Cotton Crossing at 09' HOTBA Home Products Show

Heart of Texas Builders Association 2009

"Home Products Show"

Feb. 7th & 8th at the Heart of Texas Coliseum

Master Planned, Traditional Neighborhood Development, Cotton Crossing will have a booth in the annual Home Products Show put on by the Heart of Texas Builders Association.

The booth will have lot pricing, plats, pictures of existing houses in Cotton Crossing, and example floor plans for potential customers to view.

For more information on Cotton Crossing please call Mark P. Felton at 254-495-1241.

Mark P. Felton offers buyers looking for houses in Waco a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer. His home building company is Front Porch Homes which builds in and around the Waco area. And his development company is Frontera Development, which is a full service real estate development firm based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.

Cotton Crossing
Rancho Lorena
Front Porch Homes
Frontera Development
Model Home

Waco New Home Journal "Home Design"

This is a great video by Marianne Cusato, the nationally acclaimed architect who specializes in maximizing space in small cottage style house plans. Marianne designed the original "Katrina Cottage" which was a wonderful substitue to the FEMA trailers that were being issued to vicitms of Hurricane Katrina.

There are some great design principles that I think that anyone will enjoy who is thinking about building a new home in Waco.

Mark P. Felton offers buyers looking for houses in Waco a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer. His home building company is Front Porch Homes which builds in and around the Waco area. And his development company is Frontera Development, which is a full service real estate development firm based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.

Cotton Crossing
Rancho Lorena
Front Porch Homes
Frontera Development
Model Home

For more information, please call Mark at 254-495-1241 or email him at fronteradevelopment@gmail.com

Pick Your Elevation for a "New Home in Waco"

Front Porch Homes, Waco's premiere "Traditional Builder" features a new program in which you can pick your floor plan or have one custom drawn and then you select the style of house you prefer and we will customize an elevation to match.





The exact same house can be built to your specific taste and distinctive style, with out compromising the integrity of the floor plan.




Currently, Front Porch Homes is building these style of houses in Cotton Crossing, a traditional neighborhood development in Woodway, Texas. Houses typically range in size from 1,600 up to 3,500 sq/ft.




Typically, in a historic neighborhood, there will be a significant mix of architectural designs, that when done properly add to the character and charm of a beautiful neighborhood. Front Porch Homes and Cotton Crossing are striving to replicate that bygone era the "return of the neighborhood" in Waco, Texas.



The Waco Real Estate Market is usually low on options for the buyer who is wanting to downsize, simplify their life, stay in close to center of town and still have a house with character that is also energy efficient and easy to maintain. Cotton Crossing and Front Porch Homes are featuring a new phase that centers around single story house plans that are designed with the active empty nester in mind.

For more information or to schedule an appointment for a consultation, please contact:

Mark P. Felton
Front Porch Homes/Frontera Development
495-1241
fronteradevelopment@gmail.com

Mark offers buyers looking for houses in Waco a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer. His home building company is Front Porch Homes which builds in and around the Waco area. And his development company is Frontera Development, which is a full service real estate development firm based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.

Cotton Crossing
Rancho Lorena
Model Home
Frontera Development

Waco's Cotton Crossing "The Return of the Neighborhood"

Most people have to drive into a "Historic Neighborhood" to find picket fences, front porches, and sidewalks. Not only are they commonplace in Cotton Crossing, they are mandatory according to the building standards put in place by Mark Felton the developer of the project.

"These are the features that everyone gravitates to in a house. When a magazine is doing an article on something housing related, they don't put your average house in the picture, they find a traditional styled house with character and a big front porch, says Felton."

People want to live in a house that reflects the family that lives inside. They want something with an identity.

Mark Felton offers buyers looking for houses in Waco a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer. His home building company is Front Porch Homes which builds in and around the Waco area. And his development company is Frontera Development, which is a full service real estate development firm based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.

For More Information, call Mark at 254-495-1241 or fronteradevelopment@gmail.com

Cotton Crossing
Front Porch Homes
Model Home
Frontera Development

Waco's Cotton Crossing to feature "NotSoBig-House Plans"

Cotton Crossing will be featuring and building smaller houses to cater to the market demand for single story downsized housing in Waco. One of the pioneers of the "smaller house" is the architect and author, Sarah Susanka whose first book, the "Not So Big House" has been through multiple printings and is now considered a must read for anyone wanting to design and build a house on a reduced scale.

"Everyone says they want the big house with every imaginable room and by the time they can afford to build it, their kids move away and go to college and they are left with a wonderful house that they no longer need" says Mark Felton, the developer of Cotton Crossing.

Mark Felton offers buyers looking for houses in Waco a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer. His home building company is Front Porch Homes which builds in and around the Waco area. And his development company is Frontera Development, which is a full service real estate development firm based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.

For More Information, contact Mark at 254-495-1241 or fronteradevelopment@gmail.com

Cotton Crossing
Model Home at Cotton Crossing
Front Porch Homes
Rancho Lorena
Frontera Development

Wacoan Magazine features Cotton Crossing in Green Building Issue

Cotton Crossing The Return of the Neighborhood

Mark Felton has been raising the bar for residential construction. His two companies’, Frontera Development and Front Porch Homes, main project is Cotton Crossing, a development centrally-located on the old Western Oaks Golf Course. Cotton Crossing is one of Waco’s newest master planned communities, classified as a Traditional Neighborhood Development. The entire neighborhood is architecturally controlled and uses historic building styles such as Bungalow, Colonial, French Country and more. Cotton Crossing features garden homes with yards maintained by the homeowner’s association, sidewalks, front porches, lakes and walking trails.

Phase II features single-story houses geared toward baby boomers looking to downsize and lower energy bills without sacrificing the look of their home. With ever-increasing energy costs, many customers are asking about Green Building. Standard features include spray foam insulation, tankless water heaters and insulated double pane windows. These products provide significant savings for customers. “I have a three-bedroom, two-bath house that is near completion that will have an average 12-month energy bill of around $60 per month,” said Felton.

Front Porch Homes and Frontera Development are building in Cotton Crossing, Rancho Lorena and Lost Oaks. Front Porch Homes will also accept custom design/build projects around the Waco area. Visit our blog at frontporchhomes.blogspot.com
Cotton Crossingcottoncrossingtx.net 200 Prestwick Woodway254/751-7150

Waco's Cotton Crossing exploring LEED Certification

Cotton Crossing is not the only group in the Waco area that is going green. The new Waco Chamber of Commerce headquarters is going to be one of the first LEED certified commercial buildings in the area. Below is an interesting article on the new LEED Neighborhood Development standards which, prior to now didn't really exist. It is interesting reading if your are trying to brush up on everything "Green".

This certification is something that we will certainly explore at Cotton Crossing and other projects we are working on. However, we are always trying to utilize the practices of sustainability and green building at all times in the development process.

With the release of the LEED-Neighborhood Development pilot rating system this week, it is clearer than ever that green building design and community form shouldn't go it alone. The most powerful strategy for achieving environmental sustainability is incorporating high-performance buildings in compact, mixed-use neighborhoods that reduce driving by making walking and transit attractive options for commuting and other trips.
A joint venture of the Congress for the New Urbanism, the US Green Building Council, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, LEED-ND acknowledges that more than a third of greenhouse gases and a similar share of other environmental impacts are generated by buildings (primarily heating and cooling them) but another third is generated transporting people and goods to and from those buildings. Through a multi-year research and review process, the LEED-ND partners have identified draft criteria that will guide developments to achieve significant improvements in sustainability on both of these fronts, as well as related ones such as water management and habitat preservation. That pilot version of LEED-ND was released this week and is now available for download (warning: large PDF).
During the pilot phase, the LEED-ND rating system is tested against real world projects in order to improve the system and its applicability in the marketplace. In addition, participants in the pilot program have the opportunity for their development to be among the first projects to be recognized with LEED-ND certification. New Urbanist practitioners -- with their expertise in developing compact, complete, and connected neighborhoods -- can help in the refinement of the LEED-ND rating system by participating in the pilot program.
"Just as other LEED systems have improved building efficiency and energy performance, LEED-ND will reward efficient use of land and the building of complete and walkable communities," said John Norquist, President and CEO of the Congress for the New Urbanism. "It is helping to reinforce a more complete understanding of sustainability that extends all the way from the individual building to the neighborhood and community."
Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council said the expanded focus on green communities is important. “The future of green building is to think beyond just buildings, by addressing important issues like density development, community infrastructure, resource availability, and encouraging a healthy lifestyle. LEED for Neighborhood Development is an important and exciting step towards transforming the marketplace to create a healthy and sustainable future.”

Waco Home Buyers Have New Priorities

The following article is based on a national survey but is very indicative of trends in the Waco Real Estate marketplace.

Green living, storage, quality materials, outdoor living, and other amenities are listed as important to today's consumer
New data has been compiled by both the National Association of Home Builders and Better Homes and Gardens. The info was presented at the International Builders' Show recently. With the studies showing an interest in green living, outdoor living, and quality, consumers are ready to ask for what they need and want.

Because of recent increases in fuel and building costs, the home buyers' desire for green materials is two fold. On the one hand, these materials are better for the environment. On the other, energy-efficient improvements and appliances will help with long-term home maintenance costs.

Acccording to the Better Homes and Gardens survey, many buyers feel that they would be more apt to buy a new home during rough economic times if the builder was offering additional amenities, discounts, or professional advice. Builders are taking consumer desires to heart, for example, by accomodating modern, busy lifestyles with more functional kitchens, extra living space, storage, and master suites.

Although many people in older homes may dream of a shiny, modern kitchen or another bathroom upstairs, the studies show that buyers are generally happy with the size and quality of new homes' kitchens, as well as with the numbers of bathrooms.

Of course, any home buyer has their own list of "must-have" features they just won't consider living without. The survey found the some of the top items to be:

Laundry rooms
Heavy insulation
Energy-Star rated windows
Fenced yards
Walk-in pantries
Natural stone
Home size and price were also important factors explored by both studies, as well as the materials.

Mark P. Felton, offers buyers looking for houses in Waco a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer, so if you can't find the home you are looking for, pick your lot and he can build your dream home as well. You can contact him at 254-495-1241.

http://www.cottoncrossingtx.com/
http://www.frontporchhomes.blogspot.com/
http://www.rancholorena.com/

Waco Real Estate Market not 'Gloom & Doom'

The Waco real estate market is at a slow, but steady pace. And while home value appreciations in Waco might have seemed slow, local real estate players are counting themselves thankful to be in a place somewhat isolated from national housing woes. Even while the national media report large drops in home values and the country hits record-setting foreclosure rates, the stability of the real estate market in Waco should make it a safe place to weather the storm, said Trammell Kelly, a residential specialist with Kelly Realtors. In Texas, fast-growing areas such as the suburbs of Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin have experienced price drops and slowdowns in the market. But the fundamentals of the Texas economy remain strong, making the state a hotbed for job growth and the housing market, said Mark Dotzour, chief economist for the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University. In January, the real estate center released a report titled "Looming Boom: Texas Through 2030," which says that Texas still is being discovered by the rest of the country. The report estimates an increase of population in Texas of 13.6 million people between 2005 and 2030, 90 percent of which is projected to be located in a triangle between Denton, Houston and San Antonio. Waco lies near the center of that triangle, contributing to local builders' and agents' optimism about the future of the real estate market here. But the conflicting stories that people hear from the national media and local real estate professionals confuse homebuyers and sellers, making them ask more questions before entering the market, said Patricia Meadows, board president of the Waco Association of Realtors. The one indicator that raises concerns for some analysts is the Waco area's high inventory of homes for sale. It would take about nine months to sell all of the houses on the market at the current sales pace, according to data compiled by the real estate center. Experts at the center consider 6.5 months of inventory a balanced market, in which home value appreciation can be expected at an average clip. Anything less is considered a seller's market, and anything more is a buyer's market. Statewide inventory is about six months, Dotzour said, adding that it might be a good time for building activity for residential homes to slow to allow time for houses to come off the market. High inventory can slow the market by pressuring sellers to cut prices, which can affect home values. However, Waco has not been affected substantially by large-volume builders that tend to drive up inventory levels. That might reduce the chance that high inventory will sour the market, Dotzour said.

http://www.wacotrib.com/

Mark P.Felton, offers buyers looking for houses in Waco a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer. His home building company is Front Porch Homes which build in and around the Waco area. And his development company is Frontera Development, which is a full service real estate development firm based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.

Cotton Crossing
Rancho Lorena

Waco Board of Realtors awards Cotton Crossing "Most Unique Salsa"

Mark P. Felton, founder and developer of Cotton Crossing won the "Most Unique Salsa" at the Waco Board of Realtors first annual Margarita and Salsa Contest. This was a new event and fund raiser for the American Home Week festivities that they have every year. The Judges were all local Marines stationed in and around Waco area. Later in the week there will be a "Turkey Fry" the Realtor Golf tournament, Bingo and a hamburger lunch.

The Cotton Crossing Team was happy to come away with a win since there is not much chance of winning anything at the golf tournament.

There were also awards for "Hottest Salsa", which went to the Keller Williams Team (Go Team!). Mark also is a Keller Williams agent as well, so he was rooting on his teammates in their win. First American Title won the "Best Margarita", whom Mark used to work for in Business Development before he went into Real Esate & Construction.

All in all, it was a great night for spicy salsa and smooth margaritas and was a well organized and successful event for the Waco Board of Realtors.

Mark P.Felton, offers buyers & sellers looking for houses in the Waco area a full suite of professional services. As a licensed realtor and co-owner of Keller Williams Waco, he can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Mark also is a Custom Home Builder and Developer. His home building company is Front Porch Homes which builds in and around the Waco area. And his development company is Frontera Development, which is a full service real estate development firm based in Waco, Texas. The primary focus is residential, master planned communities that emphasize the values of New Urbanism and Traditional Neighborhood Development.

http://www.cottoncrossing.net/
http://www.rancholorena.com/
http://www.frontporchhomes.blogspot.com/

Seaside "The Premier New Urbanism Project"

Seaside is the primary influence I had for Cotton Crossing in its inception. While there are many other notable projects that we will discuss at another time, none is as important to me or the New Urbanist movement as a whole as Seaside. It was the first nationally recognized project that featured the design principles of New Urbanism from top to bottom. Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company, better known asDPZ are the visionairies that created Seaside, along with hundreds of other New Urbanist projects around the world. DPZ are also the founders of the Congress for New Urbanism, which coincidentally will be holding its annual national conference in Austin, Tx next week.

If you will notice the picture of the Cotton Crossing Model Home below, you will see that this house could be located anywhere in Seaside and it would fit right in. This obviously is by design. I wanted to capture that timeless feeling of the classic traditional architecture that you see throughout the South and especially on the coastal areas.

You can view the virtual tour of the inside of this house by clicking here.

For more information on New Urbanism, TND's, Cotton Crossing or Green Building, go to http://www.cottoncrossingtx.com/.

Mark P. Felton

254-495-1241, fronteradevelopment@gmail.com

Blog Directory

Cotton Crossing Breaks Ground on Phase II

Press ReleaseContact:

Mark P. Felton II

Phone: (254) 495-1241

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

8 A.M. Central, January 5, 2008

Cotton Crossing Breaks Ground on Phase II

Woodway, TX, January 5, 2008: Frontera Development is proud to announce the official ground breaking for its second phase of Cotton Crossing, a "Traditional Neighborhood Development". The general contract was awarded to JNB Construction and should be completed sometime in mid May 08'.

There will be 21 Garden Home lots available in Phase II, which will also feature a picturesque park that runs through the center of the neighborhood. The park will feature a large pergola and sitting area and will include winding trails and native landscaping.

Pre-sales are underway and there are a number of unique and desirable lots to choose from, including corner lots, oversized lots that back up to a lake and cozy interior lots that back up to the park.

For a copy of the plat, deed restrictions, price list, and or architectural guidelines, Please Contact: Mark P. Felton at 254-495-1241