If there is one thing you can never have too much of in your home, it’s places to store things. Rather than purchasing the odd storage bin, consider adding built-in storage to your new home upgrade list. Investing at the design center is not only good for your family, it can increase the value of your home.
There are many options for building in storage; here are some of the most common ones:
Built-in Bookcases
You’ve seen them in the model homes. Beautiful bookcases built into the walls on either side of a gorgeous fireplace. These shelves are a beautiful way to display treasured knickknacks, but they also are great for keeping DVDs and books off the floor. Also consider adding them to your home office to ensure you can always find the report you need.
Sideboards
If your home doesn’t come with a butler’s pantry, ask if you can have a sideboard added to the formal dining room or the casual dining area. Sideboards are a convenient place to store dishes and linens. Ask about adding wine racks so your favorite vintages are always on hand.
Entertainment Centers
What is the ultimate media room without the ultimate entertainment center? Built-in cabinets can hold all of your DVDs and comfy throws for movie nights. Ask you builder to add a wet or dry bar for the ultimate game day space.
Window Seats
When it comes to functional yet beautiful storage, window seats top the list. Also known as bench seating when they are found in mud rooms, window seats also add extra storage to children’s rooms, game rooms and dining areas. Just open the lid and put your stuff inside. Close the lid, add some throw pillows and you’ve got a quiet reading nook.
Closets, Utility Rooms, Garages
Closets, utility rooms and garages usually come with some shelving or a cabinet or two but consider adding more. In the utility room, add cupboards underneath a granite counter. The cupboards hold all of your laundry items and the counter is a great place to fold laundry. Counters and cabinets in the garage are great for storing stuff but can also help you turn part of the space into a hobby area. As for closets? Can you ever be too organized? Add built-in dressers, shoe racks and extra shelving so you can always find something to wear.
Talk Built-ins with Your Balmoral Builder
Ready to visit your Balmoral builder’s design center? Don’t forget to take a list of all the things you would like to be able to store. Your design center representative would be happy to recommend some great options.
It is a common misconception that you don’t need a Realtor if you are purchasing a new construction home. In actuality, a Realtor is the first person you should call. Why? Many reasons, but primarily because a real estate professional will work with you to get you the home you want in a community you’ll love.
Here are the main reasons you should consider using a Realtor:
It’s Their Business to Know
There are a lot of master-planned communities out there, all in a variety of locations with a variety of builders and amenities. Realtors learn everything they can about a community. They can tell you about the school district, builders with floor plans suited to your lifestyle and even where to get your dog groomed.
They Work for You
Buying a home can be confusing. Buying a new construction home can be overwhelming. While the builder’s representative can help, Realtors can not only get you the best type of mortgage but they can counsel you on which options and upgrades will give you the best bang for your buck, advocate on your behalf and explain terms like PMI and closing costs.
They Have the Inside Scoop
When it comes to knowing what goes on behind the scenes, your Realtor will always have the skinny. That includes knowing the market and whether or not now is the best time to buy. They also know which builders are offering incentives that will lower the cost of your new home.
A Realtor Helps You Navigate
Navigating the homebuying process can be stressful, but it’s a Realtor’s job to make it easier for you. Your agent can help you figure out how much home you can afford, advise you on interest rates, introduce you to lenders and walk you through the contract. He or she also can watch over your home during the construction period — really helpful if you’re moving from out-of-town — and recommend a home inspector once it is finished.
Realtors Understand Your Budget
Realtors understand that you have a budget, and they will do their best to make sure you get a high-quality home in a great community while staying within your price range. They will keep track of available homes in your preferred community that fit your budget. They also can ask your builder’s representative questions about pricing, options and upgrades you might not have thought of but will keep you from buying a pricy upgrade you may not need.
Balmoral Loves Realtors
Balmoral loves Realtors. We work with many of them, inviting them to special events that help them learn more about our builders and our amenities. We want them to be knowledgeable about us so they can be knowledgeable for you. Bring your Realtor with you. We will work together to find your dream home.
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.