Master Planned Communities

Offering master-planned allure

Compact communities with many amenities grow in popularity

11:36 AM CST on Monday, December 31, 2007

KATE GOODLOE/Special Contributor

Having pools, tennis courts, golf courses and beachlike cabanas within walking distance was once the province of country club dwellers. Now master-planned communities make such perks widely available to homeowners.

The communities can cover a few thousand acres, with hundreds of homes in distinct neighborhoods united by common features such as community centers and splash parks. Many are big enough to have their own schools.

Centex Homes At the Grand Heritage in Lavon, amenities include a community center with a kitchen that can handle large gatherings, a party patio, a splash park and a video-game room.

That's attracting buyers who want a compact community and the services.

"The big draw is really the amenities," said Kevin Jones, director of marketing for the Dallas office of Centex Homes.

North Texas builders began creating master-planned communities more than 20 years ago, but the number has surged in recent years locally and nationally.

The increase is fueled by buyers seeking convenience, builders and Realtors said, and by baby boomers seeking an active and interactive lifestyle.

A recent American Institute of Architects survey indicated that residential architects are reporting strong demand for projects that combine residential and retail. It noted particular interest in those with recreational activities and public transportation nearby.

Centex is one of four builders working on the Grand Heritage in Lavon, which Mr. Jones said has the most extensive amenities the company's developments offer: a community center with commercial-grade kitchen, a party patio, a splash park, a beach-entry pool and a common video game room.

Homes built by Centex's Fox & Jacobs brand in the eastern Collin County development range from about $120,000 to more than $170,000.

Cul-de-sacs, small parks and other features that foster interaction are also big draws, said Maribeth Peters, a Realtor with Ellen Terry Realtors in Dallas. Before focusing on a particular home in a master-planned community, she said, she drives clients around to see it all.

"People are interested in learning about and meeting their neighbors again," she said.

In some master-planned communities, homeowners associations organize activities. At the Starwood development in Frisco, where homes cost up to $5 million, the association organizes play groups, a dining club and a seniors group, said Dena Compton-Devoto, director of sales and marketing for developer Blue Star Land.

The company, owned by Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, is breaking ground on a second master-planned community, StarCreek in Allen. That development will feature 879 homes, from $300,000 to $1 million, and a pool, playground, picnic pavilion with outdoor firepit, trails and private Montessori school.

In many master-planned communities, the homeowners association pays for maintaining common facilities. Costs can vary: At Grand Heritage, homeowners pay $48 a month in association dues. At the 5,000-acre Stonebridge Ranch in McKinney, annual dues are $713.21.

Such fees permit access to everything in most communities, but some developers have paired the master-planned developments with private country clubs, which have separate fees.