With stronger reported job and income growth than any other county in the nation, Fort Bend County ranks #1 on the “Best Places to Get Ahead” list just published by Forbes.com.

Fort Bend County was the only county in Texas to be included on the list, which ranked the nation’s top 10 counties by job and income growth using the latest data from the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Census Bureau.

Incomes in Fort Bend County grew 10% between 2007 and 2008, according to the research. “That's not a fluke based on a small contingent of wealthy residents,” the Forbes.com editors wrote. “The county has also added 5,913 new jobs since the second quarter of 2007, an increase of 5%.”

Describing the healthy economy of Fort Bend County, the editors continued:

“Like the rest of Texas, Fort Bend gets a healthy chunk of its revenue from the energy sector, but it also benefits from a diversity of industries – including education and hospitality – that has fueled several decades of rapid population growth. Several companies on Forbes' 400 Best Big Companies list are headquartered there, including Texas Instruments, Baker Hughes and Thermo Fisher.”

While the Forbes.com study did not consider housing in compiling its “Best Places to Get Ahead” list, residential construction has been another sector where Fort Bend County has outpaced the nation.

At Telfair, a 2,018-acre master-planned community in Fort Bend County, new-home sales increased 10% in 2009, with 449 sales last year – in a year when most of the nation’s markets saw steep declines in home sales. It was the best sales year at Telfair since the community opened in 2006, and the average new-home sales price in the community has also risen steadily, to $426,000 in 2009.

“The quality of life offered in Fort Bend’s master-planned communities, such as Telfair, works hand-in-hand with economic growth, helping companies attract and retain the best and brightest employees,” said Heather Gould, marketing director for Newland Communities, the developer of Telfair.

Gould said that Newland Communities has worked closely with the City of Sugar Land and the entire Fort Bend community to help increase the growth rate and the quality of life in the county.

“In 2009, we celebrated the opening of the Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land, culminating a public-private partnership that transformed the historic Central State Farm building at Telfair into a state-of-the-art museum benefitting the entire region,” she said.

Gould added that the annual TelfairLife Charity of Your Choice Walk raised over $100,000 for Fort Bend County non-profit groups in its first two years. The third annual walk, set for April 10, 2010, will benefit 14 county charities.

According to Pollstar magazine, the concert industry’s leading trade publication, The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion ranked sixth in its listing of the top 100 amphitheaters in the world based on the number of tickets sold in 2009. The Pavilion’s ticket sales totaled 346,519 for shows played between January 1 and December 31, 2009.

The Pavilion’s sixth-place ranking is despite opening a month later than normal due to reconstruction from damage sustained by Hurricane Ike in September 2008. The Pavilion reopened May 1, 2009, after undergoing a $9.5 million renovation and expansion.

“Our 20th season could not have been better. Along with celebrating our 20 years, we opened with a newly renovated and expanded venue to a sold-out weekend of performances by the Dave Matthews Band and Kenny Chesney,” said Jerry MacDonald, president and CEO of The Pavilion.

The Pavilion had 14 sold-out concerts in 2009, and it also hosted eight Houston Symphony concerts, the Texas Music Festival Orchestra and The United States Army Field Band and Soldier’s Chorus and the 14th Annual Children’s Festival.

Last week, Partners in Building held its quarterly "Customer Appreciation" night at the model home in Telfair.  Guests dined on Italian food catered by Cafe Natalie, and a sitar player's music added a wonderful ambiance to the evening.

Over fifty people attended the event, where friends got re-acquainted and many new neighbors were able to meet for the first time.  Photographed are resident friends The El-Sharifs and The Khosravians.

To learn more about building your dream home in Telfair, please call Tony Farahani at 281-207-6800, or visit the model home located at 7418 Newbury Trail in Sugar Land.  Telfair is located just of Highway 59 South at the University Boulevard exit, two miles south of Highway 6.

The community is invited to attend the 33rd Annual Arbor Day Celebration on Saturday, January 23 from 10 am – 2 pm in the award-winning Rob Fleming Park in The Woodlands’ Village of Creekside Park. Puffy Pine Cone, The Woodlands' mascot, will also celebrate his birthday at this event.

Approximately 31,000 tree seedlings in eight different varieties will be distributed for free, continuing a tradition that began in 1977. The selection of trees includes Loblolly Pine, Eastern Redbud, Red Maple, River Birch, Southern Crabapple, Sweetbay Magnolia, White Oak and Yellow Poplar. In addition to receiving free tree seedlings, guests may register at the event to win one of five, seven-gallon native trees. The drawings will take place hourly, and you must be present to win.

“Over the years, The Woodlands Development Company and generous sponsors of the event have given away approximately 875,000 tree seedlings to help perpetuate the forested environment,” said Susan Vreeland-Wendt, Director of Marketing for The Woodlands Development Company (TWDC). “We encourage residents of the community to come out and enjoy the Arbor Day festivities and receive new tree seedlings for planting on their property.”

Free giant inflatable rides and rock walls, pony rides, petting zoo, hay rides and face painting will entertain the crowd. Musical entertainment will also be present. Puffy’s birthday celebration will begin at 1 pm with mascot friends including Clutch from the Houston Rockets and many other favorites. Children will also enjoy free birthday cupcakes at the birthday party.

For more information about Creekside Park in The Woodlands, call Greg Miller at 281-290-0656, or visit http://www.partnersinbuilding.com/Creekside-Tupelo-Woods.

Firethorne sold 238 new homes in 2009, achieving a record high for annual sales for the Katy/Fulshear residential development. Last year’s home sales represent a 16.6 percent increase over 2008 (204 homes). The previous record for the four-year-old development was 218 sales in 2007. The 1,400-acre master-designed community is located 15 miles west of Houston’s Energy Corridor.

“We’re very pleased with these figures, as well as the fact that 88 percent of our sales in 2009 were brought to us by Realtors®,” noted Firethorne General Manager Wayne Meyer. “We’re very grateful for the support we have received from the Realtor community. I think the industry norm in a new community such as Firethorne is 60 percent of sales generated by Realtors,” he added.

According to Meyer, Firethorne has been holding its own thanks to continued growth in the Katy and Fulshear areas and for being part of one of the greatest school districts in the state. “BP America and Conoco/Phillips have relocated employees here, plus three major Houston hospitals are expanding in this area -- two under construction and one on the drawing board,” he noted.

Firethorne has sold a total of 918 homes project-to-date.

Firethorne is attractive to the Houston relocation market with its proximity to the Energy Corridor, location in the top-ranked Katy Independent School District, and availability of estate-sized lots typically found in the country with all of conveniences of master-designed recreational amenities, such as state-of-the-art technology and nearby shopping, retail, dining, entertainment, schools and medical facilities.

The community features 150 acres devoted to parks and recreational amenities, a 12-acre lake with surrounding greenbelt, resort-style swim center, sports fields, hike/bike trails, parks and playgrounds, discovery-rich wildlife observation area and a natural bird habitat. It’s where the vibrancy of West Houston meets the small-town charm of Katy/Fulshear.

To visit Firethorne, take I-10 West and exit Pin Oak to FM 1463. Turn left on 1463 and continue for one mile. The community will be on the right.  For more information, call 281-391-2500 or e-mail scotty.wilson@partnersinbuilding.com.

New-home sales increased 15% in 2009 in Cinco Ranch, a 7,600-acre master-planned community being developed by Newland Communities in Katy.

Homebuilders in Cinco Ranch sold a total of 892 new homes in 2009, compared to 773 new homes sold in 2008. Last year was the best year for new-home sales in Cinco Ranch since 2006, and the third-best year since the community opened in 1991.

Strong relocation sales, an expanded product line and increased inventory helped Cinco Ranch post a double-digit gain in a year where Houston area new-home sales were significantly down from their peak two years ago, said Heather Gould, marketing director for Newland Communities.

“Out-of-town buyers accounted for roughly one in three new-home buyers in Cinco Ranch in 2009, in part reflecting the relatively healthy employment picture in and around west Houston’s Energy Corridor,” Gould said. “Over the past 19 years, Cinco Ranch has built strong and positive brand awareness which has appealed to out-of-town buyers as well as local buyers. In these times especially, home buyers appear to prefer master-planned communities such as Cinco Ranch, viewing them as safe havens of quality and value.”

Gould added that spec homes, or homes started in anticipation of buyers, accounted for over 50% of new-home sales in Cinco Ranch last year. “Having a good supply of ready inventory also helped Cinco Ranch capture market share in 2009, because many local move-up buyers seemed to want to sell their existing homes before finding new homes.”

Cinco Ranch ranked as the number one community in the Houston area for new-home sales for the first three quarters of 2009, the latest statistics available from Houston-based Metrostudy.

Gould said education has been another draw for Cinco Ranch homebuyers. Cinco Ranch is located in the Katy Independent School District, and 12 of the 13 public schools that Cinco Ranch students are zoned to attend have received the highest accountability rating, Exemplary, from the Texas Education Agency.

Approximately 10,000 homes have been built in Cinco Ranch since the community opened in 1991. Originally a 5,000-acre development, Cinco Ranch opened a 2,400-acre addition in 2008, in addition to several smaller increases in the original master plan, providing approximately 4,000 additional homesites and extending the community’s projected buildout date until 2014.

To learn more about Cinco Ranch, call Amy or Trina at 281-392-8255 or visit http://www.partnersinbuilding.com/Spring-Lake.

The last week has been busy for Tony Farahani, Partners in Building's sales counselor in Telfair.  Tony sold two more to-be-built homes in Telfair's new section of 80' wide homesites.

"Partners in Building is the only builder in Telfair offering true custom homes, and we have streamlined the custom design and build process for our clients," Tony said.  "With homes starting in the high $400's and available stucco Mediterranean elevations, these homesites are selling quickly," he continued.

For more information about Telfair, call Tony Farahani at (281) 207-6800, or e-mail him at tony.farahani@partnersinbuilding.com.

To visit Telfair, take U.S. 59 South and exit University Boulevard, just south of State Highway 6.  Turn right on University Boulevard, and follow the signs to the Model Home Park.   You can also visit Telfair online at http://www.partnersinbuilding.com/telfair.

Partners in Building in Austin announces its purchase of two view lots at 1500 and 1501 University Club Drive in the highly sought after section of Steiner Ranch located behind the University of Texas Golf Club Gates.
 
Both of these homesites are 90' wide, and they offer breathtaking views of the gorgeous hill country, sunsets, and Lake Austin! Not only do these lots have some of the best views Steiner Ranch has to offer, but they also offer close proximity to highly acclaimed schools, golf, tennis, hiking, biking, and boating.

You can design your next custom home on one of these two homesites with one of Steiner Ranch's only "True Custom" builders. Call Victoria Beasley to find out more at 512-266-8557 or 512-801-7707, or visit us at our model home located at 901 Lakewood Hills Terrace in Steiner Ranch.  To learn more about Steiner Ranch click http://www.partnersinbuilding.com/steiner-ranch.

Dear Tony,

Happy Holidays to you and your family. We want to thank you and entire PIB staff for all your hard work and you continuous support to keep us comfortable in our new house. We want to thank Jeremy for his help in getting all the fixes done right away. He makes sure we are happy with all the work that gets done and we truly appreciate his help. This Custom Home subdivision proved to be one of the best and safest places to live in Telfair. We have great neighbors who care about each other. Together we have established Telfairs’ very first Neighborhood Crime Watch Program in our subdivision.

We wish you Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.
The Rao Family
Telfair

Customer service expert Peggy Morrow included Partners in Building in an article she recently wrote for Better Business, a monthly publication of the Better Business Journal.  The following is from her article:

"In these challenging times, delivering exceptional customer service is not an option--it is a necessity.  If things are a little slower than normal for your business, spend time polishing aspects of your customer service.

Go to your customers for feedback on your service and tweak where you need improvement.  Here are some best practices from fellow BBB members and 'thoughtstarters'.

Greg Hawes, President of Partners in Building, a luxury custom homebuilder in Houston and Austin, says, 'Excellent customer service is treating the customer with the same attention and respect after they agree to buy your services that they were given before the sale.'  Are you guilty of not doing this?  Often times, I have observed when consulting with companies that they get so involved in what I call 'the chase' that, after they have successfully sold their product or service, they let up and focus on the next sale.  Bad mistake.  So setting up systems to continue to monitor your customer's satisfaction throughout the delivery and after the service is performed is an important activity.

Partners in Building uses an ongoing follow-up process to make sure the customer is happy.  They survey prospective buyers, customers after the initial sale, customers in the middle of the construction process, and homeowners after they move in to their new homes.  The survey results are discussed in company management meetings and steps are taken to address problems.

When you follow up, you may hear some complaints.  Remember that those complaints are gifts--a chance to see where processes are breaking down or someone is not doing their job.

Never forget that customer service definitely affects your bottom line!  Hawes says he has found that the reward for doing what it takes to deliver excellent customer service contributes to the ongoing success of your business.  Their business is up over 18% from last year.  How about yours?  Use this time to see where you can improve your service."