Homes for sale in Houston

Ashton Woods is debuting in a new neighborhood within Sienna Plantation, Senebe, an intimate enclave within walking distance of the Sienna Springs Resort.

The builder offers one- and two-story designs in Senebe, with base pricing from the $250,000s and homes ranging from 2,500 to 3,500 square feet. Available homesites are along a cul-de-sac street and one inventory home is under construction now.

“This is a great location within Sienna Plantation,” said Ashton Woods sales representative Pansy Reid-Grant. “It is close to Sienna Ranch Parkway and offers good access to Highway 6 and the Fort Bend Parkway. Plus, it’s just a short walk to the Sienna Springs Resort.”

The Sienna Springs Resort is the newest of three recreation complexes in Sienna Plantation. The resort includes a free-form pool surrounded by a lush, tropical landscape. Two tower slides keep kids busy and plentiful shade structures provide a comfortable place for those wanting to relax.

Like all Ashton Woods homes, those in Sienna Plantation are being built to exacting Power House Green standards designed for energy savings and durability. Energy-efficient measures include high SEER-rated heating and cooling systems, as well as ultra-efficient, variable-speed furnaces with an efficiency rating of 95 percent, vinyl-framed and Low-E glass windows, radiant barrier decking on rooftops and cement Hardi board and efficient filtration and delivery systems to reduce dust and indoor contaminants. These and other practices have earned Ashton Woods Platinum status in the Environments for Living program. Ashton Woods is one of only a few Houston-area builders to attain the estimable ranking. The builder estimates its homeowners can save an average of 25 to 45 percent on utility bills annually.

Ashton Woods is a long-time builder in Sienna Plantation, a 7,000-acre Fort Bend community. Sienna residents enjoy five on-site schools — including the new Ridge Point High School, along with retail, churches, preschools and more. Residents also enjoy abundant amenities in addition to Sienna Springs Resort, including the Brushy Lake Fitness Center, the Club Sienna water park, tennis courts, a lakeside amphitheater, Camp Sienna sports park, frequent residential events and activities and much more.

For more information about Ashton Woods Homes, visit online at www.ashtonwoodshomes.com.

Ashton Woods is entering a new neighborhood within Riverstone and celebrating the move with a grand opening special of $35,000 in free options and design upgrades.

Enjoying long-time success in Riverstone, Ashton Woods is now building in the development’s Edgewood neighborhood, located within Sugar Land’s extra-territorial jurisdiction. Eleven designs are available, with base pricing from the $360,000s. One- and two-story designs are available, with sizes ranging from 3,059 square feet to 4,524 square feet.

Ashton Woods has started work on one inventory home in Edgewood, the four-bedroom Stanford design. The home is being built with several options, including an upstairs media room and a second master suite comprising a bedroom, full bath and living space. The home also features an island kitchen, 12-foot ceilings in the family room, a circular stairway in the foyer, a loft with a built-in desk and a game room separate from the media room. Base price on the home is in the $410,000s.

More than 40 homesites are available in the first phase of Edgewood, and Ashton Woods has several premium cul-de-sac and corner properties available.

“We are located very near million-dollar estate homes in Riverstone, which helps strengthen the value of homes in Edgewood,” said Paul Lim, an Ashton Woods sales representative known locally as the “Chinese Cowboy.”

“Plus, schools serving the Edgewood neighborhood are some of Fort Bend’s best.”

Young students attend Commonwealth Elementary, rated Exemplary by the Texas Education Agency, while older children attend Fort Settlement Middle School, one of only two of the district’s Exemplary-rated middle schools, and Elkins High School, a Recognized campus.

Riverstone residents also will enjoy greater access to U.S. 59 with the extension of University Boulevard, underway now. When the segment opens in late 2012, it will be the primary roadway through Riverstone, connecting Highway 6 and U.S. 59. Plus, a new resort-style swimming complex will open along the new University Boulevard in 2014, and will feature an expansive pool with twisting slides, a community center, tennis courts, a playground and more.

For more information on Ashton Woods in Riverstone’s Edgewood neighborhood, visit www.ashtonwoodshomes.com.

Ashton Woods has opened a well-outfitted model home in Fieldstone, a Richmond community located near shopping and the Santikos Palladium entertainment complex, now under construction.

The builder’s Bridgeport model, located at 5107 Gneiss Hollow in Fieldstone, features abundant structural and designer upgrades. A formal dining room and study flank the two-story foyer, and the family room, breakfast area and kitchen combine to provide a wonderful gathering space. An optional covered patio extends from the breakfast area, and soaring windows bring plenty of natural light to the two-story family room. The master suite has a tray ceiling and an optional bay window. The master bath, which features granite countertops, has an oversized shower with convenient seat, a soaking tub and dual vanities.

Upstairs, two bedrooms share a Jack-and-Jill bath, while a fourth bedroom has a private bath and walk-in closet. The model home also has a game room and separate media room, which is optional for the plan. Wrought-iron balusters and granite kitchen countertops add interesting detail to the home. The model has 3,192 square feet of living space and the base plan is 2,954 square feet. The starting price on the home is in the $210,000s.

In addition to opening the model home, Ashton Woods also has started work on four other homes in the community. Within Fieldstone, Ashton Woods offers 10 designs, priced from the $190,000s and ranging in size from 2,424 square feet to 3,359 square feet.

Located minutes from the Grand Parkway and south of the Westpark Tollway, Fieldstone is a 400-acre master-planned community served by schools in the Fort Bend Independent School District. Residents enjoy a pool and splash pad, recreation center and outdoor fire pit. Walking trails wind through the community, connecting homes to parks and playgrounds. Young residents attend Oakland Elementary, rated Exemplary by the Texas Education Agency, and the new David Bowie Middle School, opened this year. Older students attend Travis High School.

Fieldstone is convenient to major grocery stores, home stores and other retailers, as well as the Palladium, which broke ground in August. When the complex opens next year, it will feature a 22-screen Santikos theater, 16 bowling lanes, a sports bar and four restaurants.

For more information on Ashton Woods Homes in Fieldstone, visit www.ashtonwoods.com.

Ashton Woods Homes earns award for building new homes that protect the environment through energy efficiency

Atlanta, GA July 13, 2011

Ashton Woods Homes is pleased to announce that it has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with a 2011 ENERGY STAR Leadership in Housing Award. This award recognizes the important contribution Ashton Woods Homes has made to energy-efficient construction and environmental protection by building more than 949 ENERGY STAR qualified homes last year. Collectively, these homes will save our customers approximately $424,203 on utility bills each year. 
   
The environmental benefits of these ENERGY STAR qualified homes are equal to the equivalent of:

• Eliminating the emissions from 465 vehicles;
• Saving 2,812,836 lbs of coal;
• Planting 769 acres of trees; or
• Saving the environment 5,516,537 pounds of CO2 per year.

To earn the ENERGY STAR, a home must meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes are at least 20% more efficient than standard new homes built today.

“We have always been on the leading edge of providing our customers a healthier, more energy-efficient home. Ashton Woods Homes is proud to be a leader in the industry and committed to building environmentally friendly homes,” stated Ralph Farrell Sr. VP of Operations.

ENERGY STAR qualified homes offer homebuyers all the features they want in a new home, plus energy-saving features like effective insulation systems, high performance windows, tight construction and ducts, properly-sized and installed efficient heating and cooling equipment, efficient products, and third-party verification of energy performance.
“The value you get from an ENERGY STAR Qualified Home goes far beyond energy efficiency,” said Sam Rashkin, National Director for EPA’s ENERGY STAR Homes Program. “ENERGY STAR Qualified homes provide more comfort, durability, and a healthier environment than homes built to code. On top of that, they’re tested and inspected to perform.”

Last year alone, with the help of ENERGY STAR and partners, Americans saved about $18 billion on their utility bills and avoided greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 33 million vehicles. Nearly 1.2 million ENERGY STAR homes have been built in the United States since the program first began labeling homes in 1995.

About Ashton Woods Homes

Ashton Woods Homes is one of the nation’s largest private homebuilding companies, with operations in Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta, Raleigh, Dallas, Houston, Austin and Phoenix. For more information, visit http://www.ashtonwoodshomes.com.

About ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency. Today, ENERGY STAR offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money and help protect the environment for future generations. More than 126,000 new homes were constructed to meet ENERGY STAR guidelines in 2010, by partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes, buildings and businesses. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit http://www.energystar.gov or call toll-free 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937).

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) May 17, 2011

Ashton Woods Homes, a premier builder of eco-friendly and energy efficient new homes today announced recently achieving the Builder 100’s Top-10 Private Companies.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Ashton Woods builds high-performance homes for sale in Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Orlando, Phoenix, Tampa and Raleigh growth communities. Close to jobs, shopping and transportation, Ashton Woods effectively balances healthy-house features with energy efficiency in their Power House Green homes for sale – which could save homeowners as much as 45% per year on utility bills.

Every year, BUILDER magazine asks the nation’s builders to provide their sales and closings. The Builder 100 list is an annual compilation of the largest homebuilders in the country. The Builder 100’s Top-10 Private List is comprised separately of for-profit, private builders.

The article, written by Builder magazine’s senior editor, John Caulfield, points out that, “Georgia-based Ashton Woods USA converted $125 million of its public debt to private debt, which appears to have given this company breathing room to grow. The company has since expanded its operations into Raleigh, N.C., and Austin, Texas. Ken Balogh, a former Centex executive who was Ashton Woods’ COO, was promoted to CEO after Tom Krobot, who had held that post since 1995, retired on Dec. 31, 2010.”

The Builder 100’s Top-10 Private List is a milestone achievement for Ashton Woods as it continues to earn recognition, awards and accolades – from industry experts and customers alike – for its energy-efficient and affordable new homes for sale.

As recently as March 2011, Ashton Woods made the cover story of Big Builder magazine, which proclaimed Ashton Woods as having the right business model, management talent, experience and funding which allows them to capitalize on current market conditions and be well positioned for new market conditions going forward.

“With our ‘Power House Green’ and ‘Yours Personally, Ashton’ incentives, we’re hitting the right balance of new home science and design,” stated Tad Serbin, Senior VP, Sales & Marketing. “We’ve also adopted the Department of Energy’s E-Scale Home Energy Rating System to help educate homebuyers on the utility savings when comparing an Ashton Woods home to other new and used homes,” added Mr. Serbin.

Read the Builder magazine article at http://tinyurl.com/PrivateTop-10List, or visit Ashton Woods Homes at http://www.ashtonwoodshomes.com.

About Ashton Woods Homes

Ashton Woods Homes is one of the nation’s largest private homebuilding companies, with operations in Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta, Raleigh, Dallas, Houston, Austin and Phoenix. Visit http://www.ashtonwoodshomes.com for more information.

Helps Define “MPG” for New Homes – Saves Homeowners Money

Atlanta, GA May 03, 2011

Ashton Woods Homes, a premier builder of eco-friendly and energy-efficient new homes today announced the release of their Home Energy Rating Scale, in accordance with the Department of Energy.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Ashton Woods builds high-performance homes for sale in Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Orlando, Phoenix, Tampa and Raleigh in growth communities, close to jobs, shopping and transportation.

If homes had a miles-per-gallon (MPG) rating, Ashton Woods would be the eco-friendly leader in building “fuel-efficient” homes. Leveraging a long history of building energy-efficient homes in all of its communities, the national builder has incorporated the EnergySmart Home Scale (E-Scale), developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in the marketing and sales information of their new homes.

The E-Scale, based on Residential Energy Services Network’s (RESNET) Home Energy Rating (HERS) Index, involves the analysis of a home’s construction plans and includes onsite inspections. According to RESNET, since a rating quantifies the energy performance of a home, the HERS Index provides an easily understandable means to compare the relative energy efficiency of different homes.

The HERS Index is a scoring system based on the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code. The lower a home’s HERS Index, the more energy efficient it is.

When it comes to scoring low on the E-Scale, Ashton Woods has an average score of 70. This means, when compared to other new homes, Ashton Woods’ homes are 30% more energy-efficient. When compared to used homes, a new home from Ashton Woods is as much as 46% more efficient in its energy use. This can save homeowners as much as $1,078.00 each year.

While the E-Scale from the Department of Energy may be new to consumers, building energy-efficient, eco-friendly homes is old hat for Ashton Woods: they’ve been doing it for 10 years with their Powerhouse Green Homes.

“It’s just the right way to build a home,” says Ralph Farrell, VP Operations at Ashton Woods Homes. “By designing a livable home first and then adding energy-efficiency, we develop a comfortable and environmentally-sound home,” added Mr. Farrell.

But, E-Scale is only a measurement tool. Homes need to incorporate energy-efficient attributes like Energy Star, or Environments For Living, as a general baseline. According to Sam Rashkin, National Director Energy Star for Homes, even just a typical Energy Star-compliant home saves 20-30% in energy costs when compared to homes built as recently as 2009. “As a compliment to Energy Star, the E-Scale is a great thing,” added Mr. Rashkin and homes built by Ashton Woods are all Energy Star-compliant.

Environments For Living (EFL) brings yet another whole layer of efficiency to an Ashton Woods home. Homes built under the Environments For Living® program are energy-efficient homes that have been constructed using the principles and the discipline of looking at a house as an integrated system of systems that all work together. Things like durability, water-efficiency, indoor environmental quality and energy-efficiency are all part of EFL’s advanced building techniques, which require a lot more effort on the part of homebuilders, like Ashton Woods. “All these things create a quality product,” says Mr. Rashkin.

Ashton Woods is a strong advocate of quality products and energy-efficiency programs, like EFL and Mr. Farrell states, “It’s a big deal to have a healthier, well-balanced, clean home and Environments For Living has really helped.” And it’s created a demand for homes built by Ashton Woods, who, last month, made the cover of Big Builder magazine, partly as a testament to its ability to deliver ongoing value to homeowners through continued energy-efficiency savings.

“Ultimately, new homeowners could use the savings from reduced energy costs to pay down their mortgage sooner, which is an attractive option for many buyers today,” stated Tad Serbin, Senior VP, Sales & Marketing. With this idea in mind, Ashton Woods has created an energy performance calculator using the E-Scale to help new homebuyers understand the impact of savings from living in an energy-efficient home.

The energy performance calculator is located at http://www.ashtonwoods.com/escale and can help individuals determine the amount of yearly savings they could realize.

To learn more about E-Scale: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/challenge/energysmart.html
To learn more about the HERS Index: http://www.resnet.us/home-energy-ratings
To learn more about Energy Star: http://www.energystar.gov/
To learn more about Environments For Living: http://www.environmentsforliving.com

About Ashton Woods Homes

Ashton Woods Homes is a subsidiary of the Great Gulf Group, a fully-integrated collection of companies that spans the entire real estate spectrum in North America. From land acquisition and development to the design and construction of master planned communities. For more than 40 years, Ashton Woods has built a solid reputation for building comfortable, energy-efficient, high-performance new homes and is honored with the most coveted local, regional and national awards.

Visit http://www.ashtonwoodshomes.com for more information.