Despite the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Balmoral sales increased an astonishing 143 percent over last year, propelling our community to No. 12 on the Robert Charles Lesser & Co (RCLCO) mid-year list of the 50 top-selling master-planned communities in the nation.
The housing research firm’s mid-year calculations also placed us at No. 2 in Texas. Our builders sold 409 homes during the first six months of 2020. Last year they sold 168.
Overall, sales in the top 50 master-planned communities rose by 16 percent. Only true master-planned communities that reflect a comprehensive master plan incorporating a variety of housing types, sizes, prices, shared common space and amenities are included on the list, according to RCLCO.
What makes Balmoral so popular? Everything. From our range of home choices to our unique crystal clear lagoon, homebuyers are assured a lifestyle unlike any in the Houston area.
Seventeen builders offer homes priced from the $200,000s to the $500,000s. Homebuyers can choose from an enormous selection of home designs, options and upgrades allowing them to tailor their homes to meet their needs.
And let’s not forget our amenities. The centerpiece of our community is our beautiful lagoon surrounded by sandy white beaches. It’s a tropical paradise our residents can enjoy every day. The lagoon is a signature feature of our gorgeous Amenity Village, voted the Best Recreation Center in Houston by the Greater Houston Builders Association. The expansive eight-acre complex resembles a vacation resort with an infinity pool, clubhouse, fitness center, hammock row, sand volleyball court and more.
Finally, we are a Land Tejas community. Three additional Land Tejas communities made the RCLCO list. Sierra Vista/Sterling Lakes in Arcola placed at No. 29 with 261 home sales. Ranking at No. 37 was Harmony in Spring with 235 sales. Lago Mar in Texas City placed at No. 45 with 216 sales.
Want to see what a top-selling community looks like? Make an appointment or stop by and see us today!
If your energy bill is higher than normal, you aren’t alone. According to data released by energy monitoring company Sense, the average home electrical usage increased 22 percent this April compared to 2019 due to the pandemic. Now that the Texas heat is on, you could be looking at even higher bills.
Want to keep your cool? Follow these tips.
Invest in a Smart Thermostat
Smart thermostats provide the ability to control your heating and cooling system more efficiently, which can help you save in the long run. Many will provide you with reports about your usage, prompting you to turn down the AC when you don’t need it. Many Balmoral builders now install smart thermostats as a standard feature in their homes.
Use Ceiling Fans
Most Texas builders install one or two ceiling fans, but it may be worth it to spend a little extra and have them installed in every room. Ceiling fans do a great job of cooling a room and may allow you to lower your thermostat by a few degrees.
Close the Blinds
Oversized windows offer beautiful views, but in the summer, sunlight entering your home can really heat up a room. A simple solution is to close the blinds during the hottest part of the day. Doing this can actually lower the mid-day temperature of your home by nearly 20 degrees.
Stay Out of the Kitchen
Kitchens are full of appliances that bring the heat. Rather than spend an evening sweating over a hot stove, move your kitchen outdoors. Summer kitchens are a great investment because you can cook an entire meal — including dessert — on the grill.
Wash in Cold Water
Even energy-efficient washers, dryers and dishwashers can generate a lot of heat. Most people try not to use them during the day but you can accomplish the same thing by washing everything in cold water. As long as you use a high-quality detergent, things will get clean.
Buy a New Home in Balmoral
Advances in building science and stricter building codes mean new homes are now 20 percent more efficient than homes built 10 years ago and can save you as much as 30 percent on your monthly electric bill. And that means purchasing a new home in Balmoral will keep your energy bills low for years to come.
Once you’ve chosen a builder for your beautiful new home in Balmoral, it’s time to tailor it to fit your needs. One way to do this is by selecting structural options.
Structural options are items that impact how your home is built. These items run the gamut from the addition of a bedroom or media room to balconies, built-in bookshelves and extended patios.
All Balmoral builders offer a range of options for an additional price. While it is important to choose the ones that best fit your family’s lifestyle, here are five options you can never go wrong with.
Kitchen Islands and Cabinets
Once an upgrade, island kitchens are now offered as standard features by most builders. However, not all islands are built the same and once yours is installed, it’s going to be expensive to remodel. Oversized islands will provide more workspace and more counter seating. A particular favorite is an island with a table extension. Cabinets also are expensive to tear out later, so invest in high-quality wood, extra height (up to the ceiling if possible) and glass inserts.
Patio Extensions and Summer Kitchens
If you love having the neighbors over for barbecues, then investing in an extended patio will be a must. Extended patios allow you to have a dining area and a conversational area. If your budget allows, splurge on a built-in outdoor kitchen, an outdoor fireplace or a firepit. The addition of folding patio doors blurs the line between indoors and outdoors.
Extra Rooms
Bonus rooms, lofts, extra bedrooms or sunrooms can and should be added when your home is built. Additional rooms allow you to stay in your home if your family grows and increases the square footage of your house.
Bigger Garage
If you can expand your garage consider doing so. No one has ever complained about having too much garage space. Builders generally offer the option to add extra garage bays but many also offer workshop or storage options.
Master Bath Changes
Remodeling a bathroom isn’t fun, so create your ultimate bath when you are building your home. Install a jetted tub, take the custom tile up to the ceiling or ditch the tub and expand your frameless glass shower.
What’s better than a Westin home? A move-in ready Westin home boasting all the upgrades. The four-bedroom home at 12218 Skene Bend Drive includes upgrades inside and out including the gorgeous brick-and-stone elevation with a mahogany wood and glass front door, upgraded French glass panel doors open to the study and a freestanding tub gracing the master bath. You even get a window in the large walk-in master closet. Is it a dream? No, you can move into this home today!
More highlights:
This elegant 3,233-square-foot home is priced from the $380s.
Come Home to Balmoral
When the work day is done, where do you want to come home to? Why not come home to white sand beaches, a luxurious amenity village, friendly neighbors and an enviable lifestyle. Why not come home to Balmoral? We’d love to show you around.
Teaching your kids math concepts can be anxiety-producing. After all, when was the last time you used algebra? Never fear, we’re here to help with a list of math resources you and your kids will love.
K-8
Free
Bedtime Math – A website featuring math activities, videos and an app with math-related games for kids aged 2 and up.
Math Games – More than 21 math-related, interactive games that make math fun. Kids from Pre-K through 8th grade can practice by grade level or skill.
Belouga – Free math resources for kids from kindergarten through 12th grade.
BlocksCAD – Build math and computer science skills by using specialized 3D CAD (computer-aided drafting) software.
BrainPOP Jr. (K-3) – Math games, drawing fun, jokes and more to help teach basic math skills
BrainPOP: Children in grades 4-8 can download worksheets, make maps, code and take quizzes.
Mathcelebrity.com – Homework help and automated math tutor. Just input the problem and get step-by-step instructions on how to solve it.
Minecraft Education Edition – Use kids’ favorite games to learn math and coding.
PBS Learning Media – Let PBS help your K-8 student with math concepts.
Prodigy Math Free online math platform that reinforces math skills through video game-style play.
Fee to Use
Beast Academy Online -An interactive, web-based math program using comic book-style illustrations to keep students engaged. $15 per month.
Math-U-See – Unique approach to learning concepts with multi-sensory tools such as videos, manipulatives and other resources, designed to appeal to any type of learner.
Prodigy Math Tutoring – Certified math tutors adapt tutoring techniques to meet your child’s learning needs and goals. $30 per 30-minute session.
Times Tables Rock Stars – Offering free access to their math facts tests, both printable and online for 60 days after that, there is a fee.
High School
Free
Casio Education – online learning tools and resources designed to help sustain math skills at home including online graphing calculator and teacher-created math activities.
Delta Math – Covers a wide range of math content from middle school through AP calculus.
Desmos – Students can use online tools to visualize math problems, create interactive tutorials and play math games with kids from all over the world.
Dr. Roger’s Math Neighborhood – A free online video series with detailed solutions to more than a thousand publicly released College Board SAT Math, Subject Test Math Level 1, and Subject Test Math Level 2 problems.
Fiveable – Free Advanced Placement resources
Khan Academy – Free videos teach algebra, geometry, calculus and more.
Mathlicious – Lessons that explore the math behind real-world topics, from sports to shopping to the odds of finding life on other planets.
PBS Learning Media – Get help with algebra through real-life scenarios, ranging everywhere from pipefitting to designing a dress with a Project Runway winner.
For a Fee
Outschool – Live online math classes for as low as $5 per class.