This is a great video by Marianne Cusato, the nationally acclaimed architect who specializes in maximizing space in small cottage style house plans. Marianne designed the original "Katrina Cottage" which was a wonderful substitue to the FEMA trailers that were being issued to vicitms of Hurricane Katrina.
There are some great design principles that I think that anyone will enjoy who is thinking about building a new home in Waco.
Mark P. Felton offers buyers looking for houses in Waco a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer. His home building company is Front Porch Homes which builds in and around the Waco area. And his development company is Frontera Development, which is a full service real estate development firm based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.
Cotton Crossing
Rancho Lorena
Front Porch Homes
Frontera Development
Model Home
For more information, please call Mark at 254-495-1241 or email him at fronteradevelopment@gmail.com
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Waco New Home Journal "Home Design"
Monday, September 29, 2008
Pick Your Elevation for a "New Home in Waco"
Front Porch Homes, Waco's premiere "Traditional Builder" features a new program in which you can pick your floor plan or have one custom drawn and then you select the style of house you prefer and we will customize an elevation to match.
The exact same house can be built to your specific taste and distinctive style, with out compromising the integrity of the floor plan.
Currently, Front Porch Homes is building these style of houses in Cotton Crossing, a traditional neighborhood development in Woodway, Texas. Houses typically range in size from 1,600 up to 3,500 sq/ft.
Typically, in a historic neighborhood, there will be a significant mix of architectural designs, that when done properly add to the character and charm of a beautiful neighborhood. Front Porch Homes and Cotton Crossing are striving to replicate that bygone era the "return of the neighborhood" in Waco, Texas.
The Waco Real Estate Market is usually low on options for the buyer who is wanting to downsize, simplify their life, stay in close to center of town and still have a house with character that is also energy efficient and easy to maintain. Cotton Crossing and Front Porch Homes are featuring a new phase that centers around single story house plans that are designed with the active empty nester in mind.
For more information or to schedule an appointment for a consultation, please contact:
Mark P. Felton
Front Porch Homes/Frontera Development
495-1241
fronteradevelopment@gmail.com
www.cottoncrossingtx.com
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Waco Builder, Front Porch Homes breaks ground at Rancho Lorena
Front Porch Homes has officially broken ground on the first house to be built in Rancho Lorena. The house will be a single story "hill country" styled house. The house will be a "green built" house featuring spray foam insulation, tankless water heaters, stained concrete and low voc paints.
Numerous other houses are poised to start in the next 30 days by Waco Builders such as Tony Knight Homes, Steve Patrick Homes, Brashears Homes and Kunkel Construction.
Currently, Phase I of the subdivision is about 35% sold out.
For inquiries about lot sales, pricing, availabitity etc.. please contact Mark P. Felton at Keller Williams Real Estate 254-495-1241 or email at fronteradevelopment@gmail.com.
Mark offers buyers looking for houses in Waco a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer. His home building company is Front Porch Homes which builds in and around the Waco area. And his development company is Frontera Development, which is a full service real estate development firm based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Front Porch Homes to begin building in Rancho Lorena
Front Porch Homes has signed on to build the first custom house in the new "Rancho Lorena" subdivision. The house will be approximately 2,300 sq/ft and will feature a rustic "Hill Country" elevation. A combination of rock and James Hardie Fiber Cement Siding will make up the elevation with cedar post, window sheds, and shutters for accents.
The house is going to be a "Green" built home. It will feature such green amenities as spray foam insulation, tankless water heaters, stained concrete floors and low voc paints.
Rancho Lorena is situated on the beautiful rolling countryside of Central Texas, where you can still see the stars and savor the crisp clean air. Take the family on a stroll through the winding roads, feed your horses, work in your shop out back . . . You're already home at Rancho Lorena!
For inquiries about lot sales, pricing, availabitity etc.. please contact Mark P. Felton at Keller Williams Real Estate 254-495-1241.
Mark offers buyers looking for houses in Waco a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer. His home building company is Front Porch Homes which builds in and around the Waco area. And his development company is Frontera Development, which is a full service real estate development firm based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.
www.rancholorena.com
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Green & Sustainable, Front Porch Homes Utilizes James Hardie Siding
Low maintenance
"I've been using Hardie siding in the Texas heat for over 10 years. The homes I built then still look brand new today."Jim Sargent, GMB, CGB, CAPS
Specified on LEED® certified buildings
The Robert Redford Building for the Natural Resources Defense Council, ranked among the highest LEED® rated buildings in America.Designed by Moule and Polyzoides Architects and Urbanists
Local materials and resources
Operating 10 manufacturing facilities enables you to support the regional economy and reduce the environmental impacts resulting from transportation of materials.
Sustainability
"I've used James Hardie siding for years and have been delighted with the results. It's sustainable and the only product I will consider substituting for wood."Sarah Susanka, FAIA
Durability
"HardieBacker™ cement board is our choice for wet area walls and floors. Its moisture resistance and Moldblock™ technology ensure durability and a commitment to quality we can trust."Sebastian Lombardo, Lombardo Homes
Natural raw materials (wood pulp, cement, sand and water)
"Green products shouldn't be made from endangered materials. One of the reasons James Hardie products are 'green' is because they incorporate natural ingredients that are low in toxicity. And, they last longer than other products." Peter Pfeiffer, FAIA, designer of the first Zero-Energy Home
Better building envelope
"Where cladding systems such as fiber-cement siding shine is that they allow air circulation and don't inhibit drainage. That's very different from a stucco assembly or a brick veneer."Joseph Lstiburek, BASC, M.ENG., PH.D, P.ENG
"Once we researched the market and realized how superior James Hardie Siding was, not only as a "Green Product" but as an external veneer that can give Cotton Crossing & Front Porch Homes the Traditional Architectural look that will look good for years to come, Hardie-Plank was the only choice."
Mark P. Felton II, Developer of Cotton Crossing in Woodway, Tx and President of Frontera Development & Front Porch Homes.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Waco Suburb of Lorena is Charming and Not So Far Away.
Lorena still maintains its Charm with well known shops like the Village Lamplighter and many other Downtown shops.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Waco New Home Journal "Common Design Mistakes"
Front Porch Homes features famed architect Mariane Cusato discussing "Common Design Mistakes"
This is a quick, but very informative segment on how to avoid the common mistakes and regrets that people have when they are building or remodling a home.
Front Porch Homes is one of Waco's leading new home builders. We like to take the same comprehensive approach to the building process. Taking the time to view every aspect of how the design, layout and flow of the house will work for you and your family will pay off in dividends when the project is complete. Typically, everybody will say, "I wish we had thought to do that when we built". It is a painful reminder every day that you live in that house.
Currently, Front Porch Homes is building in Cotton Crossing, Rancho Lorena, and Lost Oaks. We will also custom build for customers on their lot as long as it is not too far out of the Waco area.
For more information on Front Porch Homes design/build consulting on a new home in Waco or for people who are interested in Green Building, please call Mark P. Felton 254-751-7150. Front Porch Homes is an active member of the Heart of Texas Builders Associaton and a regsitered builder with the Texas Residential Construction Commission.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Baylor Real Estate Researcher Notes Trends For Agents
Newswise — Dr. Chris Pullig, Director of the Keller Center for Research in Residential Real Estate Marketing at Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business, noted today that while existing home sales are on the decline there has only been a marginal reduction in National Association of Realtors (NAR) membership, hence fewer transactions are available to each individual agent. “For the agents who will succeed in this kind of environment, the key is going to be who can operate more efficiently and are more strategic in the way they allocate marketing resources,” Pullig said.
(Refer to graphic chart at http://business.baylor.edu/hsb/news/NARchart.jpg. Source: National Association of Realtors.)
Though existing home sales have been waning since 2005, there has only been a marginal reduction in NAR membership, a response that does not reflect the strong correlation these two figures have shown in the past. During the recent housing boom, which began in the mid-1990s and continued through the first half of this decade, NAR membership nearly doubled – from 729,266 in 1993 to 1.27 million in 2005. But as the number of homes sold shifted downward in 2006, the number of real estate agents continued to rise.
“When we see these kinds of trends, we want to investigate the means by which real estate agents most effectively generate revenue: What lead generation techniques are most effective?” said Dr. Kirk Wakefield, chair of the Marketing Department at Baylor. “What marketing strategies work best given this environment? Taking this aggregate trend into consideration, the focus of the Keller Center is on agents and what makes them successful as individuals. We want to examine things such as the best ways to promote and communicate an agent’s business and the best ways to brand individual or group real estate agencies.”
The Keller Center is currently looking at issues that affect residential real estate marketing strategies including lead generation and conversion, branding issues, consumer expectations and pricing. While the research will remain academic in nature, the Keller Center also focuses on making the information learned accessible to the working real estate agent. Articles discussing the center’s studies will be available online at www.baylor.edu/business/kellercenter, beginning June 2008.
“Moving forward, the center will focus its studies on the factors that influence individual home buyers in their decision, as well as marketing and management issues that are important to real estate agencies and small businesses,” said Pullig. “The faculty associated with the center will generate research in areas yet untouched by academia, finding real answers to age-old questions about buyer-seller relationships.”
The Keller Center supports an academic major in Professional Selling.
The Keller Center encourages the participation of realtors in their research. To be added to the Keller Center mailing list, please send your name, address and email to Laura_Indergard@baylor.edu.
About Baylor Business
The Hankamer School of Business holds to a visionary standard of excellence whereby integrity stands shoulder to shoulder with analytic and strategic strengths to build leaders, not simply careers. Visit www.baylor.edu/business for more information.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
New Waco Houses Emphasize Design & Architecture
Houses built by Front Porch Homes feature traditional architectural styles, unique color combinations, and creative floor plans and layouts. Front Porch Homes is an annual participant in the HOTBA Parade of Homes and is building in the Cotton Crossing & Rancho Lorena master planned communites to name a few. They will also build on customers individual lots as well.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Rancho Lorena Nears Completion of First Phase
The Rancho Lorena subdivision is nearing completion. Almost 35% of the lots have been pre-sold to builders and individual homebuyers. The roads are being prepared for base and asphalt as we speak. Rancho Lorena is Lorena's premiere subdivision offering acreage lots from 1.4 to 4 acres. It is situated in the perfect location development wise. The property is in the Lorena School District, it has Spring Valley Water, and is in the City of Waco ETJ, so residents will basically have no city taxes until it is annexed. Lorena has been a very desirable school district for over 20 years, however, families wanting to relocate there have only had a few options as to where the could move. Now with the great access to Spring Valley Rd. and Old Lorena Rd., Rancho Lorena is poised to be best place to live in the Lorena area.
Country Estate Living at its best. Rancho Lorena will allow you to have an animal such as a horse. You can build a barn or out-building as long as it matches the construction of the house. There is a 2,000 sq/ft minimum on houses. All buyers will submit there plans to the Architectural Control Committee for review and approval.
Lots are very affordably priced and are going quickly. A model home will be built sometime in 2008. For more information, you can go to http://www.rancholorena.com/ or for contact information.
Keller Williams Realty 254-495-1241 .
Mark Felton offers buyers looking for houses in Waco a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer. His home building company is Front Porch Homes which builds in and around the Waco area. And his development company is Frontera Development, which is a full service real estate development firm based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.
Frontera Development is also the developer of the Cotton Crossing subdivision in Woodway as well as Lost Oaks in Bosqueville.
Monday, March 31, 2008
New Urbanism in Waco & Texas
The following article was recently published in the Waco Tribune Herald and is written by the nationally renowned economist, Ray Perryman, whose Perryman Group is based in Waco. He briefly cites how New Urbanism is sprouting up in Waco and all over the State of Texas.
Ray Perryman: 'New urbanism' changing cities' faces
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Ongoing projects relating to “new urbanism” in Austin have resulted in that city being selected as the host for the 16th annual Congress for New Urbanism scheduled next month.
The assembly will focus on methods for enabling communities to expand living and business opportunities in a responsible manner.
Waco will be paying attention as well.
Austin, with a variety of endeavors ranging from a new rail system to downtown high-rise residences, is typical of cities across the country that are facing population growth, employment expansion, and the resulting transportation and congestion issues.
New urbanism, which began a few years ago, is a movement that focuses on developing more compact communities, somewhat similar to small European neighborhoods. In these areas, pedestrian traffic is often preferred to automobile travel.
New urbanism also includes endeavors to provide diverse, vibrant and pedestrian-friendly living and work environments. In almost all cases, along with the construction of specialized residences, generous space is allocated for multi-use purposes, including retail operations.
New urbanist projects
Currently, more than 4,000 new urbanist projects are planned or under construction across the U.S.
The transformation of the Waco Square into a mixed-used, high-density development is one such effort.
Until fairly recently, new urbanism had not attracted a lot of attention in the Lone Star State, even though it has been popular in other states for quite some time.
However, last year, the demand for luxury living led to construction of high-rise apartments and condominiums in many of Texas’ major metros.
Nearly $400 million was authorized for these kinds of facilities in Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. Commercial, public and residential facilities recently completed or planned in Houston will likely far eclipse that amount.
These and other cities are also considering further needs and opportunities for the future. Included are those designed to rebuild neighborhoods to stave off decay, diminish crime and provide economically attractive living quarters.
Recent housing problems in Florida, California and elsewhere have tended to slow urbanism activities in those areas. As a result, greater interest and investment are being directed to the Third Coast, the name by which the Texas Gulf Coast area is sometimes called, because beach-front property is still available at more reasonable costs compared to the other coasts.
This wave of new urbanism spans oceanfront sites from Galveston to South Padre Island. The total amount of expenditures projected is upwards of $3 billion over the short term. Many of these communities are expected to attract those from out-of-state as well as individuals and families currently residing in Texas.
Some of the Texas Gulf Coast projects feature complete new communities, or villages, while others are directed more toward improving historic areas and expanding multi-use opportunities.
The majority of housing being provided in the coastal environment is single-family dwellings, but high-rise and mid-rise condominiums are also included.
In these areas, caution is being taken to make certain that developments are controlled and that they include retail and restaurants, which will significantly enlarge the tax base for these areas.
As baby boomers begin to search for investments and select retirement homes, the Texas Gulf Coast is receiving closer examination. Foreign investors are also considering the coastal regions of the state.
Although the housing crisis and credit crunch have gripped much of the U.S., developments in various Texas metros, plus those in open spaces that define the state’s coast, are defying the trend and bringing a wave of optimism for new economic opportunities in the future.
Economist Ray Perryman is CEO of the Perryman Group. He also serves as distinguished professor of economic theory and method at the International Institute for Advanced Studies.
http://www.cottoncrossing.net/
http://www.rancholorena.com/
http://www.perrymangroup.com/index.html
