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

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 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

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

Waco Relocation Guide

Relocating to Waco ?

Sometimes it can be difficult relocating to a medium size market like Waco when you are trying to gather the information on where to look at numerous places. If you want a "one stop shop" try the Chamber of Commerce Relocation Guide. It has just abut everything a prospective Wacoan could want.

Attractions:
Armstrong Browning Library
Art Center Waco
Bear Habitat
Cameron Park Zoo
Carleen Bright Arboretum
Dr Pepper Museum
Heritage Square Historic Homes
Homestead Heritage
Mammoth Site
Martin Museum of Art
Masonic Grand Lodge
Mayborn Museum Complex
Red Men Museum
Scottish Rite Museum
Suspension Bridge
TCV Winery
Texas Ranger Museum
Texas Sports Hall of Fame
Performing Arts:
Baylor Theatre
Bosque River Stage
MCC Theatre
Music in Waco
Waco Civic Theatre
Waco Hippodrome Theater
Waco Symphony
Recreation:
Cameron Park
Cottonwood Creek Golf
Lake Waco
Lake Waco Wetlands
Lions Park
River Bend Park Ballfields
Waco Regional Tennis Center
Waco Water Park

Of course, when it comes to where you are going to live, we are a little biased. You will find that Cotton Crossing is Waco's only "Traditonal Neighborhood Development" that truly gives you the feeling of another time and place. Most people who are moving to Waco are coming from a larger market where they are used to having numerous Master Planned Communities to choose from. Cotton Crossing fills that need and is centrally located in the heart of Waco & Woodway since it was built on top of the old Western Oaks Golf Course.





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.


For More Information, Call Mark P. Felton at 254-495-1241 or go to http://www.cottoncrossing.net/




Blog Directory

Waco Real Estate Market in Growth Phase

The following article was written by Scott Connell of the Waco Chamber of Commerce and is a great highlight of some of the exciting things we have going on in the Waco area.

Waco area seeing excellent growth

Thursday, May 17, 2007

By Scott Connell

Vice president, economic development, with the Waco Chamber of Commerce

Waco has seen tremendous growth, especially in the past two years. From a retail perspective, the developments along Interstate 35 are getting the most attention and investment. The focus is on a few exits around Texas Highway 6 in South Waco and Loop 340 on the North side at Bellmead and Lacy Lakeview. The area also has been experiencing a large amount of investment in health care. Providence Hospital is completing a $50 million expansion and Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center recently broke ground on a new $184 million hospital complex at I-35 and Texas Highway 6.

Population numbers
McLennan County	226,189
City of Waco	120,465
Hewitt	12,987
Bellmead	9,555
Robinson	9,062
Woodway	8,689
Lacy-Lakeview	5,804
McGregor	4,847
China Spring	3,789
Elm Mott	3,113
West	2,711
Mart	2,531
Axtell	2,284
Lorena	1,595
Bruceville-Eddy	1,534
Moody	1,393
Riesel	1,004
Crawford	789
Hallsburg	533
Leroy	333
Ross	234
County demographics
Female	51.4%
Male	48.6%
White	62.0%
Hispanic	20.6%
Black	15.2%
Asian, Indian, Hawaiian	2.2%
High School Grad	76.6%
College Grad	19.1%
These demographics were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau’s latest releases, mostly on complete statistics at the end of 2005.

A preview of the future Heritage Square.

There currently are several significant projects underway in Waco. Triliji Group, for example, is completing construction of Legends Crossing, a $50 million, 150-acre mixed use development at the crossroads of Texas Highway 6 and I-35. Stonehenge Development is building a $49 million, 9.4-acre mixed-use development in downtown Waco. Sanderson Farms is completing construction near TSTC of a $70 million chicken hatchery and processing plant, which will employ 1,300 people in the next year. In addition, Caterpillar Logistics has announced the leasing of 975,000 square feet of distribution space at a former General Tire facility near the intersection of I-35 and US 77. Many other projects are underway in the community that together represent more than $321 million in investment and 2,189 new jobs.

The "new-look" Hilton Hotel, a 4-star masterpiece.

Residential development continues to boom in two directions around Lake Waco — south/southwest along U.S. Highway 84 and northwest in the China Spring area. Many of the new residential areas are close to the 70+ employer Texas Central Park, a 3,000-acre business park located between I-35 and U.S. 84. I-35 developments are taking advantage of the regional accessibility of Waco and the traffic on the corridor.

Student housing loft project proposed for Heritage Square.

Retail also is growing along Franklin Avenue. New retailers in the Waco market include Pei Wei Restaurant, Academy Store, Mardel, Rib Crib, Wild West Wings, Dickey’s Bar-B-Q, and a new The Home Depot, which was built in Bellmead. Comfort Inn & Suites and Sleep Inn also are two names that have entered the market. Waco is seeing a lot of second and third stores of some of the major retailers already in the area.

A "birds-eye" view of the future Heritage Square parking area.

The places to watch for future development include downtown Waco, which has been receiving a lot of attention and focus for development; and the I-35 and Texas Highway 6 interchange, including the Central Texas Marketplace and Legends Crossing areas that will likely have more tenants vying for space going forward. The Texas Department of Transportation has a large construction project with fly-overs underway at that intersection. The Robinson and China Spring areas have both seen tremendous residential growth and are expecting significant commercial development as well.

Waco has experienced some of the strongest industrial growth in its history during the past few years. The labor force continues to grow with a relatively low unemployment rate, and the overall market should grow at an accelerated pace in the coming years as more jobs get filled.

Mark P. Felton is a proud member of the Waco Chamber of Commerce and the Waco Real Estate Community. He is actively involved in all aspects of the maket including, residential & commercial construction, development, and real estate brokerage. For more information about Mark or some of his projects please contact him at 254-495-1241.

www.cottoncrossing.net