M/I Homes is the newest homebuilder to join the builder team at Firethorne, a 1,400-acre master-designed residential community located in Katy/Fulshear.   The builder’s 60-foot lot model home will be constructed in the new Firethorne West Model Park.  Firethorne is situated 10 and 15 miles west of the Texas Medical Center-West Campus and Houston’s Energy Corridor, respectively.

M/I Homes’ one- and two-story homes, available in brick, stone and stucco exterior elevations, will range from 2,000 to 3,400 square feet and priced from the $220,000s. The builder’s signature features include soaring windows, rotundas, structural and designer options and a 30-year transferable structural warranty.

“We hand-select each of our builders based upon their high standards for design, quality, customer satisfaction and reputation,” said Firethorne General Manager Wayne Meyer. Currently completing the Firethorne builder team are: Ashton Woods Homes, Coventry Homes, Highland Homes, Partners in Building, Perry Homes, Plantation Homes and David Weekley Homes.

Firethorne, located in the top-ranked Katy Independent School District and Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, features 150 acres devoted to parks and recreational amenities, a 12-acre lake with surrounding greenbelt, resort-style swim center, new competitive swim center, sports fields, hike/bike trails, parks and playgrounds, discovery-rich wildlife observation area and a natural bird habitat. 

To tour Firethorne, visiting both new construction and resale homes, call me at 713-818-2404. I have sold Katy real estate for over 22 years and would be delighted to hear from you!

Beazer Homes, an Atlanta based builder, recently closed on 209 acres on FM 1463 for a development to be called Churchhill Farms. According to The Houston Chronicle,  ”Named after the founder of Fulshear, Churchill Fulshear, Churchill Farms will have 550 lots, more than 40 acres of open space, a 10-acre lake and a community pool and clubhouse.” The first model homes are scheduled to open in January 2012.

The Cardiff family, one of Katy’s oldest families, retained this last tract of the old family homestead. The land was purchased by the Cardiff family in 1924 and recently sold to Beazer.

The Chronicle went on to say, “Homes will range from $150,000 to $250,000, depending on the lot sizes. The smaller lots are targeting single professionals working in the Energy Corridor in west Houston or medical professionals working in the hospitals along I-10. The larger lots will likely house move-ups.”

Beazer has announced that preliminary plans include 16 acres of retail and commercial development.

To tour Katy or Fulshear homes and work with a Realtor who can assist you in negotiations, call me at 713-818-2404. I have sold Katy real estate for over 21 years. Experience does count!

Firethorne continued its record-breaking ways in 2010, selling 254 new homes, an all-time high for the five-year-old Katy/Fulshear residential development.   This represents a 6.7 percent increase in new home sales over 2009, when the 1,400-acre master-designed community marked its previous record-breaking 238 homes sold.

“The continued growth of the Katy/Fulshear/West Houston economy, the Federal tax credits for first-time homebuyers (offered earlier in the year), our outstanding public schools and ongoing support from the local Realtor ® community have fueled the success we achieved in 2010,” said Firethorne General Manager Wayne Meyer.

Project-to-date, Firethorne has sold 1,132 new homes.   The Firethorne homebuilders are Coventry Homes, Highland Homes, Partners in Building, Perry Homes, Plantation Homes and David Weekley Homes.

In terms of growth, energy companies have relocated employees to the area, plus three major Houston hospitals are expanding in the Katy/West Houston areas, including Texas Children’s Hospital-Katy, Memorial Hermann-Katy and The Methodist Hospital-Katy.

Firethorne is attractive to the Houston relocation market with its proximity to the Energy Corridor, location in the top-ranked Katy Independent School District and Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, and availability of lots typically found in the country with all of conveniences of master-designed recreational amenities, such as state-of-the-art technology and nearby shopping, retail, dining, entertainment, schools and medical facilities.

The community features 150 acres devoted to parks and recreational amenities, a 12-acre lake with surrounding greenbelt, resort-style swim center, sports fields, hike/bike trails, parks and playgrounds, discovery-rich wildlife observation area and a natural bird habitat. It’s where the vibrancy of West Houston meets the small-town charm of Katy/Fulshear. Located 15 miles west of Houston’s Energy Corridor, take I-10 west and exit Pin Oak to FM 1463, go to www.firethorne.info, or call 281-693-1011.

To tour Firethorne homes and work with a Realtor who can assist you in negotiations, call me at 713-818-2404. I have sold Katy real estate for over 21 years. Experience does count!

The 18^th Annual Katy Triathlon at Firethorne, the third largest co-ed triathlon in Texas, will be held Sunday, October 24, 7:30 a.m. – 11 a.m., in and around the 1,400-acre Firethorne residential community.  The USA Triathlon-sanctioned race, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Katy, encompasses a 16-mile bike race, a three-mile run and a 500-meter swim in Lake Firethorne.

“Firethorne is a great partner on this event and we’re thrilled to be back,” said Rotary Club of Katy Treasurer Vicki Rao.  “We really enjoy the residents — they’re phenomenal people.  Their response was so incredible last year, especially those who live near Race Central (the Visitor Center).”

The 2010 race hopes to draw 1,000 participants — 900+ individual athletes, plus those on relay teams.

The cycling route will include sections of FM 1463 and US Hwy. 90, within the Katy city limits. Firethorne is located on FM 1463, near the crossroads of the I-10 West corridor, Westpark Tollway and Grand Parkway.

“Firethorne’s 12-acre lake amenity and proximity to wide spaces of rural areas is conducive to having a successful triathlon,” said veteran Race Director Dave Rainey.

The registration fee is $55 per person and $75 per relay team through September 1.  Registration continues through October 20.  The complete fee structure and deadlines are posted on the new website, www.katytriathlon.com.

The Rotary Club of Katy, race sponsor, donates event proceeds to the Katy Rotary Fund, which supports local charities for their work in providing essential health, recreation and educational services to children in Katy ISD.  In May, the Rotary Fund awarded $21,000 in scholarships, $1,500 each to 14 graduating seniors from the district’s six high schools. Cinco Ranch High School FBLA, Rotary Interact Club and Boy Scouts provide have provided volunteer support for the race. Race sponsorships, underwriters and in-kind underwriters are available.  For information, call 281-391-3655.

If you think Firethorne’s tennis coach is just an ace on the tennis court, you couldn’t be more wrong. Resident athlete/sports coach Chris Dante didn’t even take up the sport until he was 30, after excelling in baseball, (in 1988 he made it as far as the Olympic Trials), basketball, (City University of New York team captain), and football, as well as boxing and Taekwondo, (he has a black belt)!

“But after one too many broken noses, I turned to something less brutal — tennis,” said Dante, who helped launch Firethorne’s premiere tennis program this spring. With the new Women’s Tennis League and beginner tennis clinics now in full swing, Firethorne continues to demonstrate the Katy/Fulshear community’s commitment to fitness and competitive sports, through its hike and bike trails, swimming and running, regulation lacrosse fields and personal training at the on-site exercise facility.

During the summer, Coach Dante offers two morning clinics for resident children, (9 and 10 a.m.), and one 6 p.m. clinic for adult beginners. He also teaches private lessons. The tennis courts are open to Firethorne residents and their invited guests.

(Pictured above: Firethorne Resident Tennis Coach Chris Dante is on the court during a summer children’s clinic with residents (bottom/center, then clockwise): Boston Blake, Hannah Blake, Julian Martinez (far left with basket of tennis balls), Najee Boyd, Alissa Basaldua, Roel Martinez (hidden), and Jean Basaldua.)

“Coaching is a labor of love,” said Dante. “I love being outside with the kids — teaching and coaching them.” He also enjoys introducing many of their parents to tennis.

The four fully-lit hard courts are located adjacent to the lacrosse fields in the 1,400-acre Katy/Fulshear master-designed development.

Firethorne, located 15 miles west of Houston’s Energy Corridor, blends the best nature has to offer: 150 acres devoted to parks and recreational amenities, a 12-acre lake with surrounding greenbelt, hike/bike trails, parks and playgrounds, discovery-rich wildlife observation area and a natural bird habitat. Served by the award-winning Katy I.S.D., Firethorne combines the vibrancy of West Houston with the small-town charm of Katy/Fulshear.

Life is great in Firethorne! To tour homes in Firethorne, contact me. To search all the houses currently on the market in Katy/Houston see Home Search. I have sold Katy real estate for over 20 years and would be pleased to work together.

Firethorne, a 1,400-acre master-designed community is located in Katy/Fulshear, 15 miles west of the Energy Corridor.

“We are extremely pleased with the results of our Firethorne sales and marketing teams and appreciate the tremendous support of the local Realtor® community,” said Firethorne Marketing Director Janet Burkett. Realtors® generate 75 percent of all new home sales.

While she suggests the federal tax credits for first-time homebuyers may have planted a seed in people’s minds, she attributes the strong new home sales in the Firethorne community to the continued growth in the Katy and Fulshear areas and for being part of one of the best school districts in the state. The fact that there are three major Houston hospitals expanding in the area, plus energy companies relocating employees there, have contributed to the sales activity, as well, she said.

Firethorne blends with the best nature has to offer: 150 acres devoted to parks and recreational amenities, a 12-acre lake with surrounding greenbelt, hike/bike trails, parks and playgrounds, discovery-rich wildlife observation area and a natural bird habitat. Firethorne combines the vibrancy of West Houston with the small-town charm of Katy/Fulshear.he community is strategically located on FM 1463 near the crossroads of the 1-10 West corridor, the Westpark Tollway and the Grand Parkway.

To tour Firethorne, take I-10 West and exit Pin Oak to FM 1463, call the Visitor Center, 281-693-1011, or visit www.firethorne.info.

For information about Firethorne  homes, contact me directly at 713-818-2404 or via email. When buying new construction, it is always best to have a Realtor to represent you in negotiations; there is no cost to you and a multitude of benefits. I have specialized in Katy real estate for over 20 years. Experience does count!

Firethorne sold 238 new homes in 2009, achieving a record high for annual sales for the Katy/Fulshear residential development.   Last year’s home sales represent a 16.6 percent increase over 2008 (204 homes). The previous record for the four-year-old development was 218 sales in 2007.  The 1,400-acre master-designed community is located 15 miles west of Houston’s Energy Corridor.

“We’re very pleased with these figures,” noted Firethorne General Manager Wayne Meyer.  According to Meyer, Firethorne has been holding its own thanks to continued growth in the Katy and Fulshear areas and for being part of one of the greatest school districts in the state. “BP America and Conoco/Phillips have relocated employees here, plus three major Houston hospitals are expanding in this area — two under construction and one on the drawing board,” he noted.

Firethorne has sold a total of 918 homes project-to-date. The Firethorne builder team consists of Coventry Homes, Highland Homes, Parkwood Builders, Partners in Building, Perry Homes, Plantation Homes and David Weekley Homes.

Firethorne is attractive to the Houston relocation market with its proximity to the Energy Corridor, location in the top-ranked Katy Independent School District, and availability of estate-sized lots typically found in the country with all of conveniences of master-designed recreational amenities, such as state-of-the-art technology and nearby shopping, retail, dining, entertainment, schools and medical facilities.

The community features 150 acres devoted to parks and recreational amenities, a 12-acre lake with surrounding greenbelt, resort-style swim center, sports fields, hike/bike trails, parks and playgrounds, discovery-rich wildlife observation area and a natural bird habitat.  It’s where the vibrancy of West Houston meets the small-town charm of Katy/Fulshear. Take I-10 West and exit Pin Oak to FM 1463, go to www.firethorne.info, or call 281-693-1011.

For information about Firethorne and all Katy area homes, you can search the entire Houston MLS from this blog. For questions or to tour any area homes, contact me directly at 713-818-2404 or via email. I have specialized in Katy real estate for over 20 years. Experience does count!

Bring the kids to learn valuable safety tips from local police officers, fire fighters and public service workers on “Play it Safe Day” at the Cross Creek Ranch Welcome Center located in Fulshear.

The event will take place on Friday, August 21st from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  Children will learn by exploring an on-site fire truck, ambulance, and Life Flight Helicopter. Rescue and safety professionals will be present to give tours and answer questions.

The City of Fulshear will be present and providing child ID kits for parents who would like to register their children in the Fulshear safety program. Guests will also enjoy free pizza, drinks, snacks and giveaways.

“We are committed to the safety of our residents. This event is designed to help the children of Cross Creek Ranch and surrounding communities to get familiar with local safety enforcers and must-know safety practices.” said Melissa Guerra, Marketing Coordinator at Cross Creek Ranch.

Cross Creek Ranch is a mixed-use, master-planned community in Fulshear, located west of Houston and south of Katy. This Trendmaker development features some of the finest local and national home builders, including Ashton Woods Homes, David Weekley Homes, Kickerillo Homes, Perry Homes, Trendmaker Homes, and Village Builders. Homes are selling now with prices starting from the $200’s to over $1 million.

For driving directions, see the Cross Creek Ranch website.

For information about all Katy area homes, you can search the entire Houston MLS from this blog. For questions or to tour any area homes, contact me directly at 713-818-2404 or via email. I have specialized in Katy real estate for over 20 years. Experience does count!

Last weekend, August 9-10, Perry Homes debuted their new model in Cross Creek Ranch, a 3,000 acre master-planned in Fulshear. An amenities full one-story, the floor plan has four bedrooms and three baths. It’s 2,974 square feet.

Perry Homes in Cross Creek Ranch now offers buyers a choice of large one and two-story home inspired by Georgian architecture. The houses feature hand-crafted kitchen cabinets, bright walls of windows, spa-like master retreats and designer-inspired accents highlight the homes.

Offering a two-year Workmanship Warranty and designing homes that meet or exceed both Energy Star and the Houston Builders Association’s Green Building Initiative guidelines are two of the benefits enjoyed by Perry homeowners.

Other builders in Cross Creek Ranch in Fulshear include Ashton Woods, David Weekley, Trendmaker and Village Homes.

For information about Katy area homes, you can search the entire Houston MLS from this blog. For questions or to tour any area homes, contact me directly at 713-818-2404. I offer financial incentives to my sellers/buyers. I have specialized in Katy real estate for over 19 years. Experience does count!

Although I home office, I love to attend our working luncheons at Keller Williams Katy, especially those when a developer visits to announce a new development coming to the Katy area. The recent announcement of Cross Creek Ranch, developed by Trendmaker, was a grand surprise and a special thrill!

Cross Creek Ranch will be one of the most phenomenal developments in the Katy area and will have a huge impact on area real estate. There is so much to tell you that I will keep you updated about our new and exciting neighbor, Cross Creek Ranch.

Cross Creek Ranch is unlike anything that has come to Katy, technically Fulshear. (I like to joke that housing on the south side of Katy Freeway will grow all the way to San Antonio.) I remember when Fulshear was a real country town and the only high-end development was Weston Lakes, a guard-gated development built around a natural waterway and a golf course/club house. There was a tiny grocery store and a famous bar-barbecue café that attracted Houstonians.

There is so much to share with you! Following are just some of the highlights of our new neighbor, the soon-to-be glorious development of Cross Creek Ranch!

• 3,200-acre master planned community located in Fulshear, Texas.
• Located minutes away from Katy, the Grand Parkway and the Westpark Tollway.
• High-tech connectivity – high-speed fiber optic network connected directly to every home.
• Charming southeastern Texas ranch architectural design.
• Over 25 miles of trails along open space corridors meandering along the water’s edge of several hundred acres of lakes.
• Beautifully restored Flewellen Creek will be one of the centerpieces of the community.
• Fitness and Wellness Center.
• Large water park featuring a resort-style pool, spray park and water slide cascading down a 40 foot man-made hill.
• Community-based charitable education foundation that will provide residents with enhanced educational opportunities.
• Multi-purpose space for special events, parties and meetings.
• Annual Homeowner Association Fee: $800.

Stay tuned for more information about our new and exciting neighbor!

For information about Katy area homes, you can search the entire Houston MLS from this blog. For questions or to tour any area homes, contact me directly at 713-818-2404.  I have specialized in Katy real estate for over 19 years. Experience does count!