Balcara at Balmoral, a luxury single-family home rental neighborhood, has opened in the Humble community.
Pre-leasing for the 163-home property commenced Dec. 15 and initial occupancy is planned for March 1, 2021. In addition to access to the Balmoral Amenity Village and Crystal Lagoons® amenity, residents will enjoy the private Balcara Neighborhood Lodge, which includes a fitness center, playroom, social rooms, and a playground. The community provides a maintenance-free lifestyle as well as internal parks, greenspaces, and miles of sidewalks.
“We are very excited to have developed one of the first planned single-family home rental neighborhoods in the Houston area and are elated to open the neighborhood to residents at rental rates comparable to area apartments, but with unique features such as attached two-car garages, private backyards and access to Texas’ first crystal clear lagoon,” said Paul Davey, Chief Executive Officer of Houston-based Balcara Group. “We are now replicating the success of Balcara at Balmoral in other leading communities in Texas and Florida. In 2021, we expect to add additional properties to our portfolio based on our robust pipeline.”
All of the Balcara homes include two-car attached garages, private backyards, Ring video doorbells and standard interior features such as 9-foot ceilings, stainless steel kitchen appliances, quartz countertops, wood plank-inspired flooring and spa-like bathrooms with double vanities.
The neighborhood is zoned to Groves Elementary School, West Lake Middle School, and Summer Creek High School. The community, which offers 24-hour maintenance, is professionally leased and managed by Bell Partners Inc., one of the nation’s leading apartment investment and management companies. Tours for prospective residents currently are by appointment and the model homes are slated to open in early 2021.
Ed Steffelin, Chief Investment Officer of Balcara Group, says the success of Balcara at Balmoral is testament to the value of relationships.
“We have a longstanding and honored relationship with Land Tejas, developer of Balmoral, and are appreciative of the opportunity to be part of the broader Balmoral and Humble community,” Steffelin said. “We look forward to working together for years to come.”
For more information, visit www.balcarabalmoral.com.
Looking to add some color to your world and soothe your soul in the process? Why not choose one or more of the recently announced paint colors of the year? This year, Pantone and well-known paint companies have announced picks designed to add a bit of cheer, a bit of tranquility and a bit of rejuvenation to your home and your world.
Without further ado, here are next year’s trending colors:
Pantone Color Institute
Pantone has long used its picks for color of the year to reflect the past year and hopes for the year ahead. This year, the company chose not one but two colors: The neutral Ultimate Gray and vibrant yellow Illuminating. The combination of colors is meant to reflect the strength and hopefulness needed for the new year. Ultimate Gray provides a neutral foundation for walls while cheery Illuminating is a great accent color.
Rust-Oleum
If gray isn’t your cup of tea, Rust-Oleum offers Satin Paprika, a spicy red that creates a warm and comforting environment perfect for bedrooms, outdoor living spaces and studies.
Glidden
Interior decorators have been predicting a trend toward blues and greens for the past six months and Glidden has obliged, selecting Aqua Fiesta PPG1147-4. The vibrant aquamarine hue easily dresses up an accent wall. Use it in the primary bath or as a contrast color in a room devoted to wispy whites.
Benjamin Moore
Need a little tranquility or an accent for a room filled with plants? Aegean Teal 2136-40 may be just for you. The soothing color encourages relaxation and wellness while managing to give rooms a modern, up-to-date look.
Sherwin-Williams
Sherwin-Williams went with a bold neutral. Urbane Bronze SW 7048 is a warm shade of gray-brown that reflects our need for serenity and stability.
Choose Your Color
Just purchased a new home in Balmoral? Ask your design center representative about these colors and how you can incorporate them in the home of your dreams.
The nation’s first restaurant alongside a Crystal Lagoons® amenity is now open in Balmoral.
The Blue Lagoon Bar & Grill is at the community’s award-winning Amenity Village clubhouse, 15808 Crystal Terrace Drive. The restaurant boasts the only sunset in America with a backdrop of perfectly clear turquoise blue water and the white-sand beaches of the 2-acre lagoon, said Uri Man, Chief Executive Officer of The Lagoon Development Company.
“We are proud to bring the first-ever restaurant on a crystal clear lagoon to the United States for all of Houston to enjoy,” Man said. “With such a gorgeous view, it will be easy to imagine that you’re in a tropical paradise.”
The restaurant is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday and features indoor and patio seating.
The eclectic menu is designed to appeal to a wide variety of appetites, with steaks, seafood, sandwiches and burgers. Signature items include Blackened Shrimp and Grits — sautéed red and yellow bell peppers and onions in a scratch Louisiana sauce over creamy cheese grits; Chicken and Waffles — a homemade Belgian waffle topped with cheese grits, buttermilk fried chicken, honey maple syrup and Aleppo pepper; a Kahuna Burger — smoked bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, Jonny sauce and cheese served with waffle fries; and Southwest Eggrolls — wonton wrappers filled with diced chicken, cheese, black beans and corn. Specialty cocktails include the Blue Lagoon Tom Collins, a Chocolate Peanut Butter Old Fashioned and a Habanero Margarita.
“Whether you’re out celebrating a special occasion or looking for something more casual, the restaurant’s dishes will satisfy,” Man said. “It is a dining experience unique to Houston and — with the crystal clear lagoon setting — one unique to the nation.”
The Blue Lagoon Bar & Grill is also available for private parties, weddings and corporate events.
The Balmoral lagoon was the first in Texas to open when it launched in 2018. Since its opening, the lagoon and Amenity Village have won numerous awards, including Best Community Amenity during the 2020 Texas Association of Builder’s Texas Star Awards and Master-Planned Community Amenity of the Year in the recent Greater Houston Builders Association’s Houston’s Best PRISM Awards. It was also named Recreation Center of the Year in the 2019 Houston’s Best PRISM Awards.
Learn more about the Blue Lagoon Bar & Grill at www.bluelagoonbargrill.com.
One of the advantages of making the move to Balmoral is the number of builders that make their home with us. Nineteen award-winning builders offer homes in our community. But with so many builders to choose from, how do you go about selecting one? Here are some tips for ensuring that you and your builder are a perfect match.
Research, Research, Research
Research potential builders before visiting their model homes. Doing so allows you to see floor plans ahead of time, find out what options are available and the price range you can expect. That helps you weed out builders that don’t fit your needs or budget. It also gives you a chance to see what former customers have to say about the building process and the quality of their finished homes.
Use a Realtor
Yes, you can use a Realtor while searching for your new build home. Realtors will listen to your wants and needs and then steer you toward the builders that offer the floor plans, pricing and options on your wish list.
Visit More Than the Model Homes
A model home is a 3D representation of what the builder offers. However, it is just one of perhaps half a dozen floor plans available. Ask the sales representative if the builder has inventory homes available. These move-in ready homes have been or are in the process of being built. Touring one or two will help you visualize what your new home might look like. It’s also an opportunity to check on the quality of the construction work.
Ask Lots of Questions
If you haven’t already done the research, now is the time to find out about a builder you are considering. Ask how long the builder has been in business, what features are standard and what are upgrades, what is the warranty, are energy-saving features built into the home, who will be overseeing the construction, what subcontractors are used, how long will it take to build your home and do they have testimonials from previous customers.
Meet Your Potential Neighbors
There is nothing wrong with talking to potential neighbors about their homes. Drive through the neighborhood and if you see people, stop and see if they will answer questions about their new home. Find out if their builder listened to their needs, if they’ve noticed any issues since they moved in and how quickly the builder corrected them, would they recommend their builder to family and friends and how easy the process was from start to finish.
Choose Your Builder
Balmoral builders include Anglia Homes, Ashton Woods, Castlerock Communities, Censeo Homes, Colina Homes, Darling Homes, D. R. Horton, Empire, Gehan Homes, Highland Homes, HistoryMaker Homes, K. Hovanian Homes, Lennar, Long Lake Ltd., Perry Homes, Shea Homes, Taylor Morrison, Trendmaker Homes and Westin Homes. Visit our community and our model homes and start the search for your builder and your new home.
The nation’s first restaurant alongside a Crystal Lagoons® amenity is opening soon in Balmoral.
The Blue Lagoon Bar & Grill will be inside the community’s Amenity Village clubhouse, 15808 Crystal Terrace Drive. The restaurant will boast the only sunset in America with a backdrop of perfectly clear turquoise blue water and the white-sand beaches of the 2-acre lagoon, said Uri Man, Chief Executive Officer of The Lagoon Development Company.
“We are proud to bring the first-ever restaurant on a crystal clear lagoon to the United States for all of Houston to enjoy,” Man said. “With such a gorgeous view, it will be easy to imagine that you’re in a tropical paradise.”
The restaurant will be open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
The eclectic menu is designed to appeal to a wide variety of appetites, with steaks, seafood, Italian fare, sandwiches and burgers. Signature items include Chipotle Pork — pork medallions wrapped in bacon, roasted and served with chipotle hollandaise sauce; Chicken Fried Steak — prime rib pounded, soaked in buttermilk and served with bacon white gravy; and Chicken and Waffles — a homemade Belgian waffle topped with cheese grits, buttermilk fried chicken, Vermont maple syrup and Aleppo pepper.
“Whether you’re out celebrating a special occasion or looking for something more casual, the restaurant’s dishes will satisfy,” Man said. “It will be a dining experience unique to Houston and — with the crystal clear lagoon setting — one unique to the nation.”
Man said the restaurant is expected to open in November. It will also be available for private parties, weddings and corporate events.
The Balmoral lagoon was the first in Texas to open when it launched in 2018. Since its opening, the lagoon and Amenity Village have won numerous awards, including Best Community Amenity during the 2020 Texas Association of Builder’s Texas Star Awards and Master-Planned Community Amenity of the Year in the recent Greater Houston Builders Association’s Houston’s Best PRISM Awards. It was also named Recreation Center of the Year in the 2019 Houston’s Best PRISM Awards.
Learn more about the Blue Lagoon Bar & Grill at www.bluelagoonbargrill.com.