My wife and I love our new home!

Having moved into our new Partners in Building house almost a month ago, we've been reflecting on the experience of building a home with PIB. It's been a fantastically good experience from start to finish, so we'd like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation.

The design quality of our home benefitted from expert guidance throughout the process. Instances of this are too numerous to list entirely, but here are a few examples that stand out. When we were working on our floor plan, Daniel Cornwell, our sales person, suggested a design adjustment that moved a powder room so that its door was off the family room instead of off the foyer. This small adjustment--which we wouldn't have thought of on our own--makes a significant difference in the aesthetic appeal of the entryway to our home. Reggie Cowart, our builder, suggested a stone trim option that cost nothing but added to the beauty of our home's exterior. And Donna Previte suggested cabinetry and granite countertop choices based on magazine pictures that we brought in, resulting in an absolutely gorgeous kitchen at the heart of our home. We had excellent counsel on every one of the hundreds of design decisions we made along the way, and we appreciate the time and effort that Daniel, Reggie and Donna put into making our home the best it could be.{{}}

We felt that Partners behaved with highest integrity throughout the entire process. When it turned out that we had been quoted an incorrectly low price for a floor plug, PIB stood by the original price quote. When Reggie saw something during construction that wasn't exactly as we expected it to be, he fixed it immediately. In one case, he pointed out that a framed opening that looked down from the second floor to the family room was oddly shaped, and fixed it to be rectangular. This was a minor design flaw that only became apparent once built, and it would have created something awkward and unpleasant in our house. There was never an attempt to rationalize away something that wasn't right.  PIB's first response was always simply to make it right.

Your company has lived up to its name. We felt like you were our partner, not just a builder. The quality of the work, the expert guidance, and your high integrity have left the best possible impression.The W. Family

Forest Island is designed as a recreation centerpiece for the South Montgomery County community, which completed two years of sales in 2011.

“New home sales increased 37% in 2011 and new home construction starts increased 100 percent, which set the stage for us to begin work on this new aquatics and tennis center,” said Virgil Yoakum, general manager of Woodforest.

The facility’s first phase — comprising tennis and basketball courts and children’s play areas — is slated to open this fall.

Construction is expected to begin later this year on the Forest Island pool, a freeform design that will include tower water slides, a play area with water activities for young swimmers and a lounging area for poolside relaxation. A party pavilion and concession area may also be included in the final design of the swimming complex.{{}}

“With lush landscaping, extensive seating and an innovative design that blends functionality and style, the pool area might have residents thinking ‘resort’ rather than ‘neighborhood pool,’” Yoakum said.

The aquatics center is planned to open for the 2013 swim season.

“Much like other Woodforest amenities, the entire complex will be built in a heavily wooded area of the development,” said Meade Mitchell, a principal with landscape architecture firm TBG Partners. “As in many state parks, a long drive through the trees to Forest Island will create a heightened sense of expectation, and Forest Island will not disappoint.”

Specific parking areas for tennis, swimming and other facility features will avoid a massive expanse of concrete that would detract from the area’s natural landscape.

Forest Island will complement amenities already open in Woodforest, such as Lily Pad Park, a 5,000-square-foot spray park that debuted in 2011.

Also open in Woodforest are the 1.4-mile Cypress Loop Nature Trail, the Forest Heights Playground and Scooter Park and several other parks. Set to open this year are Devon Playfields, catering to baseball and soccer enthusiasts, and Admiral Bark Park.

A 3,000-acre master-planned community, Woodforest features traditional, patio and custom homes priced from the $150,000s to more than $1 million. The development is located five miles north of The Woodlands and six miles south of Lake Conroe in Montgomery County, one of the nation’s fastest-growing counties.For more information, visit the Partners in Building model home located at 113 Elk Trace Parkway, Montgomery, TX 77316.  You can also call us at 936-447-1100.

Jamie made us feel comfortable that we were in good hands throughout the building process, starting the moment we had our initial meeting.  We're delighted with the finished product.

In thinking about Jamie's performance in building our home, a few themes come to mind:

If you have any specific questions about our experience with Jamie, please feel free to contact me.  My wife and I would be happy to serve as references to Partners in Building in the future.

Kind regards,

Jeff W.

“One of the conceptual plans under consideration is a unique two-story design with abundant windows to capture the views of Cypress Lake and the Cypress Creek Nature Preserve, which will be utilized as an outdoor classroom for students,” said Peter Houghton, vice president of Bridgeland.

The district is expected to have a school rendering available in January.

Dr. Pam Wells, Cy-Fair’s associate superintendent for governmental, community and planning initiatives, told board members at a Dec. 12 meeting that the district’s growth rate has been higher than originally projected, mandating the need for additional campuses. Of the three campuses approved during the meeting, the Bridgeland school will be the first to open. Construction of the schools will be funded through an $807 million bond referendum passed in 2007.

Bridgeland students currently attend Warner Elementary, Smith Middle School and Cypress Ranch High School, all opened within the last few years and located on a 130-acre multi-school site directly across from Bridgeland’s main entrance. As development continues, nine schools are planned to open within Bridgeland.

For more information about Bridgeland, visit the Partners in Building model home located at 12534 Brook Cove Drive, or call us at 281-304-9311.

I wanted to pass this note to express our thanks and commend Steven for an outstanding job.

Steven has been extremely courteous from day 1. He was very patient with us and worked with us through every phase. He also came through for us with respect to our move date.  Even after close, he has been very responsive and attentive to issues that have come up and have closed issues on a timely manner.

I can advise you that  his professionalism and attention was one major reason that led us to recommend PIB to our church members.

You have a gem of a staff on hand with Steven and keep up the quality and uniqueness of an affordable custom home!

Sincerely,The G. Family

The model is a fantastic two-story design with a French elevation and 4693 square feet.  Extraordinary features include a corner wine room located off the dining room, a chef's kitchen that flows through to an octagonal breakfast room, and an expansive covered patio with a summer kitchen and fireplace.

The home's master suite occupies most of the left wing, and a guest suite is also located on the first floor.  Upstairs has 3 oversized bedrooms with en-suite baths, a media room, game room, and a covered balcony.  This home is available and listed at $1,150,000.

To visit our model home, take Woodlands Parkway headed west and turn right (north) on Branch Crossing.  Turn left on Terramont, left on Black Knight, and make a quick left onto Loftwood Circle.  The home will be on the left.Partners in Building has some of the last remaining custom home sites in Sterling Ridge, most of which offer golf course views.  For more information, contact Greg Miller at 281-290-0656 or e-mail him at greg.miller@partnersinbuilding.com.

Construction is continuing on a new portion of the Grand Parkway that stretches from Interstate 10 north to U.S. 290.

The 15.2-mile segment, which is expected to open in late 2013, will be a major thoroughfare through the 11,400-acre Bridgeland community in Cypress, TX. Work crews began construction on the four-lane toll road in September.

“This benefits not only Bridgeland, but the entire region,” said Peter Houghton, Bridgeland’s vice president. “The Grand Parkway is an important component in Houston’s mobility plan and we are thrilled to see this next phase start construction.”

Future segments will provide even greater mobility for the Cypress community, with the Grand Parkway extending east from U.S. 290 to U.S. 59. The Texas Department of Transportation recently issued Requests for Qualifications to companies interested in entering a public-private partnership to fund Segments F1, from U.S. 290 to State Highway 249 in Tomball; Segment F2, from State Highway 249 in Tomball to Interstate 45 in Spring; and Segment G, from Interstate 45 in Spring east to U.S. 59 in New Caney. Requests for Proposals will be issued in the spring and a contract could be executed in late 2012 or early 2013. Each segment has been given environmental clearance, but design work has yet to be finished.{{}}

“The continued expansion of the Grand Parkway means so much to people living in this area,” Houghton said. “Specifically for Bridgeland residents, Segment E means residents will be less than 30 minutes from the Energy Corridor. The future expansions will also put residents less than 30 minutes from both George Bush Intercontinental Airport and the ExxonMobil campus opening near the Hardy Toll Road and Interstate 45.”Further details about the Grand Parkway can be found at www.grandpky.com. To learn more about Bridgeland, visit the Partners in Building model home at 12534 Brook Cove Drive, Cypress, TX 77433, or call us at 281-304-9311.

Since we previously purchased land, we were looking for a custom home builder. Having never done this before, my wife and I were apprehensive. However, we were pleasantly surprised with the personal treatment we received throughout the home building process.

We've been especially pleased with Terence Brennan. Terence did an exceptional job ensuring our home was done with quality, care and on time. Terence did a great job of keeping us informed during the building process, and was always very quick to respond to my calls and emails. It truly was a building partnership from start to finish. We've now been enjoying our home for three months, and when we do have a small warranty issue, Terence has been quick to fix the issue.A custom home build is a lot of work. However, Partners in Building makes the process much less complex and much less stressful.Thank you!Jeff and Lauren F.

We will make our debut in Fairway Estates, Teravista's first gated neighborhood.  Our model home is currently under construction, and completion is scheduled for spring 2012.

Offering spectacular views along the Teravista Golf Club, Fairway Estates has a limited collection of only 36 home sites measuring 90' wide by 140' deep, on average. Some lots will be even larger, and a select number will offer direct golf course frontage.

Prices will begin in the $400,000s, with a minimum square footage of 3,000 for one-story plans and 3,400 for two-story designs.

To join the interest list for Fairway Estates, email info@partnersinbuilding.com with the subject line “Teravista".Teravista is a 1550 acre master-planned community, located at I-35 North and University Blvd. in Round Rock, Texas.  Highlights of the community include the Teravista Golf Club, an 18-hole championship course, and the Ranch House, a converted 150 year old historic home that can be reserved for special events.

November sales of single-family homes rose 11.4 percent versus one year earlier, according to the latest monthly data prepared by the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR).   The median price saw its biggest increase since February of this year.

"The November report contains a lot of positive data that suggests the Houston real estate market is wrapping up 2011 on solid footing," said Carlos P. Bujosa, HAR chairman and VP at Transwestern. "The Greater Houston Partnership has forecast that our region will add more than 84,000 jobs next year, and as long as that's the case, we would hope to see further strengthening of the local economy, including real estate."

November sales of all property types in Houston totaled 4,676, up 10.6 percent compared to November 2010. Total dollar volume for properties sold during the month rose 4.4 percent to $942 million versus $903 million one year earlier.{{}}

November Monthly Market ComparisonThe month of November brought Houston's overall housing market positive results when all sales categories are compared to November of 2010. Total property sales and total dollar volume rose on a year-over-year basis. The median price climbed to an historic high for a November in Houston. Although the average price declined, it recorded its second highest level for a November in Houston.

Month-end pending sales for November totaled 3,013. That is up 16.6 percent from last year and suggests another positive month of sales when the December figures are tallied. The number of available properties, or active listings, at the end of November declined 13.0 percent from November 2010 to 45,113. The inventory of single-family homes dropped to its lowest level since January 2010—6.2 months, compared to 7.6 months one year earlier. That means it would take 6.2 months to sell all the single-family homes on the market based on sales activity over the past year. The figure is significantly better than the national inventory of single-family homes of 8.0 months reported by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). These indicators all continue to reflect a balanced real estate marketplace for Houston.

Single-Family Homes UpdateNovember sales of single-family homes in Houston totaled 3,973, up 11.4 percent from November 2010. This marks the sixth consecutive increase of the year. On a year-to-date basis, sales are ahead 4.1 percent.

The first home, located at 66 N. Bacopa Drive in Bacopa Bay, is a stone and brick beauty with lots of curb appeal.  Upon entering the home, your eye is immediately drawn to the grand curved staircase with wrought iron spindles, and the rotunda ceiling treatment above.  Gorgeous tile flooring flows graciously from the foyer and dining area to the family room and kitchen.  A gracious master suite, guest suite, study and a large covered patio complete the first floor.  Upstairs has three bedrooms, a raised gameroom and a media room.

The second home is located down the street at 18 S. Bacopa Drive.  This beautiful two story has a stone and stucco front elevation.  Rich appointments in this home include wood flooring in the dining room and study, a huge family room with built in cabinetry and a cast stone fireplace, and a large chef's kitchen with custom cabinetry.  The master suite and a second suite are located downstairs, and upstairs has 2 additional bedroom (plus a media room that could become a bedroom) and a game room with a vaulted ceiling.The third home is 122 N. Sage Sparrow Circle in Tupelo Woods.  A striking stucco exterior with a tile roof opens to rich wood flooring that flows from the foyer and formals through to the family room.  The beautiful master suite has a raised ceiling in the bedroom and a bayed window behind the whirlpool tub.  Upstairs has 4 bedrooms, gameroom and a computer room.For more information about Partners in Building's available homes in Bacopa Bay, call 281-357-1600.  For more information about our available home in Tupelo Woods, call 281-290-0656.  Also, to stay informed about all the latest Partners in Building news and home photos, be sure to like our Facebook page.

Kevin, our building superintendent did a fantastic job, and it was a real pleasure working with him throughout the entire project.  It is very apparent that he takes great pride in his work and the homes that he builds--he thought of every detail and made sure that every detail was done to perfection.  We could not have asked for a better person to work with on our new home.  Kevin was great--thank you Kevin!

Everyone at Partners in Building was fantastic to work with throughout the entire process of designing and building the home--we couldn't be happier with the way everything turned out.

Thank you,

Robert and Carmen K.

Participants can choose a 10K or 5K run, a 1-mile Family Walk or a half-mile Kids’ Fun Run. Registration begins at 6:30 a.m., with the 10K and 5K runs starting at 7:30 a.m. The Family Walk follows at 8:30 a.m., and the Kids’ Fun Run starts at 9 a.m.  An activity area will be set up 8-11 a.m. and children are encouraged to bring their holiday wish lists, as Santa is expected to visit.

Registration fees through Nov. 15 are $30 for the 10K and 5K runs; $20 for the Family Walk; and $15 for the Kids’ Fun Run. Race day fees are $5 more. Costumes are encouraged, with a $25 prize going to the best costume.

Run Over Cancer is a non-profit organization started in 2008 to help families currently suffering from the disease with food, housing and medical expenses. The Bridgeland race benefits the Files family. Sheena Files, a self-employed housekeeper, is a breast cancer survivor who last year was diagnosed with melanoma and is facing mounting expenses due to treatments and continued testing.

To register online, visit http://www.athleteguild.com/running/cypress-tx/2011-2nd-annual-mistletoe-fun-run.

The main thing everybody commented on was how fast the house was built. I could never imagine it could be done in five months, but Jamie was super efficient: every single day, including Saturdays, there were people working here. I could not keep up with him, my head was spinning, but he remained calm and collected and dealt with any issues we had very quickly and efficiently. If not for him, I would probably still be thinking about the color of tile or the floors... but he just didn't give me a chance! Things had to happen on schedule - which he maintained so well - and they did.

We had the appraiser here yesterday and he made comments about the quality of Jamie's work. Everything is very well done: Jamie just worked and worked until every little detail was taken care of. Since we were reproducing a model home, it wasn't easy. Some things do not match the pictures that Wes had produced... because they look better!{{}}

We have a neighbor who was worried about her tree getting hurt during construction, so Jamie met with her several times and made sure to keep her happy. She got into a conflict with one of the workers, but later called me and said that Jamie handled everything very professionally... and was just a great guy!

As I know now, building a house is not 100% about technical skills. It's also about communicating. I think Jamie was able to resolve all the problems in a very fair way, so we never had any major disagreements. I was probably one of his most challenging customers: I could never decide on anything, would understand some things only after the decisions were made, and questioned my own decisions after I had made them. Also, I didn't express myself very clearly - I was more of the "thinking out loud" type, rather than someone who would say things explicitly (not sure, that could be a cultural difference.) That must have been tough on him. But Jamie never lost patience and we remained on good terms throughout the process - which was very important to me.

You know how people always complain about their builders taking forever to build? I had an opposite problem with Jamie - he did everything too fast! I could never keep up with him, and even watching him work made me tired!

I told Jamie that he had the worst job in the world - and the best job in the world. First, everyone worries and complains all of the time, but when the house if finally finished, it is very gratifying. Do you remember what kind of house there used to be on this lot? I am still amazed to see how he transformed this part of the street.

When we had our final walk through the house, Vadim and I were exhausted. Each of us had a lot on our minds. But Jamie told us not to be nervous. He said he would take care of us even after we moved in... and looking at the last five months, we knew we could trust him. That doesn't happen very often in life.

About 2 months ago, Vadim said: " Hey, PIB has done pretty well so far... when we get filthy rich, maybe we'll build with them again!" To that, I said: "I think I am pretty happy with the house I got. And no, I will never build again. Maybe only with Jamie!"

Best,Sasha B.

Home chefs will vie for bragging rights in the community’s 3rd Annual Chili Cook-Off, happening Dec. 3 at the Lakeland Activity Center, 16902 Bridgeland Landing. The event is open to the public, although competitors must register by Nov. 28. Judging begins at noon and awards will be given to first, second and third-place chili winners. Event-goers have a chance to taste the entries after judging.

No worries if a little too much chili is consumed during the cook-off, as Bridgeland will host the Mistletoe Fun Run Dec. 4. Benefiting Run Over Cancer, the race includes a 10K or 5K run, a 1-mile Family Walk or a half-mile Kids’ Fun Run. Registration begins at 6:30 a.m., with the first event starting at 7:30 a.m. An activity area will be in full swing 8-11 a.m. and children are encouraged to bring their holiday wish lists, as Santa is expected to visit.

Current registration fees are $30 for the 10K and 5K runs, $20 for the Family Walk and $15 for the Kids’ Fun Run. Race-day registration is $5 more. Costumes are encouraged, with a $25 prize going to the best costume.{{}}

Run Over Cancer is a non-profit organization started in 2008 to help families currently suffering from the disease by providing food, housing and medical expenses. The Bridgeland race benefits the Files family. Sheena Files, a self-employed housekeeper, is a breast cancer survivor who last year was diagnosed with melanoma and faces mounting expenses due to treatments and continued testing.

Later in the month, Bridgeland will keep youngsters ages 5 to 9 engaged with its popular Building Brains camps. Slated for Dec. 21-23 and Dec. 26-30, the camps reinforce classroom curriculum, with students using colors, sizes and shapes to build simple machines and then perform scientific experiments to see how those machines work. Participants will use Duplo, Lego and K’Nex kits to build their machines. Cost for the full-day class, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., is $175 for residents and $200 for non-residents.

These public events complement an array of other activities, including the residents-only Christmas in Festival Park, fitness classes and interest-group meetings.Learn more about these activities and others at www.bridgelandlife.com or by phoning activities director Elizabeth Dominguez at 281-304-1318.  For more information about building your next home in Bridgeland, visit the Partners in Building model at 12534 Brook Cove Dr or call 281-304-9311.

Kevin was always responsive and accessible and did not cower in the face of the challenges that occur during construction.  His timely responses to after-hours phone calls and e-mails were exemplary.  He is well balanced in his approach and he is able to navigate the treachery between employer and customer without compromising either party. While there are many more positive things that could be written about Kevin Bernat,  I will close with one additional comment.  My wife had a flat tire coming to the jobsite and called Kevin to let him know that she would be late for their meeting.  Kevin drove to meet my wife and changed her flat tire.  That is seriously going above and beyond the call of duty, but is typical of Kevin's commitment.{{}}

We will never build another house without Kevin Bernat and we look forward to building again.

Roy M.

“We are finding that our customers enjoy the opportunity to build exactly what they want,” says Shannon Nelson, Partners in Building area manager. “Whether it’s a six-car garage, a detached guest casita or a washer/dryer in the master closet, we can build it to your specifications."

Guests of the seminar will learn about pricing, site selection and how the custom home building process works. Representatives from Partners in Building will be on hand to answer specific questions and discuss options. Guests will also be treated to dinner by a local chef.  RSVP to this event by contacting Dan Cornwell at (512) 963-1067 or by e-mailing Daniel.Cornwell@PartnersInBuilding.com. Space is limited for this event.

Now that we are settled into our new PIB home, we wanted to send this letter to provide some feedback on our overall PIB experience. When we first met Todd Barrow at the start of the process, he was great with regards to giving us a very thorough overview of how PIB builds a home, and he was very accommodating with all the question we had.

Todd worked around my busy schedule several times so that we could meet face to face to go over exactly what kind of home we were looking for. Brian Lee and Robert Sorensen on the architectural design team was able to translate the 3D virtual model of the home that we put together on our computer and turn it into a full set of architectural plans. Both Brian and Robert met us several times in person and along with numerous email exchanges, ensured that the final design was exactly what we wanted. Bekki Mathers, our Partners in Building design consultant, met us several times at the design center to go over all of the color details and selections and gave us some great pointers that improved the overall look{{}}

Bobby Bellis, our superintendent, then took the reigns on the construction phase for the project. Bobby was exceptional with regards to managing the contractors and the overall quality control for the project. Bobby also showed genuine interest in the project and gave lots of very useful advice which improved the overall home design. When it was all said and done, our home was fully constructed and move-in ready four months after the foundation slab pour, which was the amount of time PIB committed that they could get the job done at the project start. When we brought our 30+ year experience inspector to evaluate the house, he commented that it was in the “top 5” of homes that he had inspected and that is was extremely well constructed.

After living in the house for a month now, it is everything we had hoped for and we couldn’t be any more satisfied. We certainly would recommend Partners in Building to anyone who wanted to build a custom home.

Best regards,

The P. Family

The Star Awards showcases the exceptional work of home builders, remodelers, and developers in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Arkansas.

In addition to receiving the Grand Award at the Star Awards, Partners in Building also received awards for "Best Product Design $400,000-$500,000", "Best Interior Merchandising $600,000-$750,000" and "Best Sales Brochure".

Last month, Partners in Building received several honors at the Houston's Best Awards, presented by the Greater Houston Builders Association.  Awards included "Best Kitchen", "Best Bathroom", "Best Interior Merchandising over $500,000", "Sales Professional of the Year", and "Best Sales Brochure".

For more information about Partners in Building, visit PartnersInBuilding.com.  Also,be sure to "like" the Partners in Building Facebook page to receive neighborhood updates, new photos and more.

According to the latest monthly data prepared by the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR), September sales of single-family homes rose 16.9% versus one year earlier. This increase followed home sales gains recorded in January, June, July and August of this year. All segments of the housing market experienced positive sales in September. On a year-to-date basis, sales were up 3.2%.

"The combination of increased closed and pending sales, fewer active listings and strong pricing suggests that we are entering the fall home buying season on strong footing," said Carlos P. Bujosa, HAR chairman and VP at Transwestern. "HAR's September report shows rebalanced supply and demand throughout the Houston housing market with diminishing traces of the distortions caused by last year's federal home buyer tax credit."{{}}

September Monthly Market Comparison

The month of September brought Houston's overall housing market positive results when all sales categories are compared to September of 2010. Sales volume gains showed more normal, seasonal trending after several months in which the data was skewed by the 2010 tax credit that caused a dramatic drop in home sales following its expiration. Total property sales and total dollar volume rose on a year-over-year basis. Both average and median prices climbed to historic levels for a September in Houston.

Month-end pending sales for September totaled 3,120. That is up 3.2% from last year and suggests the likelihood of another positive month of sales when the October figures are tallied. The number of available properties, or active listings, at the end of September declined 11.5% from September 2010 to 47,812. The inventory of single-family homes was reduced to 6.8 months, its lowest level since May 2010, compared to 7.7 months one year earlier. That means it would take 6.8 months to sell all the single-family homes on the market based on sales activity over the past year. The figure is significantly better than the national inventory of single-family homes of 8.5 months reported by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). These indicators all reflect a balanced real estate marketplace for Houston.

The number of available properties, at the end of August declined 11.5% from August 2010 to 48,752. The inventory of single-family homes was reduced to 7.1 months compared to 7.8 months one year earlier. That means it would take 7.1 months to sell all the single-family homes on the market based on sales activity over the past year. The figure is significantly better than the national inventory of single-family homes of 9.4 months reported by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

Single-Family Homes Update September sales of single-family homes in Houston totaled 4,635, up 16.9% from September 2010. This marks the fifth increase of the year following an 8.5% gain in January, 1.3% rise in June, and 15.2 and 28.3% increases in July and August, respectively. On a year-to-date basis, sales are ahead 3.2 percent.

Broken out by segment, September sales of homes that make up the luxury market—priced from $500,000 and up—advanced 2.3%.

We invite you to sample the good life in The Canyons at Lake Travis, during our grand opening.  On Sunday, October 30th from 2 to 6 pm, join Partners in Building at the celebration of our brand new model home in The Canyons, located at 3809 Scenic Overlook Trail.

For the guys, we’ll have football and game day snacks in the state-of-the-art media room. The ladies can linger in the entertainer’s kitchen with a sampling of wines, gourmet appetizers and desserts made on site by a professional baker.

For kids, Partners in Building will have the ultimate gamers' lounge, with Games 2 U entertainment set up in front of a giant screen. Even the youngest guests can experience the good life, where they can preview their Halloweens costumes, have their faces painted and trick or treat. TWO Halloweens! Could life get any better?The Canyons at Lake Travis is a gated community with 57 acreage home sites set on 121 acres of the Texas hill country.  The neighborhood is located in Austin off RR 620, just west of the Mansfield Dam.  Everyone is invited to attend, but please RSVP to 512-963-1067 by October 27th.

Bridgeland has debuted an array of neighborhoods during the past five years, and the development has introduced a wealth of parks and amenities for residents, including the Lakeland Activity Center, one of four planned recreation complexes. The facility boasts a 6,000-square-foot community center, a fitness center, two lighted tennis courts, two playgrounds and a resort-style pool with two 30-foot tower slides, diving wells, water volleyball and a spray park.

The first 1.5 miles of the 6-mile Cypress Creek Nature Trail is open along the historic Cypress Creek Corridor and is just one of several current trails in the community. Residents also enjoy catch-and-release fishing, disc golf, a maze garden and other themed parks, complimentary use of recreation equipment and a busy slate of classes and community events planned by an on-site activities director.  The next phase of the Cypress Creek Nature Trail, encompassing another 1.5 miles, is in the planning stage.{{}}

To celebrate its five-year anniversary, Bridgeland is giving away a basket of birthday goodies, including a gift certificate for a birthday cake from Debbie’s Delectables. The weekend of Oct. 14-16, Welcome Center visitors can enjoy birthday refreshments and register for the basket, which will be given away Oct. 17.

“We have a strong foundation for this 25-year project,” said Peter Houghton, Bridgeland’s vice president. “We have built a thriving community and sales continue to be vigorous, up 11 percent from last year. We look forward to what is on the horizon.”

Set to break ground this year is Lakeland Village Center, the community’s first village center to feature dining, shopping, office and living space. This mixed-use concept is included in the design of each of Bridgeland’s four planned villages. In addition, Bridgeland will have a larger Town Center designed as an employment center and shopping, dining and entertainment hub for the community and surrounding area.

Already under construction nearby is a 15.2-mile extension of the Grand Parkway from U.S. 290 to Interstate 10. The parkway, slated to open in 2014, will give Bridgeland residents a 20-minute commute to several major employment centers, including the Energy Corridor.

“Plus, the state of Texas is moving rapidly toward the extension of the Grand Parkway from U.S. 290 to I-45, which would mean an easy 20-minute commute from Bridgeland to the new Exxon Mobil campus opening in 2014. Thus, we can refine our existing plan for the Town Center, which will be located in Bridgeland along the Grand Parkway,” said Houghton.For more information on Bridgeland, visit the Partners in Building model home at 12534 Brook Cove, Cypress, TX 77433, or contact Rick Cole at rick.cole@partnersinbuilding.com.

We’ve previously built 6 new homes across the country and can honestly say that the pre-settlement inspection and post-closing review for our new PIB home was, by far, the most professional, problem-free, and gratifying that we've ever experienced. In addition to the superior construction and finish work quality, our home was also meticulously cleaned and prepared for our arrival. The very few extremely minor items noted during our walk-through were nearly all resolved by David before closing, and he's also very quickly addressed anything found post-closing.{{}}

Most of the finish work on our home, which encompasses the vast majority of our design center selections and upgrades, was done while we were still located on the east coast. Accordingly, most questions, clarifications, changes, etc. were conducted by phone and e-mail. David was very willing and especially adept at working with us in this way, and we were extremely grateful for that.

Our entire buying/building experience with PIB has been very positive and David is one of the major reasons. He's an integral member of your team who, we're certain, will be a significant contributor to your future success. Again, it's our pleasure to write this message of commendation and thanks.

Best regards,John

Well, we finally finished the house.  And what a wonderful home it is!  It is everything we had wished for it to be.  For months, it became my daily routine to check the progress on the site.  Everyday after work I would swing by the house, check to see what was new, take pictures, and go back home to report the status to my four girls in my life (Marcela loves the "girl" reference). 

During all phases, it was a pleasure to see how it was slowly taking shape, with all the details emerging one by one.  At times it felt like observing a painter working on his masterpiece.  This process wouldn't have been so enjoyable if it weren't for the great professionalism of Partners in Building's staff, especially Donna, Yancy and Rickey.  They sure made me feel what a true custom build experience is all about.  They always addressed my requests or questions with professionalism and dedication.  I always felt like I had total creative freedom to completely make this our own place, with our unique signature, and the guys were there to help create it.{{}}

Donna has a natural professional decorator's taste, and after a while it felt like she was reading my mind.  I had to only mention an idea and we would let our minds go.  Yancy was all business, like a machine he went after the construction process, making sure to accommodate all my requests no matter how wild they were.  And then, of course Rickey.  Rickey became like family in this process, answering my e-mails and calls at all hours, always working hard to get the job done.  Rickey earned a special ringtone on my iPhone, and I think he logged more minutes and texts than any other contact in the last months!  In my book, they all played a critical role in this unique experience that both Marcela and I enjoyed tremendously.  I would not have anybody else build my next house (maybe a lake house?) or any other project, and I highly recommend you to my friends.

Thank you very much for building our dream home and for taking such good care of us.  Marcela and the girls are so excited to finally see completed what started as a sketch in a napkin almost a year ago.  I have no doubt in my mind that your dedication to excellence will bear great successes to all of you individually and to Partners in Building as a company.

Good luck and God bless!Francisco F.

"We have always lied the idea of helping families purchase a new home during the holiday season by offering the $2,000 MasterCard incentive," said Tim Welbes, president of The Woodlands Development Company.  "We also like the idea of giving back to members of our military through the Texas Sentinels Foundation."{{}}

Founded in 2007 by Re/Max of Texas, the Texas Sentinels Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides mortgage-free homes and a new lease on life to U.S. Military Personnel severely injured in overseas conflicts since 9-11-01.For more information about the "Holiday Countdown" $2,000 MasterCard incentive, visit one of our two model homes in The Woodlands, located in The Village of Creekside Park.  Our model home in Bacopa Bay is located at 10 Shearling Court, and the phone number is 281-357-1600.  Our model home in Paloma Pines is located at 3 Paloma Pines Place, and the phone number is 281-290-0656.  Partners in Building has homes and lots available in several communities within Creekside, as well as Almondell in May Valley, and Kirkpatrick Glen in Sterling Ridge.

"Partners in Building is excited to be a part of Riverstone.  We chose to build in Riverstone because it is one of the finest master-planned communities in greater Houston, with abundant amenities, good schools and an excellent location in the heart of Sugar Land" said Cregg McGaha, Partners in Building's VP of land acquisition.

The Partners in Building model home in Riverstone is a delight to the senses.  With a stone and stucco exterior, an extra large covered front porch, and a castle-like set of bay windows making up the study, the home's front elevation makes a high-impact first impression.  Entering the double doors, guests first notice the inlaid tile pattern on the floor of the foyer.  Looking to the right, the study wows visitors with it's faux finishing and boxed out ceiling treatment.{{}}

The home continues to impress in the huge, 18'x31' two-story tall family room, and the airy kitchen with an oversized island.  Just past the kitchen, the gameroom doubles as a sun room and leads to the outdoor living room, complete with fireplace and summer kitchen.

Highlights of the master suite include the "car wash" shower, fantastic ceiling treatments and a massive closet.  Upstairs, the Riverstone model home has three large bedrooms with walk-in closets, three baths and a multi-level media room.Many more surprises await visitors to the Partners in Building model home!  For more information about building your new home in Riverstone, contact George Agnello at 281-778-7600, or george.agnello@partnersinbuilding.com. 

We particularly want to comment Tito Larios however.  Tito was the construction manager for our house, and we could not have been more pleased with his work.  Tito was nothing less than outstanding during every aspect of the construction of our house.  He answered the multitude of questions we had in a very timely, calm and professional manner, and did everything he could to facilitate a smooth process and achieve the house we wanted.

We would not hesitate to recommend Partners in Building to anyone, and in fact we already have recommended the company to many people.  Please feel free to contact us with any questions.  Thank you,

Mark and Katrina C.

According to the latest monthly data prepared by the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR), August sales of single-family homes climbed 30.2 percent versus one year earlier. This increase follows home sales gains recorded in January, June and July of this year. All segments of the housing market, from the sub-$80,000 to the $500,000 and above, experienced positive sales in August. On a year-to-date basis, sales rose 1.8 percent. Compared to August of 2009, a year with no unusual market influences such as Hurricane Ike in 2008 and the 2010 tax credit, single-family home sales were up 10.4 percent.

Sales of homes that make up the luxury market—priced from $500,000 and up—jumped 22.4 percent.{{}}

"The Houston real estate market's vital signs appear to be quite healthy as we move from the summer buying season into the fall, but we must remain mindful that we are still comparing 2011 home sales to that period last year when transactions slowed dramatically after the tax credit expired," said Carlos P. Bujosa, HAR chairman and VP at Transwestern. "It is encouraging to see how well the August numbers stack up against August of 2009, which was the last 'normal' year for our housing market."

August sales of all property types in Houston totaled 6,524, up 29.0 percent compared to August 2010. Total dollar volume for properties sold during the month soared 29.4 percent to $1.34 billion versus $1.03 billion one year earlier.

August active and pending listings on MLS

Month-end pending sales for August totaled 3,970, up 21.0 percent from last year. The rate is slightly above levels typically observed during the late summer home sales period, continuing to reflect the rapid pace at which 2010 sales went under contract prior the tax credit closing deadline.

The number of available properties, or active listings, at the end of August declined 11.5 percent from August 2010 to 48,752. The inventory of single-family homes was reduced to 7.1 months compared to 7.8 months one year earlier. That means it would take 7.1 months to sell all the single-family homes on the market based on sales activity over the past year.

• Meet firefighters, law enforcement officers and emergency personnel and watch demonstrations of their equipment. • Enter and explore vehicles on display such as Homeland Security’s mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle, SWAT, patrol cars, fire trucks and ambulances. • Enjoy entertainment such as K-9 demonstrations, music, face painting, balloon art, an inflatable bounce house and much more!

This is a free event and everyone is invited! Parking will be available at the AON Hewitt parking lot located on Lakeside Drive off of Lake Woodlands Drive. It is just a short walk to Northshore Park.{{}}

National Night Out Neighborhood Parties Tuesday, October 4, 2011 5:30 - 8 p.m. In your neighborhood!

Neighbors are encouraged to turn on your lights, lock your doors and go outside to meet your neighbors. How you celebrate is up to you, the important thing is for your neighbors to get together.

Visit Register Your Party for a chance to have a member of local law enforcement or The Woodlands Fire Department visit your neighborhood. Register by September 19, 2011 to be eligible for early-bird prizes for your party.

Supply and Registration Day September 20, 2011 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 2201 Lake Woodlands Dr.

Stop by anytime during the event to pick up your National Night Out supplies!

For more information on National Night Out in The Woodlands, visit National Night Out or call The Woodlands Township Neighborhood Services Department at 281-210-3800.

Home to one of the most impressive array of recreational and sports venues of any MPC in the country, Sienna is permitted for 20,000+ residential units and 5 million square feet of non-residential use. Over 2,000 acres are dedicated to parkland, golf, recreation areas, lakes and undeveloped green space.

Another Successful School Year Ridge Point High School, Fort Bend Independent School District's 11th high school, is gearing up for its second school year. Ridge Point High School joins Sienna Plantation’s other highly-rated schools: Sienna Crossing, Scanlan Oaks and Jan Schiff Elementary schools and Baines Middle School. Sienna Cross and Scanlan Oaks have both received Exemplary ratings by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and FBISD consistently produces close to 100 National Merit Finalists every year.{{}}

The Fort Bend ISD and Houston Community College System have combined to invest more than $100 million in schools and facilities in Sienna Plantation. As a result, students are provided a diverse academic program with an innovative curriculum in a technologically advanced environment. A full array of extracurricular activities, including arts and sports, provides each child with a multi-faceted learning experience.

The spacious Fort Bend County library, located on the Houston Community College campus within Sienna, continues to offer outstanding programming for families as well as the latest technological innovations.

New Model Home Now Open! Partners in Building recently opened a new model home, conveniently located off Sienna Ranch Road close to Schiff Elementary School and the Resort at Sienna Springs.  For more information about building your new home in Sienna Ranch, contact Jeff Lombardo at 281-778-1996 or jeff.lombardo@partnersinbuilding.com.

The annual dog-friendly party, which drew more than 3,000 puppy lovers last year, offers plenty of fun for two- and four-legged family members. Top dog on this year’s stage schedule is Johnny Peers and the Muttville Comix, which performs at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. With appearances on David Letterman, Primetime Live and the Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus, the comedy act stars mostly rescue dogs. Returning this year after successful shows in 2010 are Guennadi and his world-famous dog act, who performs at 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., and the gravity-defying canine antics of the Houston Canine Frisbee Disc Club, which performs at noon. And especially for young audiences is a magic show by Houston’s Lanny Kibbey, who performs at 2 p.m.

As in previous years, Howl-O-Ween Fest is a pit stop for the “Splash Dogs” dock-diving competition, which takes place both Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 29 and 30. High-ranking dogs for 2011 have leaped more than 25 feet into the water. Learn more and register at www.splashdogs.com or at the event. There will be a registration fee, with a portion going toward Howl-O-Ween fundraising efforts.{{}}

Other Howl-O-Ween Fest treats include a 1 p.m. pooch fashion show and costume contest, with prizes going to the top three winners, a farmers’ market with pumpkin patch, several rounds of bingo with prizes awarded, pet vendors and street performers. As in years past, Foundry Church will hold its annual fall event during Howl-O-Ween Fest, with carnival games, bounce houses, a miniature train, laser tag and more.

Most activities will be free; however a few will "fetch" a small donation, which will go to participating animal rescue groups, including Cocker Spaniel Rescue of East Texas — Houston, Chesapeake Bay Retriever Relief & Rescue, Great Dane Rescue of Southeast Texas and Weimaraner Rescue of Texas. Other rescue groups will be added as the event date nears.

A caravan of food trucks will be trekking to Bridgeland for the day. On tap for the event are Fusion Taco, The Berry Boys, Papa John’s Pizza, Grill 'em Girls and Grill Marks, with more to be added.

And while fun will be unleashed throughout the day, dogs will have to remain on their leashes at all times. Plus, pets must be current on all vaccinations, wear a current rabies tag and be on their best behavior — any aggressive pooches will be asked to leave to keep the event enjoyable for everyone.

Usually when someone does work that fast, they cut corners or miss a lot of important details, but this was not the case with Mr. Farrar.  He also made plans and gave us ample notice so that all of our decisions could be thought out and not hurried.

One of the most pleasing aspects of working with David was also that he did not mind changing or adding to the house to please us, even if it slowed him down some.  It is that one thing that I am the most grateful for, and lead to our highest amount of satisfaction from the building process.  I would and I have recommended PIB to my friends and they have been truly amazed at the quality and the speed at which my house was built.

Sincerely,

Ray and Tricia C.

Angel did a masterful job of listening to our needs and creating a design that perfectly fit our family and our vision for the home.  The design experience was more personalized than we anticipated and it ultimately yielded a layout that is perfect for our family.  By designing the house specifically for our lot, Angel maximized the lake views while incorporating all of the floor plan features we envisioned. We were also looking for a specific style of home and we think Angel was able to create the exact look we were going for.  We are thankful to him for his efforts.{{}}

Of course all of this planning and designing would have been for naught if the construction process was lacking.  Thankfully, Partners in Building paired us with a very capable construction manager in Robbie.  He skillfully executed all aspects of the construction. In some cases, his attention to detail was more meticulous than ours. In other cases, he demonstrated great flexibility and patience in accommodating our requests for changes.  Throughout the process he was responsive, positive and respectful. 

It is also worth noting that Robbie inherited a few problems that had arisen before he was assigned to our home. He worked with us to provide solutions that resolved those issues to our relief. He was also able to manage the process timely and finish ahead of schedule.  This feat was especially impressive in light of our concurrent pool construction.  Even after closing, Robbie demonstrated his commitment to customer satisfaction by coming to the rescue on an issue that was completely outside his scope.  We hope he will be appropriately commended for his excellent work on our house.

On a final note, we enlisted the help of a third party inspector and a trusted contractor in order to assess the quality of construction.  Their reports affirmed that Robbie and the PIB contractors had constructed a home of the highest quality.

We are thankful to the entire PIB team for their efforts in building a beautiful home beyond our expectations and we will not hesitate to recommend your company to our friends or serve as a reference.

Sincerely,

Mary & Jeff F.

Having had some time to settle down in our new house, we want to take some time to describe our delightful process of having had our new home built by Partners in Building.

In addition to the attractive features offered by PIB including the option to develop our own custom plan, we were pleasantly surprised by our interactions with Amy Faircloth.  She was the only salesperson we met that never uttered any negative remark about any competitor while always highlighting their own merits.  We were also very happy to experience the help offered by Trina Turgeon although we were Amy’s clients and not Trina’s.{{}}

We were a bit concerned when our construction manager was changed shortly after construction began.  But now we feel blessed to have been assigned Ryan Rose to build our house.  Ryan was meticulous, professional, responsive, attentive, and accommodating/sensitive to our numerous requests and requirements.  He was a pleasure to interact with and surprisingly took care of any concern we had often before we could even inform him of it.  Ryan has built our home as though it was his own.  Ryan has also been very responsive in taking care of any issue we encountered after moving into our home.

Looking back, each person that we interacted with from PIB genuinely appeared to believe in PIB’s strengths and stood by their commitment to ensure we were completely satisfied with the home they built for us.  We would not think twice about choosing PIB for any of our future home construction needs.

The K. Family

Houston-based Metrostudy, a national housing research firm, reported cumulative net sales of 2,473 new homes in the 15 communities for the first half of 2011, compared to 2,290 net sales in the same period last year.

Summerwood had a 59% increase in net sales for the first half of the year - the second highest increase in the report and the biggest gain in the Northeast Houston submarket. Summerwood had 108 net sales for the first half of this year, compared to 68 for 2010.

Summerwood's traffic - the number of home shoppers visiting model homes - was up by 34%, the result of popular spring promotions touting the completion of the Sam Houston Tollway and the grand opening of new models. For more information about building a new home in Summerwood, or to purchase a home that is being built or complete, contact Sherry Wilsher at 281-225-4400 or visit the Partners in Building model home at 16415 Boulder Field Lane, Houston, TX 77044.

More than just a run, the event will require participants to tackle several obstacles to reach the finish line. Those obstacles include a Zombie Dodge, a Witches’ Brew Rendezvous, a Horrifying Hay Hurdle, an Ooey Gooey Rocky Road Wall and a Muddy Waters Monster Slide, along with a few other tricky challenges along the route through Woodforest. Teams and costumes are encouraged. Adults, teens and little monsters as young as age 7 may compete.

Several sponsorship levels are available, including Ghostbusters, a $500 sponsorship; Spooktacular sponsors, $250; Boo-tiful sponsors, $150; R.I.P. (Really Important People), $100; and Sweet Treats, $50.{{}}Check-in begins at 8 a.m. with the race starting at 10 a.m. Post-race activities begin at 11 a.m. and include a pumpkin patch, arts and crafts, hair spray painting, airbrush tattoos, games and more. Awards will be given for the fastest team and individual, most creative costume, best individual costume and best team costume. Event-goers also can register for door prizes.

Proceeds from the event benefit the Montgomery County Food Bank, which distributed 5.9 million pounds of food last year. The food bank fills approximately 30,000 requests for food per month, with 45 percent of the clientele living in The Woodlands/Spring/Magnolia region of the county. A $1 donation to the food bank translates into seven meals.

In addition to registration fees, racers are encouraged to donate canned goods. Non-race participants are asked to bring a $5 donation or five non-perishable food items to pick a pumpkin and join in on the post-race fun. Most-needed items include canned meats, peanut butter, jelly, canned fruit and canned vegetables. Woodforest Development and co-sponsor Keller Williams Realty-The Woodlands & Magnolia hope to collect 1,000 pounds of food and raise $5,000 for the food bank.

Registration opens Aug. 15, with discounts given for early registration. On-site registration also will be available.  For more information on the Monster Dash and sponsorship opportunities, phone Kristi Steward, Woodforest Director of Marketing, at 936-447-2800.For more information about building a custom home in Woodforest, contact Greg Miller at 936-447-1100 or greg.miller@partnersinbuilding.com.

Now that our home is complete I would like to take this time to thank you and the Partners in Building team for a job well done on my home in Player Trail. All be it we had a few challenges early on, the construction was done well, on time and a great product was delivered.

I would like to give a special thanks to Josh Walker, for his patience and follow through with me and in particular with Sally. Living in the area gave us cause to visit the site almost every day during the final construction phases. With many construction managers this may have wore thin, if it did with Josh, he never let on. In addition, much credit goes to Josh for making us comfortable with the building process, and he especially made us confident that the daily work scheduled, got done. Josh responded to us, and the sub contractors responded to Josh, it was obvious that he has an outstanding/ respected relationship with the PIB sub contractors.

Once again, much thanks for and excellent job by the PIB teams, and we look forward to many years in our PIB home. We will be proud to say that our home is a PIB home and would recommend PIB, if asked for a recommendation.

All the best,

Eli P.

Bridgeland’s sales were up 67% in 2010 from the previous year and are continuing to climb this year, at an average rate of 8 percent.

“As we mark our fifth anniversary this fall, Bridgeland has thousands of residents, approximately 1,200 occupied homes and a list of amenities that would equal or surpass communities in their 20th year of development,” said Peter Houghton, Bridgeland’s vice president. “We have set a strong foundation for this 25-year project.”

Starting construction in Lakeland Village this year will be the community’s first village center, a mixed-use small “downtown” that will feature a medical office and private school in its first phase. This mixed-use concept is included in each of Bridgeland’s four planned villages. Bridgeland will also have a larger Town Center designed as an employment center and shopping, dining and entertainment hub for the community and surrounding area.{{}}

Bridgeland is continuing to add to its amenity list, with the second phase of the Cypress Creek Nature Trail in the planning stages. Meandering beneath a canopy of trees along the historic Cypress Creek corridor, 1.5 miles of the trail are currently open. The next stage will open another 1.5 miles of the planned 6-mile trail.

Another benefit for Bridgeland is the 15.2-mile extension of the Grand Parkway from U.S. 290 to Interstate 10. The parkway, which is estimated to open in 2014, will give Bridgeland residents a 20-minute commute to several major employment centers, including the Energy Corridor.

“Plus, the state of Texas is moving rapidly toward the extension of the Grand Parkway from U.S. 290 to I-45, which would mean an easy 20-minute commute from Bridgeland to the new Exxon Mobil campus opening in 2014.  This means we can refine our existing plan for the Town Center, which will be located in Bridgeland along the Grand Parkway.”Bridgeland is a project of The Howard Hughes Corporation, which — as owner of Bridgeland and The Woodlands — is one of Houston’s largest residential developers. The firm has communities and properties in 18 states and is traded on the New York Stock Exchange as HHC.

Our experienced Build on your Lot consultants will guide you through the custom home process, from start to finish. We can even help you find your lot if you don't already have one.

With hundreds of floor plans to choose from, an in-house plan design department, as well as the ability to meet with esteemed design firms, Partners in Building can help you design the home you've always wanted.

We also offer a turnkey series of homes called the Metropolitan Collection. This collection is designed for the busy professional who doesn't have time to devote to the traditional custom home process. We have taken some of our best "In Town" plans (plans that are designed for narrow inner-city lots) and paired them with all the right interior features. Our price includes permitting and other fees, as well as lot clearing, landscaping and much more! The Metropolitan Collection is the perfect solution for busy couples and families who want to build a custom home In Town.

Visit Partners in Building's new showroom, located at 4102 Richmond, Houston, TX 77027, or call us at 713-667-3397 to learn more about building your new In Town custom home.

Kids age 7 through 15 can participate in Bridgeland Kids’ Triathlon Saturday, Aug. 6. Younger participants ages 7 to 10 will compete in a short race comprising a 50-meter pool swim, 2-mile bike ride and half-mile run. Racers ages 11 to 15 will vie for top honors in a 100-meter pool swim, 3-mile bike race and 1-mile run. Boy and girl winners in each age category (7-8, 9-10, 11-12 and 13-15) will be named. Registration fees are $50 for an individual racer and $75 for a relay team.Adult competition happens the following day, Sunday, Aug. 7, starting at 6:45 a.m. in the Bridgeland Triathlon, a race comprising a 500-meter swim, 13.5-mile bike race and 3.65-mile run. Winners will compete for bragging rights and a $2,500 purse. Male and female invitational first-place winners will receive a $500 purse; second-place finishers, $300; and third-place winners, $200. Plus, $50 each goes to the male and female competitors with the fastest swim, bike and run splits.{{}}

Participants can compete in a variety of age categories, from 14 and under to 70-plus, as well as Clydesdales and Athenas categories.

Last year’s event sold out with 1,100 participants, so planners expanded this year’s event to 1,400 competitors. Fewer than 200 spots remain available. Entry cost is $100 for individuals and $225 for relay teams.

Participants and well-wishers are invited to a post-race party in Bridgeland immediately after the race ends.

Bridgeland hosts the noted Houston Triathlon for the first time Sunday, Sept. 25. Racers can compete in two events: a sprint distance triathlon, with a 750-meter swim, 12.4-mile bike ride and 3.65-mile run, or the Olympic distance triathlon, which is a 1,500-meter swim, 24.85-mile bike ride and 6.2-mile run.  Participants will compete for a $4,500 purse, with prize money going to the Olympic distance invitational male and female winners, including $800 for first place; $500, second place; $300, third place; $150, fourth place; and $50, fifth place. The fastest male and female swimmers, bikers and runners will receive $100.

Like the Bridgeland Triathlon, many age categories are available, from 14 and under to 70 and older, as well as Clydesdale and Athena categories.Registration cost is $100 for individuals in the sprint race and $200 for each relay team. Cost to enter the Olympic distance race is $25 more. For more information or to register for either event, visit www.bridgelandtriathlon.com.

We just wanted to take a few minutes to acknowledge the efforts of Tony Farahani and Shannon Nelson for their professionalism and for the extraordinary customer service during the construction of our house.Tony was always responsive, courteous and was extraordinary when it came to design and attention to detail that went in the house and the floor plan. Our guests always compliment our house and the passing cars slow down in the front and people look at the house with admiration. We revised our floor plan several times during the design phase and spent endless numbers of hours fine tuning details and Tony was always there listening, working with us until we were fully satisfied with the plan. As busy as his schedule was, he always made us feel like we were the only customers he was working with. He stayed with us even during the construction process, making sound recommendations on the interior design and to this date we stay in touch with him. He is definitely an asset to Partners in Building.{{}}

We also wanted to take the time to compliment Shannon Nelson for stepping in and helping the construction process move along smoothly. There were pending decisions regarding interior design and pricing that had dragged the project longer than we had expected. He kept his professionalism throughout the process and stayed with us until the close of the house. He was always responsive to our needs and kept us in the loop of construction progress and anticipated next steps. Always courteous and always there. We were extremely thankful for his role!

We've been in the house since Nov 2010 and haven't had any significant issues so far. We trust that in the event we do we will be able to approach your staff and get the attention the issues deserve. Our thanks to your construction crew!

All in all great experience building a house with Partners and Building and our sincere thanks to both Tony Farahani and Shannon Nelson!Leena D.

Dear Jamie,Aitu and I wanted to take a minute to thank you for all your hard work building our house.  We are extremely pleased with how it turned out!  You were patient and quick to answer all of our questions.  You were very proactive in identifying problems and truly went above and beyond to make things right!  We are still amazed how smoothly you orchestrated all the sub-contractors to get the house done quickly and with such high quality.

We did have some very unique problems that you probably have not had with other houses (e.g. the survey, the bath tub, and the drainage...all of which were outside your control).  But thanks to your knowledge and experience, we were able to overcome all of these obstacles.  We could not have done this without you!  Thanks to you, we now have a house that our family can live in safely and happily for a long time.

You made this whole process pain FREE and if we have friends or family who build, I will recommend PIB and will tell them to insist on working with you!  It was truly a pleasure working with you.

Many thanks!

Jason and Aitu T.

Hi Shannon,I just wanted to pass on a quick note about how much we LOVE our new house in Steiner Ranch, and how wonderful Rickey has been to work with.Rickey has been on top of every request I've had, and he has met and exceeded my expectations with each & every one of my demands (and boy do I feel like there have been many)!  I appreciate his knowledge base, friendly attitude and quick response time very much. Thank you and your team for building us the perfect home for our growing family. Shannon L.

Seminar attendees will learn about pricing, site selection and how the custom building process works. Representatives from Partners in Building will be on hand to answer specific questions and talk about the latest in home design trends. Click here to reserve your space at the “Build Your Dream” seminar. Space is limited.

Partners in Building is constructing homes in some of Austin’s most desirable neighborhoods, including the new Canyons at Lake Travis. This gated enclave of acre-sized home sites is perched on a hill just across from the lake in the esteemed Lake Travis School District. Homes in this neighborhood offer sweeping views across the nature preserve and sprawling home sites with endless possibilities. The neighborhood's close proximity to RM 620 and 2222 offers homeowners a quick commute to work, and a location that is convenient to shopping, restaurants, and marinas.

The first home in The Canyons at Lake Travis is nearing completion at 3309 Scenic Lookout Drive priced at $644,785. This 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath home sits on an acre and is perfect for entertaining. The home has an open floor plan, and features a butler’s pantry and roomy patio space with outdoor kitchen. The inviting stone and stucco exterior reflects the easy, Hill Country lifestyle residents of the neighborhood can enjoy.

To learn more about Partners in Building in Austin, call Sales Counselors Victoria Beasley at 512-801-7707 and Daniel Cornwell at 512-963-1067. You can also visit the on-site sales center in The Canyons at Lake Travis, just south of Mansfield Dam at 3501 Scenic Overlook Trail.

Again, thanks to Tony and Chris for a great job done!  We also thank PIB management for being considerate in process.Sincerely,

Xiaohui W. and Wenyi J.

The Cypress community is brimming with amenities, with the Lakeland Activity Center as the focal point. The multi-faceted complex, one of four planned for Bridgeland, includes a 6,000-square-foot community center, a fitness center, two lighted tennis courts, two playgrounds and a resort-style pool, with two 30-foot tower slides, diving wells, water volleyball and a spray park.

Nearby is Festival Park, which plays host to special events, concerts and more throughout the year. Many other parks dot Bridgeland’s landscape, including such themed areas as Maze Park, Turtle Park and an aromatic garden. Plus, a carefully conceived hierarchy of trails, including the Cypress Creek Nature Trail, gives residents a chance for both active hikes and leisurely walks.

Residents also have complimentary use of canoes, kayaks, sailboats and other recreational equipment.

Those looking for more structured activities can turn to Bridgeland’s busy events calendar, which includes a variety of weekly summer camps that allow kids to explore the art of ancient Egypt, dig for dinosaurs, learn to cook, hone their soccer skills and much more.

For more information about building a new home in Bridgeland, contact Rick Cole at 281-304-9311 or click here.

Expect to find a variety of home construction pros at the show, along with mortgage bankers, energy and conservation experts, interior decorators, landscapers and just about everything else you could possibly want for your home. In addition to seeing Houston's top homebuilders, attendees can attend home buying, building and remodeling seminars as well as gardening and landscaping workshops.  Plan your show visit around who and what you want to see and do.

Partners in Building's booth will be manned by our Build on your Lot team, and we will be meeting with potential clients regarding new home design, removing old homes and structures, the design and build process, selections, and much more.  Remember to bring blueprints if you have them, along with pictures, ideas and questions! For free ticket vouchers to the New Home & Remodeling Show, visit any of Partners in Building's model homes throughout Houston.

Jamie,

Every individual in some point of their lives have aspired to have a dream house.  It took a whole lot of years for us to make our own dream house a reality.  We've searched for five years for a house to purchase and visited a lot of model homes in close proximity to Houston, Pearland and Sugar Land, but we've always loved the convenience of having a house close to the medical center.  So, we settled in our humble abode just four miles away.

Then one day, God gave us the opportunity to purchase a lot that is big enough to build a house for a family of five.  Then it took another five years searching for a builder.  With God's guidance, we found your company "Partners in Building".  We met, Kevin, Brian and then you.

The story of this house has your name, "Jamie Dutton" and Partners in Building included in it.  We can't thank you enough for being there and making sure things were done right as it started to take shape from dust to a full blown structure.{{}}

Thanks for getting the details done, for your professionalism, promptness with responding to our messages and just for putting up with us.  We will be sending a letter of your excellent service to your company.

For the company itself, we're quite happy with how the house is built.  We were able to compare and visit other sites inside the loop that were being built by other companies.  by far, Partners have done an excellent job.  The specific examples are:  the crawl space in other construction has no moisture barrier and no pebbles, and the subfloor was not insulated.

As we close on this house, we know you have to move on and we have to move in the house.  You've been a blessing to us and we're excited and looking forward to make this house our new "HOME".

Once again a big thanks to you.

In Christ,

The de la Cruz family

During the event, to be held at Lakeland Activity Center, 16902 North Bridgeland Lake Parkway, supporters can make a donation to Avondale House and receive the gift of a free portrait.

Those making a $25 donation will receive an Autism Awareness Facebook mini-session to snap the perfect profile picture. A donation of $200 or more qualifies for a $400 portrait gift card with jlmPress Photography, as well as the Facebook mini-session. Facebook pictures will be taken at the event, so participants should come ready to be photographed. Refreshments and children activities also are planned.{{}}A non-profit agency, Avondale House provides educational services, a day habitation program and residential services for people diagnosed with autism. Founded in 1976 by parents of children with autism, Avondale House today has a state-of-the-art 33,000 square foot facility specially designed to address the unique sensory, educational and developmental needs of its clients. Services start for children as young as pre-kindergarten. For more information, visit www.avondalehouse.org.

People interested can pre-schedule a session for May 28 at http//jlmpress.brownbookit.com or by calling (281) 858-1671.Bridgeland hosts charitable events throughout the year, including races, triathlons, gift markets and more. For more information, visit www.bridgeland.com.  

Susan Baldwin was most helpful and accommodating as we were making all of the selections prior to and during construction.

Of everyone we dealt with in your company, our builder, Terence Brennan, was the most impressive. During the ups and downs of the construction process he was to us the face of your company. He represented you well and is an asset to your company.{{}}

Terence knows the meaning of customer service. I can't tell you how many times we heard him say "this is your home, we want you to be happy". We always received a quick response from him even when we called him late in the evenings and on weekends. He did not hesitate to make the sub-contractors do things over when the job was not right. We never got the feeling that this was just a job to him. He clearly gave us the impression he wanted us to be happy with the final product, our new home.

We would gladly recommend Partners in Building to others because of your employees like Terence.

Sincerely,Dennis S.

Participants will be divided into two age groups, 5 through 7 and 8 through 10. Cost is $250 per session although registration before March 10 is discounted $45. Use code BR45 online.Project IDEA holds a series of summer camps throughout the Houston area. Bridgeland is the only Project IDEA site in Cypress. For more information or to register, visit www.ProjectIDEAkids.com. The camps are open to both residents and non-residents of Bridgeland.

The Canyons at Lake Travis has an abundance of beautiful trees and plants that are native to the central Texas area.  Sheryl McLaughlin, Native Plant Specialist and host of KLBJ's "Austin Gardener" radio show, recently toured the neighborhood.  She was able to spot great trees, shrubs and grasses throughout.Regarding the trees in The Canyons at Lake Travis, "obviously, there are beautiful live oaks, but I saw an impressive stand of Durand Oak which is not common" McLauglin said.  "I also saw Shin Oak, Carolina Buckthorn, Redbud, Texas Ash, Yaupon, Mt. Laurel and Texas Red Oak." She added that there were beautiful strands of little bluestem, sideoats gramma, and bouteloua pectinata (common name "eyebrow grass"). Also, there is curly mesquite and lindheimer's nolina grass, blackfoot daisy, goldenrod, and much more.Make plans to visit The Canyons at Lake Travis, and see for yourself the natural beauty that the neighborhood has to offer.  For a tour of the community, contact Victoria Beasley at 512-266-8557 or victoria.beasley@partnersinbuilding.com.

{{}}At first glance, Telfair Central Hall appears as a cluster of four separate buildings with varied heights, fronts and rooflines. This creates an organic look, as if each of the buildings had been added to the site through the years. Glass corridors tie all of the components together, giving Telfair Central Hall a cohesive and harmonious feeling, along with the ability to easily accommodate multiple groups at one time.“With its emphasis on hosting resident activities and special events, Telfair Central Hall reflects the unique spirit of community involvement among Telfair residents,” said Heather Gould, marketing director for Newland Communities.A large multipurpose room will accommodate the biggest events and activities, while six smaller rooms can host a number of different activities at once. Each of the smaller rooms can be combined with the adjoining room, to create three medium-sized spaces.While it has many glass-enclosed expanses, Telfair Central Hall is also highly efficient, designed and built to standards that will make it eligible for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.Telfair Central Hall is among the many amenities available to residents of Telfair, located at U.S. 59 South and University Blvd., in the Fort Bend Independent School District. This 2,018-acre master-planned community devotes approximately 300 acres to recreation and open space, including scenic lakes, parks, recreation centers and miles of greenbelt trails.Telfair won the 2010 “Houston’s Best Community of the Year” award from the Greater Houston Builders Association, and also won two 2010 Landmark Awards from the Houston Business Journal.

Veros’ U.S. real estate market forecast uses advanced analytics and micro-market data to achieve highly accurate results. The company’s VeroFORECAST product is utilized by economists, statisticians and business leaders all along the mortgage industry value chain as a key resource for forecasting and strategic planning due to its consistent strength and accuracy over the eight years the forecast has been available. The quarterly forecast update for September 2010 through September 2011 indicates consistent gains in some markets.{{}}“Texas is looking strong, with four of the top ten markets in the appreciation forecast,” says Eric Fox, Veros’ vice president of statistical and economic modeling. “California markets are less robust than in previous quarterly updates, but remain steady, with Riverside / San Bernardino remaining in the top ten due to affordability and seasonal trends. Anchorage is showing modest gains, as are the Central Plains, with a rise in the Davenport / Moline / Rock Island areas of Illinois and Iowa.”{}}The Houston metro area improved over the previous quarter, with low unemployment in the region being a contributing factor. Dallas metro and Amarillo both moved up in the standings from the previous update, owing to improved affordability. The central Great Plains continue to be steady, with especially good forecasts for Texas, Louisiana, Missouri, Iowa, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and South Dakota.Projected Five Strongest Markets*1. Houston / Sugar Land / Baytown, TX +3.8%2. Dallas / Fort Worth / Arlington, TX +2.7%3. Amarillo, TX +2.7%4. Anchorage, AK +2.7%5. Davenport / Moline / Rock Island, IA-IL +2.7%In marked contrast to the forecast for Texas, the outlook for Florida remains weak, with six of the bottom ten markets in the forecast. “There is some improvement in the negative growth markets,” Fox says. “For example, the Daytona area was at -8.3% last quarter and this forecast shows an improved change to -6.0%. There are more Florida communities on the weakest market list this time, but they appear to be depreciating at a reduced rate.”“The reduced depreciation rates are better news for Florida and Nevada,” Fox says. “Approximately one-third of the markets forecast are expected to appreciate in the next 12 months, and two-thirds are expected to depreciate. In the longer 12- to 24-month horizon, we anticipate this ratio to even out to 50-50, with half appreciating gently and half depreciating similarly,” he notes. “There are tangible indications that things are getting better as time moves on.”Projected Five Weakest Markets*1. Port St. Lucie / Fort Pierce, FL -7.2%2. Reno / Sparks, NV -7.0%3. Orlando / Kissimmee, FL -6.3%4. Las Vegas / Paradise, NV -6.1%5. Deltona / Daytona Beach / Ormond Beach, FL -6.0%

VeroFORECAST provides forecasts on the national real estate market with the capacity to segment results by property types, by three distinct pricing tiers – upper, middle and entry-level – and by metro area, county and zip code. The forecast utilizes more than 50 critical decisioning factors in its forecast analytics to develop reliable market trend predictions covering more than 900 counties, more than 300 metro areas and nearly 14,000 zip codes. Key factors range from interest, unemployment and inflation rates, to housing inventory levels and an array of economic and geographic trends. Veros engineered VeroFORECAST in response to demand for more focused, more useful reports featuring improved methods and emphasizing more localized data sources in its analytics.

*Markets demonstrated are for residential real estate in major metro areas (typically greater than 500,000 residents) among single-family homes in the median price tier.

On September 15th, The Texas Association of Builders announced that Partners in Building earned a total of six 2010 Star Awards.  The highly-coveted Star Awards are given annually to recognize excellence in home building, remodeling, and land development.  The Star Awards is the Southwest's premier building industry awards program, representing Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma.

Partners in Building received the Star Awards in the following categories:• Best Product Design $325-$400K for The Portsmouth in Summerwood• Best Product Design $500-$600K for the Firethorne model• Best Product Design $600-$750K for the Bridgeland model• Best Custom Luxury Home over $1 Million for the Meadow Lake design• Best Interior Merchandising $600-$750 for the Bridgeland model• Sales Professional of the Year, Greg Miller{{}}"We are thrilled and honored to receive this recognition", said Jim Lemming, President of Partners in Building.  "However, we feel that the biggest winners are our customers, who motivate us to excel in product design in various price ranges.  We also take great pride in our team providing superior customer service as evidenced by Greg Miller being named outstanding sales person."The award ceremony will take place on October 15th at the Sunbelt Bash at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine.  Grand Award winners will also be announced during the event. The Texas Association of Builders is a non-profit organization with more than 10,500 members, serving the needs of home builders and remodelers throughout Texas, as well as the companies that service them.  The Star Awards are presented annually to honor the best in the residential industry.  To view the entire list of Star Award winners, please visit http://www.texasbuilders.org.

Were we starting the process all over, we would not hesitate to select PIB again and would request Kevin to build the house again. Thanks,Kristi and Dwayne H.

We wanted to send our sincere appreciation to Tony and his team for helping us design a home that is uniquely ours and also thank Jeremy for assuring us of all the finer details regarding thequality and integrity of the home.  We look forward to spending many years in it. 

Sincerely, 

Dario & Robin D.

Partners in Building is a proud sponsor of Project Playhouse.

The South Montgomery County 4th of July parade will be held on Saturday, July 3, beginning at 9 am. The parade runs through The Woodlands Town Center and Market Street, beginning and ending at The Woodlands United Methodist Church on Lake Woodlands Drive. Pre-parade entertainment includes jugglers, clowns, magicians and much more!

The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion salutes America at the annual Star-Spangled Salute, set for Saturday, July 3 at 8 pm. This free concert is generously sponsored by The Woodlands Development Company. Picnics are welcome (no beverages); lawn chairs are available for free; and tickets are not required. Gates open at 6:30 pm.

On July 4 beginning at 1 pm, over 8,000 ducks will race at the Rob Fleming Aquatic Center in the Village of Creekside Park. The Duck Race benefits many local charities including Montgomery County Emergency Assistance.{{}}The Woodlands’ tradition continues with one of the largest Fourth of July fireworks displays in the greater Houston area. The Annual Red, Hot & Blue Festival will be held Sunday, July 4 from 6 pm - 10 pm at Town Green Park and Waterway Square, both located along The Woodlands Waterway. Admission to the festival is free. Tickets for concessions and games can be purchased at the festival.

As soon as dusk falls, the Red, Hot & Blue Festival will present one of the largest fireworks displays in the Houston area, a 23-minute explosion of colors to be simulcast on Sunny 99.1 FM. The fireworks display is expected to start at dusk (between 9:15 – 9:30 pm).

This letter comes to us from homeowners in Katy:We have lived in our home built by Partners in Building for 10 months now, and we would like for you to know how pleased we have been.  From meeting Amy in the sales office to working with the construction managers, David Kaapke and Larry Robinson, the process was always professional and pleasurable.Amy Faircloth was wonderful to work with.  She was always straight forward, and never made promises that were unreachable.  It was important to her that we got the right floor plan and that the correct changes were made.  If there was a mistake, she saw to it that a revision was made, and we were always notified in a timely manner.Maggie Sassin was very helpful in the design center.  She always had wonderful suggestions, while respecting our personal style.  Maggie was very patient when we were overwhelmed with decisions.  Many times I would call her to inquire about paint colors or a specific type of flooring, and she always had answers within a short period of time.We had the pleasure of working with both Larry Robinson and David Kaapke.  Larry was extremely nice and did a wonderful job building our home.  If we ever had a problem or question, he stayed in contact with us until we were satisfied.  Larry helped us with our warranty work as well, and responded to our request within 24 hours.{{}}We also developed a wonderful relationship with David Kaapke, who did a phenomenal job explaining the construction of our home, and making sure we got everything we wanted.  He also had great "input" for many items that we had not thought of.  There were several items such as electrical plugs or TV cable outlets he had installed because he felt that we would find it convenient to have them in a particular location.  Both David and Larry were always very accessible, and communications were encouraged.  David has helped us with our warranty work, and has always responded to our requests within a day.  Each item has always been addressed and repaired.  I will say that the items we have had repaired have been minimal, as the home is well-built.The whole process of building our home went smoothly.  We would definitely recommend Partners to anyone building or buying a home.  It was a true pleasure.Sincerely,Brenda G.

Located at 240 Tupelo Green Circle, Tupelo Park is an 11.5-acre facility with a canoe launch, pavilion, playground, lighted tennis courts, lighted basketball court, picnic area, multi-purpose field and restrooms. The lower portion of its terraced lake has a waterfall, and the upper portion has a fountain and is connected to 72-acre Lake Paloma.

Dear Tony,I am pleased to inform you that we have completed our first year in our new home, and I wanted to thank you for the outstanding support you provided us while building our dream home.  As you are aware, this home was my wife and my son's dream home as well, and they join me in thanking you for your great support.  Our whole family is very happy and satisfied in our new home.We would like to thank you for the great effort and time you have taken in making the plans as we required.  You were always there for us, to guide us in the changes in the plan until our home was finished last year.  It is surprising to say we have already completed our first year in our new home; it feels as if it has just been few months.  Also, I would like to thank Jeremy for his help and his great efforts while building our dream home.  I remember we bothered him a lot while the home was under construction.  My wife and son would go to the house every other day to look at the construction site, but he was never upset and he always stood by us to do the best for us.  He also guided us the same way as you did and I will always remember him, so please tell Jeremy we have not forgotten him; he is always remembered by all of us. We refer all of our friends to you when it comes to buying a home, and will also be the same in the future if we want another home.  In the end I would like to tell Partners in Building thank you for building good homes and having wonderful, nice people like Mr. Tony Farahani & Jeremy.Thank you and best regards,Amirali P

The Adventure Center will be a unique facility, with a special emphasis on outdoor recreation, reconnecting children and their families with nature, and bringing back the sense of adventure to the outdoor experience.The YMCA Outdoor Adventure Center features a 14,000 square foot lodge-style building that will be the home to the Y’s Summer Day Camp programs, serving up to 500 youth from The Woodlands, Tomball and surrounding communities.  Camps will be offered during spring break and holidays in addition to summer.  The lodge will include an expansive multi-purpose room for special events, group exercise, community meetings and expanded programming opportunities for the South Montgomery County YMCA.

Phase One of this project includes:

When Phase One opens June 5, 2010, the local YMCA will have one membership with three locations – Shadowbend YMCA, Branch Crossing YMCA and Creekside YMCA.

Overall March sales of single-family homes across greater Houston climbed 10.8 percent and the sale of all property types rose by 14.5 percent as compared to March of the previous year. HAR is pleased with this March’s activity, as the increase in single-family home sales ended a previous consecutive three-month decline.

Other positive increases from the previous year include a total dollar volume up by 24.2% and the total pending home sales up by 14.3%.

The HAR Report’s leaping numbers indicate a confident market and reflect the fact that the 2010 real estate landscape is faring quite well!

For more information about Houston housing, view the March HAR report. http://www.har.com/mls/dispPressRelease.cfm?MONTH=04&YEAR=10.

We would like to express our appreciation for, and satisfaction with our new PIB home in Bridgeland. We have owned exceptional homes all over the country and the quality of our new PIB house is second to none. We are new to Houston and one of our biggest concerns in moving here was finding a quality builder we could trust, and PIB exceeded our expectations.

We would particularly like to thank Will, our builder for his care and thoughtfulness throughout the process. We had very specific ideas about how we wanted things to turn out and Will took the time to carefully understand exactly what we wanted and how to make it happen. Every time we stopped by the house to see the progress being made, it seemed like Will was always there, and he was always willing to take time out of his busy schedule to address our seemingly endless questions and concerns.

After construction was complete, we really appreciated the thorough walk through Will provided. There are always lots of little details in how a house works and what we need to maintain from climate control to how to adjust the shelves in our spice racks, it seemed like no question was too small or too complicated for Will to help us with. Will also made himself available after we moved in, just in case we needed anything. This level of service is truly above and beyond. Whenever family or friends come to visit our new home, they always comment on the quality of the house PIB built for us. We have already recommended Partners in Building to another family moving to Houston. The next house we build in Houston will definitely be a PIB home, and we would really enjoy working with Will again.

Keep up the great work,

Brett and Anna J.

Partners in Building Team,

This note is long overdue now that we have been in our house for about a month now, but I think definitely better late than never.  When we started the process of searching for a new home, the idea of building something from the ground up was dismissed by us on several occasions, mainly due to the all the negative comments of others who have gone through the process.  

I have to admit that I have been blown away by the service, attention to detail, and timeliness of responses that we have received from planning to engineering to decorating and most importantly throughout the construction process.  The ease with which Kevin and Brian Lee guided us through the planning and drawing phase of the process was wonderful and Maggie did a phenomenal job allowing us to pick out all the right touches at the design studio without being the least bit pushy or appearing to try to "upsell" every last detail.{{}}We could not have been happier with Jaime Dutton being appointed to us as our builder.  I am in a service oriented job and know the value of keeping customers happy with timely responses no matter the time or day.  Jaime totally exceeded our expectations of availability and could not have been any more helpful in the process.  I know that I hounded Jaime on pretty much a daily basis for info and details and why this and what is going on here and there was not one time that I was not given an answer that 110% satisfied what I was looking for.  I think the time that he put in to make sure that everything was done the right way and the way that we wanted things went way above and beyond what we would have been happy with.   The point of contact person in this process is key to meeting our expectations and Jamie ensured at every turn that we were absolutely taken care of. 

It truly was a joy to work with the whole team and I can tell you that not one person believes us when we say that we are so happy with our builder, but we have to go into details like the above and convince them we are telling the truth.  We have a majestic house to live in now and cannot thank each and every one involved in the process enough.

Best Regards,

Erik W.

Outdoor enthusiasts can register for beginner fly-fishing and kayaking classes, with all necessary equipment provided. Fly fishing will be April 11, while the those wanting to learn to kayak can select from an April 24 or May 22 class.

Plus, the public is invited to a benefit craft show and silent auction 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 5 at the community’s Lakeland Activity Center. Held in remembrance of Alessandra Lopez, proceeds from the event will go to pediatric melanoma research at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Alessandra, age 2, lost her battle with metastatic melanoma last year.

On tap this summer is a series of day camps designed especially for young chefs. Camp Cook will be held for children ages 3 through fifth grade at Bridgeland’s Lakeland Activity Center, 16902 Bridgeland Landing, in five sessions: June 1-4, June 14-18, July 6-9, July 19-23 and Aug. 2-6. Plus, two triathlons are scheduled for August, as is a fun run for the Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation Aug. 28. Bridgeland will host large-scale annual events later in the year, Nature Fest, set for Sept. 25, and Howl-O-Ween Fest, Oct. 30.

“These events showcase our natural and planned amenities and are just a sampling of what Bridgeland residents enjoy,” said Peter C. Houghton, Bridgeland’s vice president of master-planned communities.

Bridgeland residents have plenty of opportunities to stay busy and meet neighbors, with more than 60 activities scheduled monthly ranging from fitness classes to tennis lessons to dance classes for kids. Plus, monthly group meetings cater to specific interests, such as books, crafts, gardening and even a poker night for men.

To learn more about Partners in Building at Bridgeland, call us at 281-304-9311.

"Newland's sales success at Cinco Ranch can be attributed to the product diversity our homebuilders offer, the proven established track records of these communities, and a highly focused marketing approach that speaks to our customer needs,” McLeod continued.

"Buyers needs have changed and they will continue to change. The communities Newland creates will continue to adapt to meet those needs. Value doesn’t just mean a lower price, or a smaller home. It means what fits their family and lifestyle needs. The way we market our communities, taking time to really understand our buyers and engaging with them on a more personal level, has changed as well," he indicated.

"Newland's sales success at Telfair and Cinco Ranch can be attributed to the product diversity our homebuilders offer, the proven established track records of these communities, and a highly focused marketing approach that speaks to our customer needs,” McLeod continued.

"Buyers needs have changed and they will continue to change. The communities Newland creates will continue to adapt to meet those needs. Value doesn’t just mean a lower price, or a smaller home. It means what fits their family and lifestyle needs. The way we market our communities, taking time to really understand our buyers and engaging with them on a more personal level, has changed as well," he indicated.

Houston’s strong showing in the RCLCO study underscores the fact that the city is a bright spot in the national economy.

Ted Nelson, Central Region President for Newland Communities said, “In the past few months, Houston has ranked very high in studies ranging from the nation’s healthiest housing markets to cities where the recession is easing. Overall, the Houston communities on the top 10 list represented 2,250 new-home sales, more than double those of the second ranked metro, Las Vegas.”

Driving through Telfair, residents and visitors might notice a large construction project taking place along New Territory Blvd., next to the Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land. This construction site is home to the future Telfair Central Hall, an innovative 9,545 sq. ft. community center building planned to open in the fall.As the artist’s rendering shows, Telfair Central Hall takes some design inspiration from the historic 1939 Central State Farm building next door, which was transformed into the museum’s new home last fall. While it pays homage to the older building’s detailed red brick exterior, Telfair Central Hall will have its own unique 21st century style, with large expanses of glass creating an open, contemporary look. “With its emphasis on hosting resident activities and special events, Telfair Central Hall reflects the unique spirit of community involvement among Telfair residents,” said Heather Gould, marketing director for Newland Communities.  A large multipurpose room will accommodate the biggest events and activities, while six smaller rooms can host a number of different activities at once. Each of the smaller rooms can be combined with the adjoining room, to create three intermediate-sized spaces.  The spacious, angled glass-enclosed corridor running the length of the meeting wing is designed to provide pre-meeting space and to encourage socializing among attendees of different events. A catering kitchen will also be available for users.{{}} On the opposite side of the main corridor are offices for TelfairLife, the community service organization that creates the annual Charity of Your Choice Walk, International Music Festival, Arbor Day program, and many smaller events throughout the year. TelfairLife also administers a college scholarship program for Telfair residents.  Most of the meeting rooms overlook the main lake at Telfair, and the large room has doors opening onto a patio with views of the lake. While it has many glass-enclosed expanses, Telfair Central Hall will also be highly energy efficient, designed and built to standards that will make it eligible for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.  The site will also include three tennis courts, a canoe launch, and an access-controlled parking area for residents only.  When it is completed, Telfair Central Hall will join the Telfair Central Pool complex, which opened last summer to provide residents with a water park experience. Together with the museum and a future retail site, Telfair Central will soon be completed as a thriving, community-oriented complex in the heart of Telfair.

Dear Partners in Building, This is a note to express our sincere appreciation for the job Jamie Dutton performed while building our home in Lake Olympia.Jamie took on the job and did not miss a beat. We would like to give many thanks to Jamie for the long hours, coming to our site everyday and all the other inconveniences that were endured during the past months. Jamie worked to get the job completed , including handling a fireplace addition we started during construction.We have never built a house before and we were a bit nervous about the process. Jamie and the workmen made the building process a joy, patiently answering our "daily" questions and continuing to explain the many steps to building our dream home. We actually looked forward to our site visits during the construction.After completion of the home, as always, there will be a few minor matters to be finished. Jamie assured us of Partners in Building's followup policies and he remains available to us even though we have already paid in full. We appreciate you buddy! (If we can be so friendly towards Jamie).We are very happy with our completed home and have already recommended PIB to another interested party. In our opinion Partners in Building is a builder of the highest quality and of the highest integrity.Job well done !!!!Larry and Veda E.

To learn more about Partners in Building custom homes, visit our communities all over Houston in areas such as Bellaire, Memorial, Sugar Land, Katy and The Woodlands, or visit us at http://www.partnersinbuilding.com.

I would like to thank Partners in Building for the beautiful home that we now own.  I would like  to especially thank Greg Miller our salesman who relentlessly encouraged us to consider Partners In Building after our previous builder went out of business.  The other builder did not compare to the quality of the workmanship in the home and the options that Partners In Building offered.

I would like to thank Brian Lee, who made it easy for us to design the home of our dreams and had no problem with customizing the plans of the home to our specifications, especially the elevation which I love and which has gotten everyone's attention in the neighborhood. 

I would also like to thank Maggie Wimbush in the design center.  She made very good suggestions for the colors of cabinets, granite counter tops, etc...and everything goes together really well. 

Last but not least I would like to thank Chris Turner and his team very much for their expertise in building our home. I know I probably caused him a few headaches but he was always professional, pleasant, thoughtful and concerned that we would be pleased with the final product. Our calls were always answered promptly and he notified us when he had concerns during the building process. 

I love coming home to my home built by Partners in Building in the Crighton Woods subdivision of Conroe, Texas.

Thanks.   Charles and Wanda W.

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

"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."

GREEN PRODUCTS: Visit exhibitors with products to help you go GREEN, like Radiant Barrier Insulation, Countertops, Flooring, Windows, and Lighting

LANDSCAPES/GARDENING: from quality companies like Thompson’s Landscaping, Bella Domani,Wakefield Landscape, Lawn Ranger, Stewart Land Design and more!

OUTDOOR LIVING PRODUCTS: Outdoor Kitchens, Grills, Mosquito Systems, Deck Builders, Sunrooms, Concrete Resurfacing, Spas, Pools and more!

INTERIORS: Designers, Decorators, Window Treatments, Blinds and Shutters, Faux Finishers. 

CONTRACTORS: Professional Remodelers, Custom Home Builders, A/C & Heating, and more

HOME ORGANIZING: Closet, Garage, Office, Murphy Beds, and advice Be sure to stop by Partners in Building's booth, # 807.  Click here to learn more, and to get $1 off admission.

Yesterday evening, Partners in Building hosted our second Customer Appreciation dinner at our model home in Telfair, located at 7418 Newbury Trail. Telfair homeowners were able to reconnect with their neighbors and meet potential new neighbors as well. Kelly with Vineyard Wine Bar poured a selection of red and white wines, and Madras Pavilion provided an assortment of South Indian dishes. Guests were also treated to live music by a piano player. Photographed (l to r) are Sapana Patel, Sushila Patel, and our own Tony Farahani. Telfair is located on U.S. 59 South, with the main entrance at University Boulevard, just south of State Highway 6. Take U.S. 59 south to University Blvd. and turn right. Follow the signs to the Model Home Park. For more information on Partners in Building at Telfair, call 281-207-6800, or visit Partners in Building's Telfair page.

As people are often frustrated in trying to visualize a finished home from a blueprint, Felicia expertly guides our clients through the process and helps them “see” what will become their finished home. The beauty of creating a truly unique, one of a kind home is that it really does reflect who you are as a person. But, because that home may never have been built before, you can't walk through it first. That’s when Felicia can be of great service, visually walking you through your home, so you understand how it will look and feel.   Three of the couples in attendance were brought by Lisa Billingsley, a local Real Estate professional and friend of Austin Partners in Building. Thank you, Lisa! One of her clients from New York literally landed at the airport and drove straight to the seminar... about 1.5 hours... even before checking into their hotel. Many great questions were posed by all and the discussions lasted well over several hours.

We found this seminar very helpful to our potential clients and will definitely be doing it again soon. If you would like to be added to our seminar interest list, please sign up here http://www.partnersinbuilding.com/seminar-austin.aspx.

As an added bonus, prospective buyers can enter a drawing during July to win $2,500 in American Express gift cards. Registration boxes will be placed in 14 featured homes in Bridgeland, and visitors can register for the drawing at one home or all 14. Home tour maps are available at the Bridgeland Welcome Center or online at www.bridgeland.com. Homes will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

"My wife and I recently purchased one of your new homes in the Woodlands Player Trail addition. Our initial dealings were with John Crawford. We made various changes and additions to the house with John. Wes Bryant came in and we came to an agreement on price and signed the deal. I was somewhat skeptical as to what the quality of the additions might be, as well as the ability to even complete them before closing! Chris Turner was the superintendent who led the charge on overseeing the project.

It has truly been an absolute pleasure working with all 3 of these men. In the past I have built several homes and have experienced the many frustrations that can happen in building a home. That never happened here at all. John, Wes and Chris are to be complimented and there is no question as to the integrity and professionalism they displayed.

Please include me as a reference for future sales of your homes. We truly are enjoying our new residence and look forward to watching the development grow around us with your new homes. You truly have a quality product with a talented staff that represents your company very, very well!

My best to you and your company for the future to come.

Bill E.

Partners in Building recently hosted a social event for Player Trail at The Woodlands residents and prospective home buyers. The event took place in The Palmer Clubhouse at The Woodlands Country Club. Guests sampled four different wines from Wines Across America, and enjoyed food pairings that were served with each wine. Several of the residents who attended met their neighbors for the first time, and everyone had a great time mingling and making new friends. Attendees were also able to speak with a representative from Supreme Pools, who built the pool at the Player Trail model home, and the owner of RJ Innovative Solutions, who painted the faux textures and mural seen throughout the model. To visit Player Trail at The Woodlands, head west on Woodlands Pkwy and turn right on Branch Crossing.  Turn left on Player Trail, and make a quick right onto 70 Wintress.  The model is the second home on the left.  For more information the neighborhood, call Todd Barrow at 832-813-0252 or e-mail him at todd.barrow@partnersinbuilding.com. 

The center’s bloodmobile will be parked at Bridgeland’s Welcome Center, 16919 North Bridgeland Lake Parkway in Cypress, to take donations. People can donate every three months and should expect the entire donation process — from registration to post-donation refreshments — to take about an hour. Individuals who are at least 17 years old, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and are in good health can donate. Those who are age 16, weigh at least 122 pounds, are in good health and have their parents’ consent also can participate. Donors should drink plenty of fluids and try to eat iron-rich foods (red meat, iron-fortified cereal or green, leafy vegetables) one to two hours before donating.

Blood donations are truly life-sustaining gifts. According to the center, blood donations can help a variety of individuals — trauma victims, surgery patients, premature babies, cancer patients and others, including those with anemia.

To schedule your donation, visit http://www.giveblood.org.

The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is a non-profit, independent blood center and is not affiliated with the American Red Cross.

The 1,500 schools on the Newsweek list represent the top 6 percent of the nation’s 27,000 public high schools. They were ranked based on the number of students who take Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or Cambridge tests at the school, divided by the number of graduating seniors. 

Seven Lakes ranked 403 on the list, and Cinco Ranch ranked 458.

“The fact that Seven Lakes and Cinco Ranch ranked in the top third of the Newsweek list vaults both schools into the top 2 percent of public high schools nationwide, measured in this way,” said Heather Gould, marketing director for Newland Communities, developer of the 7,600-acre Cinco Ranch community.  “We salute all the students, teachers, parents and other community members who have helped Seven Lakes and Cinco Ranch achieve these very laudable rankings.”

All of the schools on the list have an index of at least 1.000 (meaning that they had as many tests as graduates), explained the Newsweek researchers.

A school can reach the 1.000 level only if half of its students take one AP, IB or Cambridge test in their junior year and one in their senior year.  Cinco Ranch High School had an index of 2.21, and the index for Seven Lakes High School was 2.32. 

The methodology for the Newsweek study rewards schools that increased the overall number of students who take and pass AP, IB and Cambridge tests, instead of only those that encourage a low percentage of high-performing students to participate. According to Newsweek researchers, students perform better in college after having this testing experience even if they score low on some exams.

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

The second community pool now open in Telfair, the Telfair Central Pool has fun features including a water tower with twin slides, a spray area and an island playground fort.  Offering a zero entry zone for easy access, this freestyle pool is surrounded by shade pavilions and a changing cabana.

The water tower and other areas of the Telfair Central Pool have detailed brick construction, echoing the architecture of the 1939 Central State Farm building next door.  Also part of the overall Telfair Central complex, this historic building is being transformed into the Sugar Land branch of the Houston Museum of Natural Science, with a grand opening planned for this fall.

Future plans for Telfair Central include the addition of a Community Center building that will serve as a hub of activity for TelfairLife, Telfair’s active community service organization.

Telfair is located at U.S. 59 South and University Blvd. in Sugar Land, in the highly acclaimed Fort Bend Independent School District.  To learn more about Telfair, call Tony Farahani at 281-207-6800.

The only “drawback” to buying a home in Bridgeland this summer might be that unpacking will take a bit longer, given the fun-filled activities calendar that could easily tempt even the most dedicated to explore and enjoy everything the community offers.

Community concerts and movies in the park return this year, with the Hit-N-Run Band and “Horton Hears a Who” scheduled this month. Kayaking lessons also are slated in June and the disc golf league is in full swing. Year-round, Bridgeland residents enjoy complimentary use of an extensive list of recreational equipment: giant chess, checkers and tic-tac-toe, disc golf and fishing equipment, volleyballs and soccer balls, bikes and non-motorized boats, such as kayaks, canoes and sailboats. Paddleboats also are available.

The pool complex at Bridgeland's Lakeland Activity Center also is a welcome distraction, with 30-foot slides, a junior Olympic-size pool, a diving well, splash pads and play areas.

To visit Partners in Building at Bridgeland, from U.S. 290, travel northwest and take the Spring-Cypress/Cypress-Rosehill/Fry Road exit. Turn left on Fry Road (second traffic light) and continue 2.5 miles to North Bridgeland Lake Parkway, the community’s main entrance.  You may also call 281-304-9311 for more information.

"Firethorne has been holding its own in today’s real estate market thanks to continued growth in the Katy and Fulshear areas and for being part of one of the greatest school districts in the state. There are three major Houston hospitals expanding in this area -- two under construction and one on the drawing board -- plus BP America and Conoco/Phillips relocating employees here," said Firethorne General Manager Wayne Meyer.

Thanks to this business activity, Firethorne continues to lay the infrastructure for new home sections and has begun work on the North Firethorne Road extension.

"The Katy area in general is running counter to what the rest of the nation is doing (in home sales)," observed Firethorne Sales Consultant Scotty Wilson, based at Firethorne since June 2007. "While one may think the (sales) numbers should be down, the reality is, we’re picking up a larger portion of the market share compared to other areas because of what value Firethorne offers. This year we came out of January with a bang at Firethorne," he said. He notes an influx of relocation buyers, from out-of-town and from more seasoned Katy area residents looking to escape the traffic congestion of Mason and Fry Roads.

Firethorne blends with the best nature has to offer: 150 acres devoted to parks and recreational amenities, a 12-acre lake with surrounding greenbelt, hike/bike trails, parks and playgrounds, discovery-rich wildlife observation area and a natural bird habitat. Firethorne combines the vibrancy of West Houston with the small-town charm of Katy/Fulshear. Served by the award-winning Katy Independent School District, the community is strategically located on FM 1463 near the crossroads of the 1-10 West corridor, the Westpark Tollway and the Grand Parkway.

To tour Firethorne, take I-10 West and exit Pin Oak to FM 1463 or call Scotty at 281-391-2500.

The Lake House, one of the newest amenities in west Houston’s 7,600-acre Cinco Ranch master-planned community, is more than a beautiful (and environmentally friendly) building. The Lake House is also the hub of activity for CincoLife, a vibrant community service organization which organizes a year-round slate of events for Cinco Ranch residents. Most events are free and take place at The Lake House, unless otherwise noted. All summer long, residents are invited to attend two Dive-In Movie events and two Summer Series Cooking Lessons each month (June, July and August) at The Lake House. Major holiday events include a Father’s Day Fishing Tournament and an Independence Day Celebration, both at The Beach Club at Cinco Ranch. Other fun activities include a Family Fun Art Workshop at The Lake House on June 27, a CincoLlife Community Blood Drive on July 26, and a Master Gardeners Class on August 13.{{}}CincoLife wraps up summer with a Back To School Bash on August 21 at The Water Park at Cinco Ranch. A few of the many ongoing activities planned by CincoLife include yoga lessons in both the morning and evening on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Zumba classes on Mondays and Wednesdays help residents take part in the latest dance and aerobic craze. For more fitness, a Running Group meets Saturday mornings before taking off on the miles of greenbelt trails in Cinco Ranch. Other ongoing groups include a Mom’s Club and Book Club. For a complete look at what’s in store for residents of Cinco Ranch, take a peek at the community’s popular neighborhood network,