small breed dogs opening in September.
Residents attend schools in the top-performing Katy and
Lamar Consolidated school districts. For information
about Cross Creek Ranch, go to www.crosscreektexas.com.
In Houston, RE/MAX
takes a victory lap at
mid-year event
RE/MAX Legends
Broker/Owner Ronnie
Matthews with RE/MAX
Northwest Co-Owner
Stephanie Schley.
(See page 36.)
September 2012
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FRIENDSWOOD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY $5,000 WINNERS
Realtors who sell a new home in any
Friendswood Development Company masterplanned community will have his or her
name entered into a quarterly drawing for
$5,000.
Spanning from the north to the south areas of
the Houston market, Friendswood Development
Company master-planned communities include
Oakhurst at Kingwood, Graystone Hills,
Lakes of Savannah, West Ranch, Fairfield and
Lakemont.
Pictured is Christine Draughn, north division marketing director for Friendswood
Development Company with Cindi Blair/Keller
Williams Southwest.
Pictured with Charmayne Lacewell/Better
Homes and Gardens Real Estate is Lisa
Zapalac/Friendswood Development Company.
For more information on new homes and communities, visit
www.FriendswoodDevelopment.com.
4th Quarter 2011
winner Cindi Blair/
Keller William
Southwest
2nd Quarter 2012 Charmayne
Lacewell/Better Homes & Gardens
PGG Sugar Land.
FRIENDSWOOD
DEVELOPMENT continues...
For new-home buyers interested
in the Conroe area, Friendswood
Development Company offers the community of Graystone Hills where
Village Builders recently opened a
new model. Known for its rolling terrain and wooded surrounds, Graystone
Hills features new homes priced
from the $190’s to the $700’s by
Village Builders and D.R. Horton.
For more information and the latest news on Friendswood
Development Company communities
throughout Houston, visit
www.FriendswoodDevelopment.com.
ADVERTISING INFO
(281) 372-6865
Skip Bradley
24
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Another Incredible Career Fair at Champions School of Real Estate
Rick
Ruggiero
and his
Weichert
recruiting
team.
Lu Haas/Coldwell
Banker Cinco
Ranch, helps set up
the "Champion's
Cafe".
Thai Klam,
Broker/Owner of
RE/MAX 360 and
TOP RE/MAX
2012 award recipient, visits with
potential recruits.
Manager Teresa Faske
awaits the arrival of over
200 attendees to the biannual Career Fair held
at our Post Oak Place
Campus.
28
Sue Ikeler enjoys a lunch break with some of her ABR students in Beaumont.
September 2012
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ERA BOGANY PROPERTIES MERGES
OPERATIONS WITH BETTER HOMES AND
GARDENS REAL ESTATE GARY GREENE
Bellaire Market Center Increases Marketing Footprint
of Houston’s Leading Residential Brokerage
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene
announced that ERA Bogany Properties is merging its operations with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene
effective September 1, 2012. Shad Bogany has led ERA Bogany
Properties to be the top ERA broker in Houston and one of the
top ERA franchises in the country.
“Shad is highly respected within the real estate industry
both as a Realtor leader and top-producing agent,” said Mark
Woodroof, who co-owns Better Homes and Gardens Real
Estate Gary Greene with Marilyn Eiland. “We are excited
to welcome Shad and his associates to our team.”
Bogany’s office at 4710 Bellaire Boulevard will become the
new home of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gary
Greene’s Bellaire Market Center. To reach him, call 713-6671000.
“J.J. Molaison, manager of our Inner Loop office, will be
responsible for the new market center and is looking forward to
growing our influence in the area,” said Eiland.
A leader in the industry, Bogany will soon be
installed as chairman of the Texas Association of
Realtors. He served as chairman of the Houston Association of
Realtors (HAR) in 2002, and in 2004, he was named HAR
Realtor of the Year. He is active in the National Association of
Real Estate Brokers, an organization formed by AfricanAmerican real estate professionals, and he served on the Board
of the Texas Department of Housing for seven years.
In 2011, Bogany was ranked by the Houston Business
Journal as No. 6 in the Top 25 Residential Real Estate
Individuals in closed transactions.
Bogany hosts The Real Estate Corner radio show on
KCOH AM 1430, which airs every Tuesday, 6pm-7pm. He said
he will continue to host the show that is now in its 21st year.
“My focus on the show is to educate the public and to be a
watchdog for the consumer in the areas of real estate,” he said.
For more information regarding Better Homes and Gardens
Real Estate Gary Greene, visit www.GaryGreene.com.
Fulbrook Welcome Center
★ Learn more at our welcome center at
5530 Fulbrook Green, Fulshear, TX 77441
• 10 am – 6 pm
Mon.- Fri.
• 11 am – 6 pm
Saturday
• 12 pm – 6 pm
Sunday
★ (281) 346-0027
Watch
picturesque
sunrises, or
sunsets,
among the
natural
beauty from
your own
front porch
in Fulbrook.
Enjoy
being at
home
with
nature on
our
peaceful
trails.
(See page 22.)
iFEST LIVE BENEFITING FORT BEND EDUCATION
FOUNDATION SET FOR NOVEMBER 3, 2012
This year’s International Festival & Vendor Fair will
be held at Aliana’s new model home village
J. Patrick opens new model in Copper Lakes
continues...
near Barker-Cypress and West Rd., across from
Lone Star College.
Residents will have access to amenities that
include lakes, trails, parks and recreation centers. A
tremendous variety of shopping, dining and healthcare facilities are just minutes away.
In addition, a Harris County park now
under development adjacent to Copper Lakes
will include a picnic and playground area, a
dog park and a 2.25-mile hike and bike trail.
For information on J. Patrick homes in Copper
Lakes, please call sales consultant Keith Lake at
281-856-2400.
S
elling new J. Patrick homes in Copper Lakes and
all of its other communities in 2012 will earn
Realtors some “Royal Rewards,” including a $1,000
BTSA (or choice of gifts) for the first sale and a $2,500
BTSA for each additional sale. Each sale also gives the
Realtor an entry in the year-end grand prize drawing
for a London vacation valued at $5,000.
September 2012
WHAT: Ifest Live 2012, presented by and benefiting the Fort Bend ISD
Education Foundation, is an international festival and vendor fair celebrating
the tremendous diversity of cultures in Fort Bend county and its school district
by highlighting its many unique tradition and decors. The festival will offer a
feast for the senses as local vendors representing different countries display
their food, crafts and costumes. During this international tour, guests will be
entertained by talented artists and students from FBISD and a host of regional
dance and music schools.
WHEN: November 3, 2012 • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
WHERE: This year Ifest Live will be held at Aliana’s new model home village,
which held its grand opening celebration this past spring, and features 11
model homes - each of which includes a distinctively themed backyard living
area. Each of the model homes will represent a different country and feature
food, décor and crafts. There will also be stages set up in the village for entertainment. Aliana is conveniently located west of Houston, on the Grand
Parkway (State Highway 99) at West Airport. Visit www.alianahouston.com.
WHO/WHY: Established in 1992 to benefit the students of Fort Bend ISD, The
Fort Bend Education Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides
opportunities to enrich and enhance the quality of education for all Fort Bend
ISD students through its grants programs. Since its inception, the Foundation
has awarded over $3.8 million in grants to teachers and schools. Visit
www.fortbendisd.com/foundation, for more information.
VENDOR INFO: Any individuals, country groups or vendors interested in
representing their country should contact the Fort Bend Education Foundation
at 281-634-1110 or [email protected]. Booths are limited
and will be assigned on a first-come basis.
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Agents Step Up To National Stage From Weichert, Realtors®
- Wayne Murray Properties, The Woodlands Office
Kathy Litchen, Crystal Lucas and Karen Archer,
agents from The Woodlands office of Weichert, Realtors - Wayne
Murray Properties, will be among top Weichert® agents
across country to hear their names called at the upcoming
franchise organization’s national convention.
Pictured left-to-right at an advance local celebration are:
Ambassadors Club award winner Kathy Litchen, Wayne
Murray, Vice President of Relocation and Business
Development Cathy Marlin (holding the office’s award as an
Ambassador Club winner), Executive Club award winner
Crystal Lucas and Ambassador Club award winner Karen
Archer.
Archer was also named “Rookie of the Year” for the
Weichert® South Texas/South Louisiana Broker Council.
Sixteen top award winning associates from the four
Houston area offices, along with the company itself, will be recognized again before an audience of their peers at the October
gathering in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The company’s website
address is www.waynemurray.net.
Dee Pardue, RE/MAX Realty Center, Honored at
Mid-Year Awards
Dee Pardue, a veteran real estate professional at RE/MAX Realty Center in
Cypress, was among those being celebrated for her outstanding year-to-date success at the RE/MAX Mid-Year Celebration
in Houston. Pardue ranked #13 in the
Top 20 Individuals for the 2nd
Quarter of 2012.
“It’s always an honor to be singled
out for the hard work and dedication to
business, and I thank our clients who have
placed their confidence in my services throughout the years,”
said Pardue. “We’re seeing a tremendous uptick in market activity, and with continued positive news about Texas job growth
and ongoing influx of newcomers, prospects for our housing market sales look stronger than at any time in recent memory.”
Pardue is a member of the RE/MAX Platinum Club and a
member of the RE/MAX Life Time Achievement. She specializes in helping buyers and sellers in the Northwest Houston
area including Cypress, Tomball and Spring. Pardue is actively
involved in her community through church, tennis leagues, and
social clubs, and loves spending time with her daughters and
grandchildren.
RE/MAX Realty Center is located at 12810 Telge Rd.,
Cypress. Dee Pardue may be reached at 713-882-0527 or by
email at [email protected]. Pardue’s listings and all area
home listings can be found at www.DeePardue.com.
T.
RE&Y MAGAZINE ON THE INTERNE
www.reandy.com
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Summerwood fall promo spotlights
inventory, lifestyle
To help Realtors help more homebuyers discover
Summerwood, this wooded Humble ISD community is launching a fall multimedia promotion spotlighting more than 25
homes available for quick move-in.
Located at Sam Houston Tollway and W. Lake Houston
Parkway, Summerwood has new homes priced from the $150’s
to $500’s, and the community’s 8 builders have inventory
ready for quick closings in most neighborhoods and price
ranges.
Summerwood Westin Model
Summerwood’s fall promotion showcases over 25
inventory homes ready for quick move-in.
Taking place in September and October, the promotion also highlights new model homes, amenities, and
conveniences in Summerwood, located at the Sam Houston
Tollway and W. Lake Houston Parkway.
To encourage home shoppers to register at the
Summerwood Information Center, Summerwood has a “gift
card tree” featuring gift cards in various denominations for
businesses inside the community, such as H-E-B, McDonald’s,
Subway and fuel.
The Summerwood Information Center is located in the
midst of the Summerwood Model Home Village, with 6
models offering convenient one-stop shopping for most
builders. David Weekley Homes from the $150’s are showcased in a separate model park.
Summerwood’s fall promotion also touts:
• A location right along the Sam Houston Tollway,
which has recently been transformed into an expressway
from U.S. 59 to Summerwood’s main entrance.
• Onsite schools in the highly regarded Humble
ISD, including Summerwood Elementary and Woodson
Middle School. Summer Creek High School is right across the
tollway, and Summerwood also has onsite private schools.
The new Lone Star College Atascocita Center is just minutes
away.
• Onsite shopping including the H-E-B
Summerwood Market and a growing number of shops
and restaurants.
• The new Memorial Hermann Convenient Care
Center – the first of its kind in the Houston region – is opening in October just across the tollway from Summerwood. It
is designed to provide one-stop access to the vast array of
Memorial Hermann services in a single location – everything
from primary care to a 24-hour emergency room.
• Recreational amenities including miles of trails, 17
acres of lakes, three major community centers, more than 20
resident social clubs and an Activities Director who plans
year-round events.
For more information, go to www.summerwoodtx.com.
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Katy Triathlon Celebrates 20th Anniversary Brighton Homes Introduces the New Model in
Sunday, October 28, at Firethorne
Jersey Village at Wyndham Lake!
Brighton Homes is excited to showcase its Brand New
Model Home which highlights a variety of features that
can be found in the available inventory homes throughout the community. Brighton Homes hosted a Grand Opening
on July 26th to introduce the latest addition and welcome
Realtors to see what is happening in Jersey Village.
Wyndham Lake is conveniently located off Jones Road;
less than a mile from US-290 in Jersey Village. Wyndham Lake
offers easy access to nearby highways, restaurants, entertainment and shopping. The Galleria area and Downtown Houston
are just some of the exciting attractions nearby. This community is located in the Cypress Fairbanks ISD.
The Katy Triathlon will celebrate its 20th anniversary
Sunday, October 28, 7:30 a.m. - 11 a.m., with race and post-race
festivities at Firethorne. Sponsored by the Rotary Club of
Katy, the USA Triathlon (USAT)-sanctioned Katy Triathlon
at Firethorne will be held in and around the 1,400-acre
Firethorne master-planned community on FM 1463, near the
crossroads of the I-10 West corridor, Westpark Tollway and
Grand Parkway in Katy/Fulshear.
“The Rotary Club of Katy does a tremendous job organizing this mammoth event,” said Firethorne General Manager
Wayne Meyer. “We’re thrilled to help them celebrate the
event’s 20th year and raise funds to support local charities that
provide essential health, recreation and educational services to
children in Katy ISD.”
The Katy Triathlon at Firethorne encompasses a 16-mile
bike race, a three-mile run and a 500-meter swim in Lake
Firethorne. The cycling route for adults includes sections of FM
1463 and US Hwy. 90 within the Katy city limits.
Since the Rotary Club of Katy took over the Katy
Triathlon in 1998, the Club has raised $250,000 for scholarships for graduating seniors from six Katy ISD high
schools, according to Rotary Club of Katy President Dr.
Ralph Brock. The Club donates event proceeds to the Katy
Rotary Fund. In July, the Rotary Fund awarded $21,000 in
scholarships, $1,500 each to 14 graduating seniors from the district’s six high schools.
Organizers expect approximately 900 athletes from
throughout the Houston metropolitan area and across the state
to participate in this milestone year.
The race is open to individuals as well as relay teams –
three-person all male, three-person all female, three-person coed or two-person. The youngest age category is 11-14 (must be
11 years or older to participate), with age categories going up to
70+, such as for Firethorne resident Kai Nirell, 73, who completed the Katy Triathlon last year along with his wife,
Elisabeth, 65. The husband and wife, both cancer survivors,
currently are in training to prepare for the 2012 Katy Triathlon
at Firethorne.
Katy Triathlon registration is open and continues
through October 25. The complete fee structure, including
early bird specials, and deadlines are posted on the event website, http://www.katytriathlon.com. Because this is a USATsanctioned event, USAT membership is required. One-day membership is available for purchase at packet pickup.
To produce the Katy Triathlon at Firethorne, the Rotary
Club of Katy organizes more than 40 of its own member-volunteers, plus helpers from Cinco Ranch High School FBLA, Rotary
Interact Club and Boy Scouts. Race sponsorships, underwriters
and in-kind underwriters are available. For information, con-
(Continues on page 35.)
34
Brighton Homes introduces the new model home in Wyndham
Lake.
Brighton Homes offers eight updated designs in
Wyndham Lake. These three, four, and five bedroom energy
efficient homes are priced from the $290's and range in size
from 2,900 to 4,000 square feet. Wyndham Lake is nestled in an
exclusive area with limited builder programs. With less than
ten home sites remaining, this could be your last chance
to own a new home in this perfect location!
The brand new professionally decorated model is located at
118 Watercress Circle in Jersey Village. For more information
on the community and homes offered, please visit the model,
which is open daily, call Raymond Barton at (832) 243-5001,
or visit the website at www.brightonhomes.com.
Congressman Brady and some of the 54 Realtors/Title
Reps/guests in attendance.
STAYING CONNECTED, a group for Lake Conroe Realtors,
started over four years ago by Dick Wellborn, Dave and Linda
Roedel, continues to offer Lake Conroe Realtors monthly educational
programs with Guest Speakers.
Dick, Dave and Linda got together in the winter of 2008 and said
to each other “what can we do to make real estate fun and be profitable for all of us who work together on the lake”. The answer was
“STAYING CONNECTED”. Dick works for Network Funding while
Dave and Linda Roedel work for Coldwell Banker United, Realtors
Congressman Kevin Brady spoke at the August 9, 2012,
meeting at Vernon's Kuntry Katfish in Conroe. Congressman
Brady gave an update on items currently being discussed in
Washington, D.C. and answered many questions about Real Estate
concerns in our area as well as the nation.
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HAR Greater Northwest has Annual Bowl-A-Thon for TREPAC
As their annual event, the Realtors from the NW area pulled
together to support TREPAC. The Real Estate Political Action
Committee. These monies invested are used to protect property
rights and is an investment in your RE Profession.
A big Thanks goes out to Karen Driscoll and Aracely
with HAR for all of their hard work in putting this all together.
Make your TREPAC investment. There is still time to invest in
your business. Go online or contact Karen Driscoll @ HAR.com.
The Coldwell
Banker
Champions
Team with Joe
Spilman as
their fearless
Leader. Looks
like he is enjoying this title.
The winning team wi
th
the high score was the
Better homes and
Gardens Real estate
Gary Greene, The Jolly
Greens Giant.
The
RE/MAX
Integrity
Team
The Coldwell Banker United Realtors, “The Woodlands
office” helps our community. For four weeks the agents collected
Backpacks, school supplies and lunch boxes for the Woodlands
YMCA. Vice President, Cindy Hamann and Agent Betty
Anderson encourage the agents and staff to bring the items to
the sales meeting. The Montgomery County YMCA collected
the items and will distribute to area children.
Katy Triathlon at Firethorne continues...
tact Vicki Rao, [email protected] or 281-391-3655.
Firethorne blends with the best nature has to offer: 150
acres devoted to parks and recreational amenities,
greenbelts, hike and bike trails, parks and playgrounds,
discovery-rich wildlife observation area and a natural
bird habitat. The 1,400-acre community is strategically located near the crossroads of the I-10 West corridor, the Westpark
Tollway and the Grand Parkway, 10 and 15 miles west, respectively, of the Texas Medical Center-West Campus and Houston’s
Energy Corridor.
To tour, take I-10 West and exit Pin Oak to FM 1463, visit
www.firethorne.info, or call 281-693-1011.
September 2012
The RE/MAX NW Team with Cheerleaders.
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VILLAGE BUILDER NOW OFFERING
NEW HOMES IN ALIANA
In Houston, RE/MAX takes a victory lap at
mid-year event
Village Builders, one of Houston’s premier, luxury home
builders, is now offering new homes in Aliana, a 2,000 acre master-planned community located in Fort Bend County. Steeped in a
tradition of excellence, quality craftsmanship and attention to
detail, a Village Builders home has been a sign of success
for nearly 40 years, and the builder has been consistently recognized for cutting edge design and attentive customer care.
“Previously we haven’t had a major presence in Fort Bend
County, but now Aliana provides the perfect opportunity to
increase our footprint in this area.” said Casey Judkins,
Marketing Coordinator for Village Builders. “In addition to
the desirable location, all the amenities that the community of
Aliana has to offer will appeal to a Village Builders homebuyer.”
According to Judkins, Village Builders is currently building a
model home in Aliana’s model home village. Scheduled for
completion by mid-September, the model home will showcase Village Builders’ New Haven floor plan, which is now
available to homebuyers in Aliana.
The summer’s biggest
real estate awards party and
networking bash welcomed
hundreds of Houston-area
RE/MAX agents in a Mid-Year
Awards Celebration, conducted at the extremely posh and
cool Marque Houston, an
exclusive club for exotic
motorcar enthusiasts nestled
in the City Centre complex.
With dominant market
presence in Houston, RE/MAX
Richard Filip, CEO of RE/MAX
sales professionals have much
of Texas with Gayla Skates,
to celebrate, and scores of top
RE/MAX Realty Center I and II
producers collected honors.
Meanwhile, RE/MAX winners swapped shop talk and let their hair
down while cheering their associates in the spotlight. Overheard
from other award-winning RE/MAX office Brokers or Owners were:
• RE/MAX Legends Broker Ronnie Matthews (#1 Statewide
RE/MAX Team and #3 RE/MAX Team nationally year-to-date)
praising the hard work of his own office associates, as well as his
colleagues from across the Houston area for helping consumers and
investors drive recent good news in the local housing market.
• RE/MAX Northwest Co-Owner Stephanie Schley saying
her 70-plus agents were extremely busy, and with surging development in their area, the company was making office space for additional sales professionals joining their ranks to service a scrambling demand.
• Gayla Skates, Broker/Owner of the 80-plus agent RE/MAX
Realty Center I & II in Cypress, saying, “We’re glad to have this
excuse to stop working for a few hours and take time to congratulate our agents for their success; our market is red-hot, and we’re
making the most of it.”
Agents posed for photos with RE/MAX of Texas CEO Richard
Filip, and afterwards had the opportunity to take a private tour of
the Marque Houston and learn about membership perks, which
include “time-share access” to cars made by Ferrari, Lamborghini,
and other legendary names in sports motoring.
Agents from multiple-office-and-agent-award-winning RE/MAX
Fine Properties (Nimesh & Minesh Patel, Co-Owners) in Sugar
Land and RE/MAX Realty Center in Cypress secured party busses
for their respective groups to travel to and from the City Centre
soiree.
RE/MAX The Woodlands & Spring took the largest haul
of first place office awards in all eight production categories and were represented by numerous agents among the Top
20 in the Greater Houston area, including #1 producer Mike
Seder, also #1 nationally in the RE/MAX network for the first
half of 2012.
Additional offices capturing top category and multiple agent
awards included RE/MAX Associates Northeast in Kingwood,
RE/MAX Space Center-Clear
Lake, RE/MAX Realty West in
Fulshear, RE/MAX Grand in
Katy, RE/MAX Cinco Ranch in
Katy, RE/MAX Vintage in
Northwest Houston, RE/MAX
Southwest in Sugar Land.
RE/MAX 360 Broker/Owner
Thai Klam (also #2 individual producer Q1) and
RE/MAX Grand’s Tim Verge
r
ne
Ow
er/
ok
Br
were the Top Commercial
0
36
RE/MAX
AX of
/M
RE
th
Producers in the 1st and
wi
am
Kl
Thai
Filip.
d
ar
ch
2nd quarter, respectively.
Ri
O
CE
s
xa
Te
★ LOTS of additional highres photos are available at http://www.remax-texas.org/eventphotos/indexView.asp?event=2012MidYearHO
New Haven Model
Once completed, the New Haven model home will showcase a
spacious and open two-story home with four bedrooms - the master suite and an extra bedroom downstairs - along with three and
a half baths. The design includes a large family room that opens
to a stylish kitchen that features ceramic tile flooring, 42-inch
cabinets and a stainless-steel dishwasher and oven. A large master bedroom is adjoined by a well-designed master-bath appointed with oil-rubbed bronze fixtures, high vanity cabinets and a
garden tub. The model home will also feature a themed backyard
- as do other newer model homes in Aliana - which will reflect
the lifestyle of the Texas Hill Country.
Judkins adds that each buyer of a Village Builders home is
provided the opportunity to create an even greater level of
uniqueness through the builder’s custom collection of features
and upgrades offered through their exclusive Design Studio.
Village Builders has also added the innovative PowerSmart
Home to their inventory of unique, luxury homes, taking energy
efficiency to all new levels. Village Builders’ environmentally
friendly PowerSmart homes provide buyers a lifetime of value by
increasing energy efficiency at no additional cost. All
PowerSmart features are already included and each PowerSmart
Home is individually inspected, tested and rated by an independent third-party engineering firm to rate and confirm the energy
efficiency of the home. As evidence of their commitment to quality, this independent testing was not a requirement of Energy
Star Builders but Village Builders made it part of their practice.
Another aspect that makes Village Builders distinct,
explains Judkins, is their dedicated team of customer service professionals that are out in the field working with homebuyers. She
points out that a team will be assigned to Aliana to make sure
that homebuyers get attention even after the buyer closes on a
Village Builders home.
Village Builders homes will be located in the Bretton
Wood neighborhood in Aliana. For more information on
Village Builders, visit www.VillageBuilders.com. (See pg 11.)
36
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Brighton Homes Opens New Model in Kingwood!
Realtors traveled from across Houston to see Brighton
Homes newest community located off Kingwood Drive in
Kingwood. Brighton unveiled a classic newly decorated model in
The Villas of Kingwood Estates, as well as opened several
new inventory homes, priced from the
$200’s, for Realtors to tour while they
enjoyed a fabulous lunch provided by The
Catering Company.
The Villas of Kingwood Estates features freestanding, single family
detached homes in a gated community that offers residents the energy of city
living with the feel of a classic smaller
neighborhood. Brighton Homes offers a
variety of three/two story home
designs priced from $200s and ranging in
size from 1900 to 2800 square feet with
two to three bedrooms, up to three and a
half baths, oversized family rooms, formal
areas, lofts and flex rooms. The homes
include classy exterior finishes and chic
interior standard features such as wood
flooring, granite countertops, 42” cabinets, wrought iron and
much more.
Located near the corner of West Lake Houston Parkway and
Kingwood Drive, The Villas at Kingwood Estates is only minutes
away from Kingwood Country Club, Lake Houston, and multiple
parks and miles of Green Belts, thus offering residents a convenient location, great value and the
exceptional quality of a NEW Brighton home.
Brighton Homes currently only has two
inventory homes available for quick move-in.
For more information on the Kingwood Estates, or
to take advantage of special Grand Opening pricing, please contact Autumn Hansen at (281)
312-3286 or [email protected]. You can also
find more information on the website at
BrightonHomes.com, or visit Autumn in her
new model, which is located at 2844 Kings Retreat
Circle, Kingwood, Texas 77345.
Brighton Homes is now open for sale in The
Villas of Kingwood Estates, a new single family gated community with homes priced from the
$200’s in Kingwood.
The Montgomery County Chapter of The Women’s Council of Realtors has Committee Day at America’s on the Waterway
Event Partner,
Tori Torres/
Trendmaker
Homes, Susan
Mack/Exit Lone
Star Chapter
Pres-Elect and
Teri Bonnel/
Mariner Realty.
Luis Escobar, Teri Bonnel, Michelle and Judy McEvoy.
Angie Hunt, Darrell Arrant, Luis Escobar, Margaret
Womack, CD Womack, Judy McEvoy and Debbie Bates.
Ethel O’Dell 2012 MC Chapter President, Debbie Bates
Chapter Pres 1993, Patti St Louis 2012 Texas State Secretary,
Chapter Pres 2009, Jamie Quinn Chapter Pres 2002, Sharon
Eddings 2012 Past Texas State President and Chapter Pres
2006. Each told of their experiences in their year of service,
which was fun to hear how the chapter has grown. What great
leaders have formed this Chapter.
, Ways &
Faith Bailes an
m
Means Chair
September 2012
Sally Redman/Academy
Mortgage in The Woodlands,
Program Chair for 2012.
Meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month
at the River Plantation Country Club. Come join this group
for Lunch, fun and networking.
Please come and see what WCR is all about. Visit the WCR
web site at www.WCRMC.org
37
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CALDWELL COMPANIES WELCOMES
TOLL BROTHERS TO TOWNE LAKE
$15,000 IN PRIZES TO BE AWARDED AT
SIENNA PLANTATION’S 15TH BIRTHDAY
Nationally acclaimed homebuilder will begin construction soon
S
C
aldwell Companies has announced that Toll Brothers, Inc.
will bring its nationally known, high quality, luxury homes
to Towne Lake, Caldwell’s growing master planned community
in Cypress, Texas. Beginning in September 2012, Toll
Brothers will build homes starting in the upper $400s in
Vista Shores, a new section of the Towne Lake community that features 44 home sites including 26 sites with
water frontage.
Toll Brothers will offer fourteen single-family home designs
with multiple exterior elevations to choose from and a variety of
additional features, including one- and two-story homes, downstairs guest suites, two staircases, and three- and four-car
garages. Buyers are able to personalize their new homes with
upgraded finishes that allow each home to be unique.
Since 1967, Toll Brothers has built luxury homes and won
numerous awards for design, quality, financial soundness, and
customer service. “We are excited to begin construction in Towne
Lake,” said Karl Mistry, Toll Brothers Houston Division
President. “We have worked with Caldwell to bring cohesive
design elements and features to our Towne Lake homes to allow
them to fit seamlessly into the community, while making them
distinguished and special for each individual family.”
This announcement comes on the heels of the opening of the
community’s first custom home section – Water’s Edge at
Towne Lake. Designed using Caldwell’s signature hill country
charm, Towne Lake offers residents the opportunity to live on
Greater Houston’s fourth-largest recreational lake. Once fully
developed, Towne Lake will span 2,400 acres and include a
boardwalk and marina, green space, and a waterfront mixed-use
development including Class A office space.
For more information on Towne Lake, call (281) 256-2772 or
visit www.TowneLakeTexas.com. Additional information
about Toll Brothers can be found online at
www.TollBrothers.com.
RE&Y ADVERTISING INFO
(281) 372-6865
Skip Bradley
38
ienna Plantation will celebrate its 15th birthday with an
exclusive Realtor lunch and preview of its new wooded
homesites on Thursday, October 4 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Realtors can enjoy their own personal Segway as they tour the
new wooded homesites. Plus, all Licensed Realtors in attendance will receive one entry into drawings for $15,000 in
prizes. Licensed Realtors will receive an additional entry for
each new home they have sold in Sienna in 2012.
Sienna Plantation’s Brushy Creek Park
To reach the anniversary celebration and homesite preview,
come to the Sienna Plantation Home Finder Center, 5777 Sienna
Parkway, and follow the signs.
A project of Johnson Development, Sienna Plantation is a
short drive to the Texas Medical Center, downtown Houston and
other local points of interest. By late 2013, the Fort Bend Parkway
Toll Road will stretch from Sienna Plantation all the way to U.S.
90A when the EZ Tag only toll road is extended to Sienna
Parkway.
Among its countless amenities, the 7,000-acre, award-winning master-planned community is home to three water parks
including the south’s largest private water adventure park with
200 feet of twisting slides, the all-new Sienna Springs Resort Pool,
36 parks and playgrounds, the Camp Sienna Sports Complex, the
Sienna Plantation Golf Club, a 6,000-square-foot fitness center,
eight lighted tennis courts and lakes for fishing and kayaking.
Champions School of
Real Estate Instructor
Sara Boson, celebrates
success with one of her
students, Gianna.
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Jason Shaw, Realtor at RE/MAX One in Pearland, is
known as the area’s go-to commercial real
estate expert. Shaw got his start in real
estate investing in multifamily properties
in 2002 while he was still on active duty in
the Marines. After sustaining an injury in
Iraq, he medically retired from the Marines
and started an investment company with his
father.
In 2008, Shaw activated his real estate
license and began working as an agent for a
commercial broker. He found his experience as
an investor was a great asset to his clients.
“Commercial transactions require a specific skill set, a very
thorough understanding of the market and the processes involved
in conducting a successful transaction,” said Shaw.
In 2010, Shaw moved his business to RE/MAX – and has
never looked back. “The online tools, the back office support from
RE/MAX of Texas staff, the overall feeling of support in my office
from my broker and my fellow agents…it’s a great environment,
which really sets you up for success.”
Although Shaw services the greater Houston area, he sees
special opportunity in Pearland, where he lives and works. Shaw
says Pearland is a wonderful place to call home, crediting the city
management for Pearland’s famously clean and lush landscape.
In his spare time, Shaw enjoys volunteering to help other
injured veterans, sculpting, hosting self-improvement seminars,
and riding his Harley.
iFEST LIVE BENEFITING FORT BEND EDUCATION
FOUNDATION SET FOR NOVEMBER 3, 2012
This year’s International Festival & Vendor Fair will be
held at Aliana’s new model home village (See page 29.)
October 2012
3 MC/HAR, 9:30 am, River Plantation Club
3 WCR Greater West Houston, 11:30 am, Pine Forest Country Club
4 Har Katy Area, 11:30 am, Cinco Ranch Country Club
10 HAR NW Breakfast, 8 am, Raveneaux Country Club
10 WCR Montgomery County, 11:15 am, River Plantation Country Club
10 HAR/290 Area, 11:30 am, Sterling Country Club at Houston National
11 HAR/WCR Bay Area, 11:30 am, S. Shore Harbour Country Club
11 WCR Ft. Bend, 11:30 am, Sweetwater Country Club
17 AAREA Networking Meeting, 11:30 am, Ocean Palace
18 WCR Houston 1960 Chapter, 11:30 am, Raveneaux Country Club
18 NAHREP “Social”, 6 - 9 pm, Habanero’s
October 9th: Woodridge Forest invites
Realtors to attend the Grand Opening of three
new, fully-furnished model homes by Ryland and
Ashton Woods on Tuesday, from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm.
(See page 9.)
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PRESORT STD.
U.S. Postage
PAID
PERMIT NO. 600
HOUSTON, TEXAS
Millennium Graphix, 1330 Sherwood Forest, Suite 201, Houston, TX 77043
40
September 2012