Balmoral’s Amenity Village — anchored by Texas’ first Crystal Lagoon® amenity — took home a trophy for Best Community Amenity during the 2020 Texas Association of Builder’s Texas Star Awards on July 23.
The prestigious awards program recognizes leading builders, remodelers, architects, designers, sales professionals, marketing professionals and construction professionals across Texas and surrounding areas. Companies submitted a record-breaking 624 entries from 54 cities across the state this year.
“Our crystal clear lagoon is one of the most unique amenities in Texas,” Tim Johnson, Director of Community Sales and Marketing for Land Tejas. “We are thrilled that industry professionals agree.”
It also has been a driver for home sales in the community, with Balmoral recently ranked No. 2 in Houston on the Robert Charles Lesser & Co (RCLCO) mid-year list of the 50 top-selling master-planned communities in the nation. The community is ranked No. 12 in the nation.
Balmoral celebrated the grand opening of the 2-acre lagoon and accompanying 8-acre Amenity Village in August 2018.
The lagoon features a kids’ cove and two different white sand beaches, including a family beach with cabanas and lounge chairs and a serenity beach that offers beach volleyball. A patented, high-tech process allows for use of 100 times fewer chemicals and 50 times less energy than a traditional pool.
Overlooking the lagoon is an infinity-edge pool. Other amenities of the award-winning complex include a food truck courtyard, hammock park, playground and splash pad. A 7,500-square-foot clubhouse offers well-appointed event space, a broad, pool-side veranda and a fitness center.
The Balmoral Amenity Village also was named Recreation Center of the Year in the 2019 Greater Houston Builders Association’s Houston’s Best PRISM Awards.
Balmoral is a development of Land Tejas, which recently opened a 12-acre crystal lagoon in its Lago Mar community in Texas City. Other Land Tejas communities include Miramesa in Cypress, Sierra Vista in Iowa Colony and Vanbrook in Fulshear.
Kitchens are still the heart of the home, but first-time Millennial buyers and downsizing Boomers are having an impact on how they look. While some trends are simply aesthetic, others have risen in response to outside forces such as the pandemic. What will kitchens look like in 2021? Interior designers, architects and builders all have some thoughts.
The Return of the Closed-Off Kitchen
Kitchens open to the family room have long reigned supreme, but the closed-off kitchen — or at least partially closed-off kitchen — is making a comeback. While they may not be relegated to separate rooms, the trend is towards defined zones. Kitchens may sport high wrap-around breakfast bars or archways to hide dirty dishes and counter clutter.
Your Kitchen, Only Smarter
With the rise of the smart home comes the rise of the smart kitchen. Refrigerators that tell you when you are out of something, touchless faucets, smart lights, smart outlets and more will become more prevalent.
White Cabinets are Out
It seems like only yesterday that white cabinets were the epitome of kitchen design. Expect to see natural wood cabinets making a comeback. Painted cabinets will still be popular, but today’s buyers are looking for color with greens and blues being the most popular.
Speaking of Color
Whether it is the state of the world or boredom with all-white kitchens, today’s buyers are looking for pops of color. In addition to painted cabinets, more buyers are ditching stainless steel and opting for stoves in a range of colors from the simplicity of black and white to cheery reds and yellows. You will also see more colorful backsplashes and kitchen islands painted in colors that contrast with cabinets.
Organization is King
One thing we learned this year is that our kitchens need to be organized. Expect to see organization systems built into walk-in pantries, cabinets specifically for small appliances, drawer dividers for cutlery, built-in spice racks, deep drawers and even wastebasket cabinets.
What About Islands?
Kitchen islands are now standard in most home designs. People love the ability to sit at the island and talk to the chef. Look for waterfall islands that make a statement and provide a focal point, Tiered islands will further separate food preparation from diners. Islands that stretch out to create dining room tables will also grow in popularity.
Backsplashes and Floors
There’s no other way to say this. Subway tile backsplashes are out. Large tiles and slabs are taking over. While they may be traditional tiles, copper, glass and even stainless steel are taking their place. Hardwood floors are still popular, but ceramic tile that looks like wood is growing in popularity because they are easy to clean.
Get the Trends
How can you incorporate these trends in your new Balmoral home? Visit your builder’s design center. Design experts will work with you to choose the interior décor that works for you and your lifestyle.
Three new model homes recently opened in Balmoral showcasing a diverse array of designs priced to fit any budget.
Highland Homes, Empire Communities and Darling Homes each opened new model homes, giving home buyers a taste of the floor plans, options and upgrades available to them when they are ready to make the move to Balmoral.
Highland Homes’ 11 floor plans are designed for maximum livability. Priced from the $260,000s, the one- and two-story homes range from 1,638 to nearly 3,000 square feet. All plans offer five elevations ensuring curb appeal that fits your design aesthetic. Inside, floor plans provide everything from bay windows in the breakfast room to entertainment lofts and game rooms. All plans feature island kitchens, relaxing master suites and copious storage areas.
Empire Communities presents two collections of home designs. The Signature Series encourages outdoor living with cozy front porches and large covered patios. Flexible dining areas, game rooms and media rooms come standard with some plans. Prices start from the $230,000s.
There are a dozen floor plans in the Premier Series. Priced from the $270,000s, buyers can choose plans with formal dining rooms, spa-like master baths and generously sized laundry rooms. Options include three-car garages, additional bedrooms and extended covered porches.
Darling Homes is offering floor plans from the Keystone Collection. Homes are priced from the low $300,000s. Ranging from 1,767 to 3,433 square feet, designs sport island kitchens, luxurious master suites and flex rooms.
Make an appointment to tour one of our new models today, You are sure to fall in love. Then look around our exciting community featuring Texas’ first crystal lagoon. We’re sure once you see it, you are going to want to dive into life at Balmoral.
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.