Looking out across the sea of young, eager faces and red uniform shirts at the Career Day event at Life School Red Oak Elementary, was a sweet reminder at just how bright our future is. What an honor to have a little time carved out in each of their lives to speak to them about our passion for building relationships, building homes, and even of building the future at John Houston Custom Homes. Together with our Vice President of Sales, Jason Dodson and Architectural Designer, Rich Ean, we presented to multiple second and fourth grade classes at Life School Red Oak about the exciting world of home building. From starting with an architectural plan, to meeting with customers, and finally seeing the plan come to life, Rich excited the kids with his passion for creating. He encouraged them to do well in school in the areas of math and science and spoke of how awesome it is to marry that world together with art and creativity and come out with architecture. He encouraged them to go to college and work hard and do well in school.

Waxahachie has experienced a tremendous amount of growth over the last few years and John Houston Custom Homes is excited to be a part of that growth with its newest community, Sandstone Ranch. The brand new model home, "The Titus," is an exciting look into what this exclusive community will feature. Exquisite details and beautiful custom features are staples to the homes in this neighborhood within Waxahachie ISD and conveniently located near all of the best shopping and restaurants that Waxahachie has to offer.

It's no secret that the state of Texas has garnered significant attention in the media for attracting large corporations and people over the last several years. With appealing home prices, lower taxes, and fewer business regulations, the state has experienced a large population increase specifically since 2008. While the highly populated North Texas cities have experienced a large amount of the growth, the smaller towns south of the DFW Metroplex have been undergoing rapid growth and development as well. In fact, according to this recent article, even large cities like Dallas are making the push to grow south. So why is this not so much of a surprise to the residence that call these towns home? Here are a few reasons why.

Any two entities can come together and create a partnership. A great partnership, however, is created when two entities come together with a shared vision. That's the kind of partnership John Houston Custom Homes is happy to have with our preferred lender Trinity Oaks Mortgage.

The only thing more appealing than our beautiful new model, "The Walker" at The Grove, is the location! Set among the trees in Midlothian, this beautiful community is tucked away with easy access to Highway 287 and next to the new Midlothian Heritage High School in the highly acclaimed Midlothian ISD. This home and John Houston Custom Home community are a must see! Beautiful, cool, colors run throughout the home and custom wood trim is featured throughout. Dramatic touches like the grand stair case and overlooking Juliet balcony are flanked by an equally impressive floor to ceiling stone, wood and granite fire place.

Over the years, John Houston Custom Homes has built countless relationships with the people in the local community in which we build and around the world. Beyond building homes, building relationships is key to all that we do. But our company isn't one person. Our company is many hard working individuals who share in John Houston's vision and recognize and value it's importance to build lifelong relationships. So who are these individuals? From the sale of the home, through the building process, until close and beyond, John Houston Custom Homes is people like Area Project Manager, Justin Bright.

One of our favorite things to do as a company is get out and spend time with the folks that make up our communities. We feel blessed to get to build homes in the areas that we do and getting out and being a part of what makes those communities great is an honor. This weekend coming up, we have two fun events in Ellis County and we'd love to see you there!

When it came time to search for our next home, we decided to focus on a few specific subdivisions in our area. Lauren and I quickly realized John Houston Custom Homes was the common factor. They were the company that seemed to be everywhere we wanted to live. We were looking for a builder that set themselves apart from the competition and are happy to say, John Houston Custom Homes did just that. Their homes had greater detail and curb appeal giving them variation from one home to the next.

If only one word could be used to describe the John Houston Custom Homes Model of the Month it would have to be...breathtaking. The Sequoia plan is beautifully showcased here in our Mansfield community of Cabot Estates.

Curb appeal is a very important and often over looked feature in your home. While it is certainly a must have when selling your house, curb appeal doesn't need to go by the way side if you aren't in the market to sell your home. Added curb appeal shows pride in ownership, adds value to your home and your neighborhood and at the end of the day can bring joy to you and those who pass by. Spring is my favorite time to spruce up the exterior of my home. Spring itself is a time of renewal and what better time then now when the days are soon to be longer and warmer to spend some time outside. Here are a few of my favorite ways to add curb appeal and add a little happy to your home this spring.

I know, I know, the calendar still clearly says winter and North Texas is notorious for getting thrown weather curve balls this time of year, but I'm going for it! We're talking spring here people! The weather is so perfect right now and what's 16 days on a calendar when this weekends forecast is clearly the winning indicator here. So, whether you're a North Texas native or you are new to the area, here are some fun things you can do to take advantage of this glorious weather. 1. Get Out In The Yard Help your yard and your homes curb appeal step into spring with a little help from some fresh flowers and mulch. Annuals are an easy way to instantly brighten up your flower garden. But spring is also a good time to plant perennial bulbs that will bloom later in the year and provide beautiful blooms year after year. My personal favorite are tulips and daffodils.

I have to be honest, I have commitment issues when it comes to color. Don't get me wrong, I love color, lots of color, just so long as its in someone else's house. This year however, I resolve to join the rest of the world and add some color to my home. So, I've done some research and I have to say that I am excited about the trending interior home colors of 2016. This year it seems that the base of the interior starts with neutrals (so far, I'm liking the sound of that) that are combined with beautiful jewel tones. Think jade, ruby, rose quartz, you get the idea. There are no shortage of beautiful combinations of these bold colors when paired with understated neutrals and metallics.

We are very excited to announce the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting of our beautiful new Hickory Creek model, "The Bentley." Hickory Creek is located in Red Oak, conveniently close to I-35 just 20 minutes south of Dallas. While this is a business friendly community, it has a very relaxed pace and can be found within the Red Oak Independent School District. You are invited to tour this beautiful home and community this coming Wednesday, February 24th from 11am-1pm. Feel free to join us for lunch and be apart of the Red Oak Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.

Moving can be a pretty stressful event and is consistently ranked among the top 5 most stressful life events. While there are fun and exciting aspects of it, most of us will admit moving can really take a toll on you and your family. Moving to a new city or state can add even more to the stress level. While I'm no expert, I've moved to different cities and states a few times now and these 6 steps have helped to eliminate some of the stress that comes along with relocating to a new area.

For a lot of us, work is a necessary part of life. A means to an end. But there are a few out there that love their job and I count myself among them. Steve Jobs once said, "Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do."

Have you ever walked into a house and immediately felt at home? That welcoming feel is unmistakable but it might be difficult to put your finger on what makes it so. Whether you are in the market to sell your house or you just want to set that welcoming mood for you and your guests, here are a list of 5 ways you can do just that. 1. Use Light and Color to Draw Guests In Light has a lot to do with the mood of your home. When you first walk into your home, if there isn't a source of natural light at the opposite end of the entry way, create an accent wall across the room that will draw your eyes inward. Light has a tendency to draw people toward it and it will do the same to draw your guests in.

Building a home is an exciting time in your life and can certainly be a lot of fun! However, with all the design options and latest trends out there, some buyers may be a little overwhelmed with the amount of choices that go into the process. That's where the John Houston design team comes in. Our design savvy team will help you navigate through today's latest trends and timeless elements to help you to build your dream home.

You've probably seen them around town. Walking through the local grocery store, elementary school, church or even sitting next to you at work with beaming smiles. They have been known to congregate on billboards along our highways and through the very local magazines that you enjoy flipping through. Lately, I've even noticed their faces splashed across various social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. John Houston Homes Happy Home Owners. Who are these people you may be asking yourself? Why are they so happy? How can I be just like them? Take heart fine readers, there is a way. Read on and you too can be on your way to becoming a #jhhappyhomeowner.

Santa Claus, Old Saint Nick, Father Christmas...we all know the real reason for Christmas but do you know the real story behind the man in red? (History buffs, you're welcome...) The real Nicholas, as he was called, was born in the 3rd century near modern day Turkey to wealthy Christian parents. At a very young age he lost his parents but had in his short life learned from them the importance of giving to others. He sold off his inheritance to give to the poor and take care of the sick. He became Bishop and later Saint Nicholas and his life became a testament to his love for God and his desire to serve others.